#struggles abroad

[howweremade-blog]

Had a mild meltdown because I desperately wanted cheap tacos/tamales and had to remind myself that this isn't a real problem. Thanks kourtney

[angelakoblitz-blog]

Foreignee!! Are you out there?

Going abroad and living in a totally new environment are so brave of you. There are so many people decide to go abroad with their own purposes. Students decide to study abroad after finishing their high schools; People take the opportunity to go to another country to develop their careers; And some decide to refresh their lives by moving to another country. What they all have in common is to experiences stages of being abroad. 

You might have known the 4 stages of being abroad: 

Honeymoon stage: Everything comes to excitement. Your new city, your new place, you so excited to meet new people there, etc

Frustration stage: is when you start feeling homesick, feeling struggling with housing, studying, or with colleagues. 

Understand stage: You feel better after you meet new friends and start settling down

Acclimation stage: You enjoy it so much that  you don't want to leave

Of course, everyone experiences these stages differently, even in a different sequence. 

I've been through many struggles and emotions when I started a new life in The Netherlands. We all have it but it's more about how we handle it. I have seen and heard from people struggling from homesickness, loneliness, anxiety, some issues as being a foreigner. Therefore, I want to be here to share what I think about these struggles and how I handle them. I want to help you to get through difficult time. You are not alone :) Allow me to travel with you, share with you and be your friend. 

The Foreign Notebook hopes to bring you helpful advices and make you smile. 

Please share and help each other!

Don't hesitate to ask me about this blog or if you need help from your struggles or any other request!

Love,

TFB

[anonymouschupacabras]

Definitely just managed to set something on fire while attempting to heat up water for pre-made soup.

[tbarrie]

Packages of Love

April 24 2013 Bonsoir from France, I hope all is well with everyone! I am postively giddy today, one because it's really sunny, and two because I just received a care package from home. It's amazing how a little cardboard box with an address from home can make one feel all warm and happy inside. I picked up this specific little box en route to a little shopping spree ( I am attending my first French wedding this weekend, and the boots and running shoes I brought from Canada won't do), and so I carried it tight in my arms for half the day, until I finally got home to open it.

Hands shaking I tried to open it as quickly but as carefully as possible - not damage any of the mysterious contents inside. Once through the packing tape I pulled it open and inside I found a million little gems, well not a million, but several little things than I could tell were selected with love. So firstly to my beautiful friend TIna Vidak, and the sender of this delightful package, thank you from all my heart! I'll post a photo just above this post with just a few* of things she sent me. I've traveled a lot, and spent a good deal of time away from home, but moving to a new country still challenges me a lot, everyday. Little notes, packages, or emails from home soothe the sting of homesickness. It's also nice to build to the little collection of things that are mine, It's hard coming to a new country with only the things you could fit into a 25kg bag. When everything around you is foreign, it's nice to have things that are "yours". I've also never spent much time in a country, trying to live day to day, where I don't speak the language. This is a whole new adventure, one that is very difficult for me, and for most people I'd imagine. The real problem with me is that I'm a stubborn perfectionist and a true blue introvert. I'm soft spoken and prefer quiet conversation, if conversation at all. So imagine someone who barely likes speaking their own language, trying to speak a foreign one. That's me, and it's awfully inconvenient. The perfectionist thing also needs to go out the window in a hurry, because as I'm discovering learning a new language requires making mistakes, and a lot of them. So at the moment I'm a bit frustrated with myself, and a bit overwhelmed. To add to the pressure, I only brought so much money with me for this year, and my prospects of finding a job rely heavily on my ability to speak and understand French. So with my savings dwindling and my French speaking skills at a stand still. I'm a bit panicked. Packages from home though, are a lovely little distraction from my woes, and within a week I begin french classes 10-12 hours a week. I'm starting to realize that learning a language is likely going to revolutionize me. That's sounds a bit dramatic, but it's something I never imagined I could do. If I do it, I know I will have to release myself from all and any expectations. I'll have to push myself further than I think I ever have, and I imagine, It'll be a true test of my character.