by J.K Citrus

Created on: August 18, 2008   Last Updated: March 18, 2010

How would you define "home"? Not a tough question, but answers would vary from person to person. For me, it is the place I feel most comfortable at, the place I can go back to no matter what happens, it is the place that I love being at. I'm sure if we took a look at others' definitions, we would have a better clue of why people often get homesick when they have to leave home. Now for the more difficult question. How can we handle being homesick? What do we do when we yearn to go home, but for whichever reason, cannot?

I live pretty much halfway around the world from my home. Even though I haven't been there in a few years, it is still my home, and it always will be my home, no matter what. Such as there are different ways people describe home, there also exist different solutions to handle the problem. Get a few of your best friends together and talk to them. Either talk about things to get your mind off of being homesick, or talk to them about your home. They'll understand. Don't feel alone when you are homesick. There are tons of people out there who feel the same way.

If you are on vacation, research the activites you can do there, and go for it. Simple as that. Envelope yourself in a flurry of fun things that will swallow the tugging on your heart that is trying to pull you towards home. Enjoy yourself, let all of your worries free, and remember that you will be back home soon. Make the best of what you have when you have it. Look at the good things about the place you are at, rather than missing what you have at home. If you miss the people you left behind, contact them. Phone them regularly. Pick a day of the week that you will always call them regardless of where you are at or what you are doing. Now, don't ever miss that phone call. Make it a habit to talk to the people you love most on this day, even if you have nothing to talk about other than the weather you are experiencing.

If you live in a different country and get tired of everything "new" (new language, new traditions, new home) get a pen pal from your native country and chat with them over the net. This way you can practise your language and can talk to people that have things in common with you. If you are a child, a teen, a parent or a senior... if you are away from home for hours, days, weeks, years...and no matter the distance that lays between you and your home, there are always ways to "handle" it... and you are never alone.

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