Once when they decide to leave their current home, friends, and family members and move away to some other place, most people experience something that we call homesickness. It is a specific anxiety that makes you nervous, confused, and usually sad. That is especially true if you face moving to another country with different cultures, languages, and habits. At that point, people start searching for a way to make the new place a home and the new people they meet friends. But is it possible to feel at home once you come to live in another country? Today, we will give you some valuable tips on how to deal with homesickness after moving from Italy to New York.
1. Create a new life
One of the first and foremost things one should do is to set some routines in the new life. If you used to have your first-morning coffee in an Italian cafe down the street, don’t break that habit. Find a nice coffee place in New York, and let it become your new-old favorite routine in everyday life. Or, if you keep missing a portion of delicious Italian gelato, or a plate of pasta, you can always find a good New York restaurant that can offer you a pretty good copy of your favorite meals.
The crucial thing is to find some habits in the new environment that will make your day and then stick to them devotedly. If you want to start loving the new country and its residents, you must give it a chance. And to give your best, too.
2. Try to make the new place feel like home
After creating a little routine plan, you can focus on making the new place feel like home. Try to create a living atmosphere similar to the one you had in your old home. Start with decoration. Bring some pictures, curtains, or an old vase that reminds you of a cozy, warm, homelike atmosphere. Then, prepare some of your favorite meals using your mom’s recipes. That will bring some good old smells into your new home.
Apart from that, you can also try to personalize your new space and create a new environment that will suit your lifestyle. Renovating your home after moving in is an excellent opportunity to make crucial changes if needed.
3. Meet the new country and your neighborhood
It may seem that staying at home is the safest way to avoid facing new challenges. Although you don’t necessarily have to like everything you’ll see and find, you need to admit that America is a beautiful country full of many different cities and exciting attractions you may become fond of.
Therefore, start with meeting your neighborhood. Find out about the local attractions, walk the streets, explore the environment and engage with the residents. The worst thing you can do is to stay at home all the time, lamenting about leaving the old house.
4. Be open to new friendships- one of the best ways to deal with homesickness after moving from Italy to New York
Staying in touch with your friends back home is also very important. They should not think you have forgotten about them just because you have moved to another place. Still, you need to think about your future, as well. Having no one you can hang out with, or rely on when things get hard and complicated, is not the smartest thing you can do.
You need to go out and be open to meeting new people. Some nice, friendly neighbors will be happy to become your new friends. Start a casual conversation. Find out something about them. Then, if you see something interesting in those people, call them to your place, and prepare a nice Italian dinner to welcome them. You can never know whom you can meet. You just need to give people a chance.
5. Stay physically active
It is proven stat physical activity helps with relieving stress and negative energy. That is why staying active is ideal if you want to deal with homesickness after moving from Italy to New York. Running in the park is the easiest and always available choice. Not only can it make you fit and healthy, but it can also help you meet some new people. Another good idea is to visit the local gym or join the nearest sports club in your area.
However, if you are not a sports type, you can always try some easy at-home exercises. They will not take much time, but will certainly improve your physical activity and help you feel relaxed and much happier with your new life.
6. Work on your emotional state
Emotional health is equally essential as physical one. In the modern world, when it seems that we are exposed to stressful situations more than ever, it is vital to find a way to stay satisfied and balanced.
Relocation stress and the homesickness that usually follows it are something most people meet during their life. Some of them manage to get out of it by themselves. Still, some others would better do it with some professional help by their side. Thus, if you feel that anxiety prevails in your everyday life and you are overwhelmed by sadness no matter what you do, maybe it’s time to consult a therapist. Luckily, nowadays, that goes much easier than before. You don’t even have to leave your home to get the appointment. Simply turn on your computer and have an online session.
Do you feel ready to go now? We hope our tips for how to deal with homesickness after moving from Italy to New York will help you at least a bit. Don’t let the negative emotions overwhelm your mind. You are going into a new adventure, and get ready to enjoy it.
