May and September – the months of homesickness!
Whilst it’s all exciting packing up your stuff and heading off to a new country, it’s only natural to miss the surroundings and comforts of home life, from the place you used to live to friends and family!
May – Back to Reality
May was the month of back to reality! After an easy 6 weeks of no worries and relaxation; ‘the honeymoon period’, we faced starting new jobs and finding somewhere to rent/live.
Ste started his job 2 weeks before me and I was left in our new home (which I didn’t feel was very homely at the time) alone for 2 weeks whilst he was at work! I found this time very difficult as suddenly after spending each hour of every day together I was alone in a different surrounding without Ste, friends or family to spend the day with!
After a few crying episodes and calls to my mum (who reassured me a lot) I pulled myself together and thought ‘I can do this’, I just needed a routine again which I soon had when I began my job!
September – A New Arrival
September was also a hard month for me with the birth of my nephew as well as my mums birthday. I thought that I was missing out on family time, but after a few more tears, some supportive words from work friends, telephone calls to my mum and a skype date with my gorgeous 5 day old nephew I felt reassured that really I wasn’t missing out and soon that sleeping baby would be bouncing on my knee in 5 months time!
Feeling homesick when travelling is a totally natural thing and like my mum said, something would be wrong if I didn’t have these feelings! Being away has really made me value the little things I have which I definitely took for granted and I will definitely appreciate these more when I return to the UK! Although New Zealand is a lovely place it will never be home. Home is definitely where the heart is and my heart is firmly with my family and friends back in the uk!
Since moving to Auckland I have concluded that when you’re living and working in the big city, it’s really just the same shit, different country – but without your family and friends! Having said that, I have absolutely no regrets about coming to New Zealand as so far it’s been amazing and I’m sure it will get even more amazing when the real travelling begins in December, but I’m so glad that I will be returning to the UK at the end of it; a stronger, happier person and I definitely couldn’t have done it without my rock – my lovely boyfriend!