Dealing with being homesick on the road

Homesickness is bound to hit you on the road, mostly in two distinct time periods: a few days into your vagabonding expedition, and another bout 6-months to a year into being on the road.

Homesickness takes a different turn when you have lived in many places; you tend to miss family rather than a place. Your mum’s home cooked food, your parent’s couch (it radiates love, nothing can happen to you on their couch!), your brother’s alarm clock that would ring an excruciating heavy-metal song at odd hours, friends calling you for birthdays or wedding-parties, etc, etc. It has always surprised me how good memories can get you really down sometimes.

I’ve been away from home for about 18 months now, and although I haven’t missed it as much as I thought I would, I am ready to go back for a visit. To see my parents, sleep in the bed I grew up in, momentarily re-live my life the way it was 2-years ago. In the meantime, to deal with the memories that get the better of me — this is what I do:

• Go to the Indian restaurant by my house: They make great food, play Bollywood films, and talk to me in Hindi. It reminds me more of home, but while I’m there, for some absurd reason, I feel home.
• Run: Long runs (or even walks) work like miracles for any down period.
• It’s OK to miss home: Just that realization helps. Doesn’t make you weaker, you don’t have to question the whole vagabonding idea you decided to live. You’ll be down for a few days, but you’ll also snap out of it sooner than you think, it’s easier in new surroundings.
• Go to public places with a book: If you already have friends, call them and arrange to meet for a drink; if not, take a book and go to a cafe. The hustle of the place and being surrounded by people helps you disconnect with what’s bothering you. This is also a great way to meet people in a new place.
• Email or chat with family: Technology advances these days give no excuse not to be in touch with loved ones overseas. Call, chat, email, webcam the people you miss, it will get your emotions out, so you don’t dwell on them for a long time.

These are the things I do anyway, and they’ve always worked for me. What do you do when you are hopelessly homesick in a foreign country?