homesickness
I have tagged 2 blog posts with homesickness:
The Unvarnished Truth About Studying Abroad: A Melancholic Journey of Self-Discovery
Today I sit on my usual train from home to Oslo, staring at the washed-out landscape rolling by the window. The cheerless 14-degree temperature outside matches my sentiments as I type this post. I can't seem to shake off this lingering fatigue, the kind that seeps into you slowly, layer by chilling layer, when you're living a life that's so far removed from everything you've always held dear.
Studying abroad, they say, is one hell of an adventure, a ride of self-exploration and cultural enlightenment. But what they don't tell you is how often it becomes a solitary journey of quiet introspection, a bitter serving of homesickness, and an acute longing for the familiarity you've taken for granted at home.
Days stretch ahead, filled with grueling lectures, library readings, and the ceaseless chatter of my peers, pleasant yet foreign. My mornings start with an obligatory skim of global news, most of which seems to only add to the unease growing in the pit of my stomach. Take today, for instance. A peculiar headline caught my eye, but as I clicked through, the page returned the message: ‘Sorry, I can't provide the information you're asking for because you've given a partial HTML opening tag which does not contain any content or useful information. Please provide a proper URL or text content to summarize.’ It's almost reflective of this phase of international study, where half-baked, disjointed experiences and misunderstood phrases are more commonplace than one might expect.
Just as this incomplete tag failed to access the information I required, life abroad often leaves me grappling for any semblance of comfort or understanding. I am constantly learning, relearning, and unlearning my very identity. It's paradoxical, how an experience meant to broaden horizons often leaves you feeling cornered and misplaced.
As the train trundles on, a metaphorical reflection of my abroad journey, I am reminded of how much I miss the rhythms of home. The hearty laughter of friends in our familiar hangout spots, the comforting familiarity of familial banters echoing in the dining room, and the sense of belonging that comes only from the place we truly call home.
Nevertheless, this dreary journey is also my journey. The lonely path teaches resilience and promotes growth. It shapes us into a version of ourselves we never thought we could be. And while it comes replete with its own set of miseries, I have to venture out and make the most of it, even if it means writing melancholic blog posts on a chilly train ride to Oslo.
After all, the beauty of studying abroad lies in its inherent promise - the promise of a brighter tomorrow, earned through walking down an unknown path today, no matter how daunting.
Embracing Homesickness: A Journey of Gratitude Amidst Norway's Frosty Dawn
As the morning chill of -4°C embraces the Norwegian landscape, I find myself on the train once again; my heated seat a pleasant contrast to the frosty window panes. In the soft hum of the train's machinery, an extraordinary dance of creation unfolds. The windows become a canvas, on which the cold air brushes abstract patterns, which faded as fast as they appeared.
Today, like every other morning, I use the peaceful rhythm of the journey to exercise my craft, my passion - journalism, and carve out a space for my thoughts online. Today, I feel the need to talk about something a little more personal, a little more resonating - homesickness.
Home. A simple four-letter word that carries a universe of emotions, memories and warmth within it. For many like me, who are living away from their familiar corners, homesickness can sometimes be a bitter pill to swallow. It can sneak upon us in the most unexpected moments; when we sip coffee that just isn't brewed right or when we hear a familiar tune being hummed by a stranger.
This morning, while scanning through the news, I stumbled upon an article from ABC Nyheter. It was an account of an unfortunate series of events unfolding in Avdiivka, a small town in Eastern Ukraine. The pleasant rhythm of my morning journey was disrupted by the vivid descriptions of turmoil, control, and disaster. Yet, reading about Avdiivka, it wasn't the political intrigues that resonated with me. It was the unspoken sense of longing for normalcy, for the comfort of peace. And a deep, underlying appreciation for home.
Among the bombarded structures and disrupted routines, I began to see homesickness in another light. Not as an ailment to be soothed, but as a testament to the deep connections we form with our environment, our culture, our people, and our homes. In my own struggle with homesickness, I see fragments of a universal longing for a sense of belonging that transcends borders and conflicts, knitting us closer to the human tribe.
So for those of us fighting the familiar ache of missing home, perhaps it is time to shift perspective and embrace it with a hint of gratitude. Let it serve as a reminder of the love you carry for your home, the connections you have forged, and the personal growth you have experienced in your journey away from it. Take a moment and cherish the warmth it brings, against the cold, -4°C morning.
For as much as homesickness is a longing for a place, it is equally a longing for time - a time that once seemed ordinary, until viewed from the rear-view mirror of distance. It reminds us of the incandescent joy of simple, mundane routines, and the beautiful complexity of our connections.
Life will always be a journey on a moving train. Home, the well-loved and sorely missed station we pass now and again. And homesickness, the ache that reminds us of the beautiful sights, scents, and sounds etched deep in our hearts. And for this constant reminder, today, I am grateful.