Öznur about how a young person can prepare him selves when he/she will leave to another country for a long period
If you are someone who has left their own country for the first time, I think the first thing you should do is to look for something from yourself in the country you are going to. First of all, quickly discovering aspects that are similar to the culture you were born into will be very helpful in adapting. Of course, you and research before you go, but in your first weeks there, it will feel good to find something that will make you feel at home. In my research for Romania, before I came, I learned that Romanian people are talkative just like Turks. At the same time, I was happy that they were friendly. This made me get used to it more quickly. Besides, it feels warm to set a simple routine wherever you go. Sitting at Captain Bean’s with our friends and getting a latte and croissant was the most common activity we did together. Or, every time we pass by Gigi’s, it will be one of the memories I will remember the most, like someone buying a chocolate bagel and cutting it into 72 pieces and sharing it.
It is intriguing to find a few places that you can fully explore by doing a little research on where you live. For example, knowing the best cafe in town, finding the spot with the best view. These give you something interesting to do and allow you to focus on your next experience rather than being homesick.
The next thing I do is turn my new room into a home. It’s a good idea to redecorate my room so I can feel at home. For example, you can buy some small plants you might like, paintings you might like, or bring things from your own home and experience less of a new feeling of being in a new place.
Another method I did and found effective was to not contact my family and friends as often. Every time we spoke, I remembered my longing and I could feel like you were alone. Keeping a diary has been very helpful in avoiding this feeling of loneliness and solving the problem of making friends, especially in the early days. I have a diary where I describe my feelings, my experiences and even the places I have visited since I came here. In this way, I don’t forget what I’ve been through and I feel like I’m sharing it with someone.
It is also very nice to spend time focusing on the people I met here and getting to know them, instead of thinking about my life in my own country and what I left behind. Trying to communicate with them without forgetting that there is something you can learn from every person opens your horizons.
The most important thing is to imagine what it will do to leave the comfort zone. Although it is very difficult to leave the area you live in for the gains you will achieve, it is a very self-confident event. Once you do this, the next trips are pretty simple.
At the beginning of these achievements, one of the subjects is learning words from the language of that country. Using words in their language while shopping or traveling, while doing your little daily chores, both please the other party and make you feel less stressed. It is a very useful idea to memorize basic words before they arrive.




