Leaving your home country to study abroad is brave and exciting. It’s a journey on which you will have lots of new experiences, you will meet new people and see new places. But not everything is rosy and sometimes you will experience homesickness for your friends, family and your home country. That’s why we prepared stories and tips of students who are in the same situation as you and are facing the same thing. You’re definitely not alone in this, and our UTB students are the proof!☺️
Akhilesh from India
Faculty of Technology
I had clearly remembered the day when I arrived in Zlin. A person who is thousands of miles away from his family, siblings and friends, in another country with no prior connections. On my first day, I had this strange feeling of missing out at my dorm because I have no one to talk and excitement for the upcoming adventures at UTB. At initial one week, I was having a terrible homesickness. Then I have started meeting with new people around me, who also come here for their studies from different countries, perhaps they have also the same homesickness felling. Then I got a buddy through UTB buddy system, who helped me complete all the formalities in university and helped me to get familiar with this beautiful city Zlin and I made so many new friends in Winter semester events like parties, meetups. So overall Studying abroad in Europe is a thrilling adventure, but it’s common to experience homesickness, especially during your initial days in a foreign land. Don’t worry; this feeling is entirely natural and can be managed with a few things- stay connect with family & friends through calls, create a familiar environment, explore your surroundings, build a support network with local and International students, stay busy with studies and seek professional help with talking to a counsellor or a mental health professional.
Nghi from Vietnam
Faculty of Multimedia Comunications
Dealing with homesickness while studying in the Czech Republic as a Vietnamese girl involves a mix of strategies. Beyond regular video calls, I’ve found solace in watching videos of Vietnam on social media. Seeing familiar landscapes and hearing my native language almost transports me home. Additionally, actively searching for Vietnamese restaurants in my new city has become a delightful adventure. Discovering places that serve authentic dishes provides not only a taste of home but also a sense of connection. Also, these small rituals, like exploring local Vietnamese communities and cultural events, helped me balance between embracing the new experiences in the Czech Republic and staying connected with my Vietnamese identity. Cooking traditional Vietnamese meals in my dorm brings a taste of home while serving as a comforting routine. Making new friends and immersing myself in the local culture helps me build a support system. It’s a gradual process, and embracing both my Vietnamese identity and the new experiences here has been vital in easing the pangs of homesickness.
Elvira from Ukraine
Faculty of Management and Economics
As every international student, after the euphoria of moving abroad was gone, I’ve started feeling homesick. It’s not just about missing your friends and family, but comfort of the lifestyle that you’re used to. When you leave everyone and everything you know in another country, it might be overwhelming, so here are some tips, that helped me to deal with homesickness. Leave your apartment/room as much as you could. Even if you don’t have any friends yet, just go and walk around the city on your own. Check out parks, stores and coffeeshops. Join Facebook and Instagram groups to find new connections. Find people who, as you, just came to Zlín and explore the city together. Find people from your country. You can do it through Facebook or even in classes. For me, finding people from my country was the thing, that helped the best. Not only you can talk to someone in your own language, but you can miss your country together 😅 Talk to people who’ve had the same problem. Talk to someone, who lives in a different country for a longer time. Even if their experience is different, just talking to someone who have gone through similar thing is always helpful. I hope that these things will help you as well.
Nhung from Vietnam
Faculty of Applied Informatics
Dealing with homesickness while studying in Japan, Taiwan, and the Czech Republic has proven to be a profound and occasionally challenging aspect of my experience. Longing for the comforting presence of my family, the flavors of my Vietnamese dishes, the warmth of family dinners, and the compelling stories of my friends often creep in. In response to these feelings, I’ve devised various methods to combat homesickness. I’ve made connections with fellow international students with whom I can share our respective experiences and favorite foods from our home countries. Immersing myself in the local culture, learning about new customs, and creating new memories have been effective ways to shift my focus from what I miss to what I can discover. In addition, maintaining connections with loved ones through video calls bridged the emotional gap and provided a comforting sense of familiarity. In this journey of adapting to new environments, I’ve come to understand that homesickness is an inherent facet of this adventure, but I’ve also come to realize that it need not be limited to that; instead, it can catalyze personal growth and the enrichment of one’s cultural experience.
If you have not yet read the first part of this article, definitely check it out here and also read a few tips on cheap restaurants in Zlín🍛🍻
