When I thought about doing a five-month student exchange near Montreal, I was convinced that I was immune to homesickness. Longing for home? Not me! My exchange organization warned us about it in a workshop, but I didn’t really listen and couldn’t wait to get out of my small town in Schleswig-Holstein. I wanted to gain experience and get to know a new country and its culture.
But as I was packing my bags in the spring of 2023, I was suddenly overcome by a feeling that I had never felt before. I put it down to excitement, but when I arrived in Canada it hit me again: every thought of home brought tears to my eyes. At night I dreamed of my dog, my way to school, dinner with the family, favorite dishes and walks.
After two weeks, I didn’t dare go to sleep anymore because I was afraid of waking up. In addition, there was a lack of drive, listlessness, and loss of appetite. I avoided contact with my family and friends in Germany, I didn’t write any WhatsApp messages or post anything on Instagram, probably out of self-protection. I felt miserable and sick. But was I really sick? And what is this “homesickness” actually?
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