I used to feel homesick when I’d be traveling for two weeks, now I’ve been away from home for almost a year and I’m spending holidays away from home for the first time.
For someone that travels home regularly, travel restrictions and a global pandemic has definitely made this year different. But different doesn’t always have to mean bad, I still managed to make the best of celebrating holidays away from home. As an International Student, when you live so far from home, it’s easy to consider the friends you make abroad your family away from home.
For Thanksgiving weekend, me and some of my best friends celebrated Thanksgiving at one of my good friends and her family’s beach house. All weekend I felt so thankful for my friends and the family we got to spend Thanksgiving with. It made me realize how lucky we are to get to experience a different culture and their hospitality. It was ultimately a great weekend where we got to enjoy some really good Thanksgiving food following a beautiful beach sunset. Spending a holiday away from home truly gives you the opportunity to experience cultural enrichment and a chance to learn more about a different culture and their traditions.
One of the best ways to cope with holidays away from home is knowing that you’re not alone, you’re probably not the only English, Australian, Brazilian or, in my case, Swedish person around Luckily, most of my friends are staying here in Santa Barbara, and it’s all of our first Christmas away from our family at home. It brings the excitement back with a sense of home and nostalgia knowing there are other people yearning to celebrate the same traditions. There are many other International Students in the same boat as you; far from home and feeling down or homesick around this time of year.
This year, me and one of my best friends are celebrating Christmas the traditional Swedish way. Growing up in Sweden, the julbord (translated to literally Christmas table) may look like any other buffet, but to us it’s a very important tradition to uphold. The table usually consists of a variety of pickled herring, cured salmon, meatballs, sausages and pork ribs. We’re also making Swedish Candy like Christmas toffee, and watching Donald Duck at 3pm as we always do in Sweden, so even if we’re not physically at home, we’ll still bring some of our traditions here which will hopefully make Christmas away from home more manageable.
Instead of getting the Christmas blues my advice when celebrating the holidays away from home is to try to uphold any traditions from home and (if you can) find friends to celebrate the holidays with. Not only is this a great way to make new friends, but also bond about being in the same situation. As much as I miss my family and home, I think this experience has taught me that even when we get homesick, there’s always a way of bringing home to your newfound home.
