How to Deal With Homesickness | Exchange Student Tips | Exchange Year USA

Hey guys,

as it has been requested by a lovely viewer of mine, I will be talking about how to deal with homesickness in today's video. As an exchange student, you will definitely go through some tough times where you are going to be experiencing different levels of homesickness. So I thought I would share with you my tips on how to get over homesickness so that you can enjoy your study abroad experience as much as possible.
I hope you enjoy and as always: if you have any questions or video suggestions concerning exchange student content or anything else, please leave them down in the comments below.
Lots of love,
Laura

[marktoth]

You really have such good input on so many topics that are helpful to host parents and students. As I mentioned in another comment to one of your videos, my wife and I have hosted 8 kids during the last 5 years (double placement) and have two students coming this July after taking a year off per pandemic disruptions etc. Despite significant hosting experience, there is still much to learn and to be reminded of as a host parent by watching your videos. Your insight as to what the student is feeling is helpful. We have been through the homesickness with students, that ended up loving the experience, that we still email\text weekly with, and they struggled initially. Your advice on limiting that contact back home initially, to find out what you are missing (and then be even more homesick) is spot on. I did not think until you said it in a video about Group FaceTime calls being even more difficult for the students. The various agencies placing students should make viewing your videos by the student and their parents (and host family) mandatory prior to departure. You are kind to put together these quite professional videos designed to help students and host families alike--on very relevant topics. If students (and their parents) have not thought about consulting you one on one they should, it would be money well spent as your knowledge on this subject is very good, and it would help insure an excellent experience. I am going to send this link to our former students and their parents, as they often have someone asking them questions about the experience, and this would be a very helpful tool. Have you done a video designed to help the family of the student (allowing their child to go on this experience) cope with homesickness\missing their daughter\son? Although we prefer to keep the their parents informed and share pictures (so they know their, especially in the first few months, many agencies frown on any direct contact for fear of the parents interfering and disrupting the activities of the student. My sense is the family could benefit from a q and a session with your parents, as to what to expect. I know it has been a while since you left for your experience in the USA but I suspect your parents remember your departure well and how it impacted them. I suspect your parents speak English, and they may have input for what host families should not do in their mind. For example, we never want to to replace the parents, we just want to provide a great experience, and at times cultural differences can create confusion. We never had problems, except when I relied to much on google translate, and something went amiss in the translation that hurt the feelings of the parents at home. Enough of my ramblings, well done on your videos! Beifall. Mark

[haley]

Such helpful tips. I found your channel after finding out that I’m a semi-finalist for the CBYX-YP program and appreciate your insights - this video and otherwise! 🥰

[aaflyer]

When I moved to Texas from California, I was terribly homesick and not happy. Fortunately I was in a position to fly home twice a month to visit, so it was more like a commute.

[stillafreak]

thank you, all your videos are very helpful :)

[catwal]

Hey! What do you recommend when you only feel homesick at school? Not homesick but just like sad . I’m in the USA this year and school is the hardest part, because it’s impossible to make friends in classes, and the ones I have I can’t only see in lunch or after school, so idk what to do because I just don’t have anything to distract myself with in class and feel lonely all the time while I’m there

[emilia]

Ich bin gerade in dieser Situation ich fühle mich sehr alleine auch weil ich die Sprache hier nicht kann aber dein Video hat mir sehr geholfen nach vorne zu schauen ja Riesen dankend

[balancedactguy]

Laura! At several points during your video you mention abut not thinking about what your Family and Friends in Germany are doing and what YOU were missing out on. Keep in mind they are doing many of the same things they always do....YOU are the one who is FAR AWAY and on an ADVENTURE, so they should also wonder about what THEY are MISSING that YOU are DOING!! Just another way of looking at the situation!! Ein nettes Video Laura!! Auch Wuensche ich Ihnen ein Gluecklcihes Neu Jahr!

[gk_hmz]

Hope you're doing good Laura. 😄 from your Insta-pal 😂