USA
Spain
Maldives
Germany
Ireland
Malta
Dubai
Japan
Australia
Interning abroad brings about a lot of benefits both to your professional life and personal development. Gaining hands-on experience, creating a global network, and developing foreign language skills at the same time is a dream come true for most young professionals. However, stepping out of your comfort zone always comes with a few challenges, both physical and mental.
In today’s blog, we’re going to be focusing on one of the mental challenges of interning abroad: Loneliness. Moving to another country on your own and without knowing anyone there takes a lot of courage. You should be proud of yourself for doing what it takes to move on to the next chapter of your life. But we all know that new chapters mean new challenges.
Loneliness
It is pretty normal and expected to feel lonely in the first couple of weeks of your internship. You might feel homesick, miss your family and friends, or get anxious about making new friends. These feelings can even lead to developing a defense mechanism such as isolation. At that point, it is necessary to sit down for a moment and think about your motive for deciding to take this step in your life. Your career goals, personal goals, the desire to travel, your eagerness while preparing for the journey, and most importantly, your loved ones’ support in this adventure.
What to Do?
Being away from your usual support system is always hard in times of distress. You might want to call them in moments like this, which is okay, but what you should be focusing on is to make new connections and friends so that you won’t feel lonely and drown in your anxious thoughts. Friends are there to spend good time with you, take your mind off things if needed, and connect deeply. The next time you go out, just look around and observe your colleagues. You’re most likely going to find a few cool people you can hang out with. Remember, all your colleagues also feel lonely and are away from their homes.
In short, do not forget how you felt about this adventure before, and how you will feel after a milestone like this. These negative feelings and anxious thoughts are just there to remind you that you’re out of your comfort zone. Don’t worry, they’re all a part of your experience. Remember, It’s always better to feel homesick than never leave and always wonder.
