Homesickness is a hindrance that rears its ugly head when you least expect it. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember why you put yourself through the challenge of moving abroad…
Here at Spotahome, many of us have been homesick abroad at one time or another. But guess what, we lived to tell the tale! Read some tips from our survivors…
Does it Look Like we Suffer From Homesickness?
Adriana...
...is from Bolivia and is part of our Sales and Customer Experience team. She moved to Madrid in August 2014. Here Adriana shares how she keeps homesickness at bay…
“I like to keep items from my family and friends such as my mom’s bathrobe. Although I keep belongings from home, I find that building a new life in your new city is my best tip for feeling at home and not alienating yourself from your new environment. Try to go to events or sports classes and make sure to say “yes” to every invitation!”
…Adriana’s advice for…
Living – “I live in Chamberí. This area has the benefit of being a more residential neighbourhood but it only takes 5-10 minutes to reach the city centre so I get the best of both worlds!”
Eating – “My favourite restaurant is OLOKUN; a delicious Cuban place in Malasaña.”
Drinking – “For artisan beer lovers, I would recommend Cervezas Madriz in Chamberí. If you prefer cocktails, go to Corazón in Malasaña, you won’t be disappointed!”
Pilar, Adriana, Haley and Karla – not Homesick!
Arthur...
...is from Paris and has lived in Madrid for 3 years. He has worked on the Property Acquisition team since November 2015.
“Paris isn’t too far from Madrid, so when I go home I like to drive there and bring a suitcase of my favourite food back to Spain! I’ve also found that it’s important to travel as much as you can whilst living abroad – this way you discover plenty of interesting cities so you become less nostalgicand homesick for your home country. Websites like Internations and meetup.com are fantastic platforms for meeting new people.”
…Arthur’s tips for…
Eating – “Remember when I said that I like to travel to beat homesickness? Go to Segovia to enjoy excellent Cochinillo! The best restaurant for meat eaters in Madrid is el Jamon y el Churrasco in Tetuán – a fantastic place for Buey de Lugo – beef from Galicia. This restaurant is AMAZINGLY GOOD!”
Drinking – “My favourite bar is El Tigre, a tapas place in Chueca.”
Socialising Helps to Fight Homesickness. Here we are Dining at Burger Joint – A MUST for Food Lovers!
Haley...
...works as a Community Manager at Spotahome. She no longer feels homesick after moving to Madrid for the job 2 months ago. Haley is originally from Chicago.
“I printed pictures of my family and friends before moving to Madrid and I’ve put them on my wall in my new bedroom. I also found it useful to socialise with expats at the beginning because we were all in the same boat. This certainly helped with my homesickness. It’s a great idea to have multi-cultural dinners with people from different nationalities and cultures – take your favourite dish from your home country and share it with others!”
…Haley’s help with…
Living – “I live in a shared apartment in Malasaña. This area is close to the city centre, and it is THE place to enjoy quirky bars and clubs at the weekend.”
Eating – “I often go to Casa Gonzalez when I feel like a treat. This is a place in the centre of Madrid where you can indulge in interesting tapas – Spain’s most famous dish!”
What are your tips for keeping homesickness at bay? Leave us a comment!
If you enjoyed this article, why not check out some more from our blog!
- 10 Reasons Moving Abroad In Your Twenties Can Be The Best Thing You Can Do
- How to Move to Another Country: The 5 Things You MUST Do When Moving Abroad
- 9 Things That WILL Happen When You Move Abroad
- How to Move Abroad in 5 Easy Steps
- 12 Free Essential Apps for Living Abroad