Have you ever met someone whom you connected with right away and felt as if a force field pulled you and that person together? That’s what I’m experiencing, but not with a person, but with this region of the Middle East, Jordan. It’s only been 2 weeks and I feel as if I am in Romania again, my first great living abroad experience. I loved Romania because its almost Mediterranean culture, affectionate people, great food, vibrant atmosphere, and spontaneous life happenings. I feel this exact excitement for Jordan as well. It’s as if I’m falling in love again! (haha)
I’m currently experiencing the Honeymoon stage of living abroad. I am perfectly aware of the stages that a person goes through when living abroad. I’ve experienced it, I’ve seen people experience it, and I was given a crash course on it before I left for my first living abroad experience. Generally, to my experience, the 5 stages are as follows:
The Honeymoon Stage
The Dead Sea at Sunset
Living abroad is a different experience than traveling for a couple of weeks or backpacking across Europe. When living abroad, you come across the Honeymoon stage which I believe is the phase where everything in your environment is amazing. You want to go out and spend money, you want to explore the city in which you live in, you want to meet many people, you want try all the food.
The Meltdown Stage
This stage is when you get a little bit homesick because you realize the barriers that come with living abraod. It may be the language, the culture, the food, the people, etc. It happened to me after a month in Romania and after I got off the high of the Honeymoon stage, I started to realize that I’m not in Kansas anymore. I’m not with my family, my close friends who know me inside and out, my own bed, Mexican food and Chinese food, and generally the comfortable culture I grew up in. This is the stage where I see myself curling up in my bed wanting to just stay in all the time, but, of course, it gets better.
The Getting Used To Stage
After you meltdown, you can experience this wonderful stage of understanding and contentment. For me, after 2 or 3 months, I become more comfortable in my environment and I have created a routine of life that I’m comfortable with. I know where to buy food, I have regular friends to hang out with, I am familiar with my life in this new country or city.
The Leaving Stage
Photo by Sam Richardson
Some people may never get to this stage because they decide to live where they are for a long time. However, for me, I’ve always had to leave right after I almost get to the Getting Used To Stage. It’s when your time is over after you have experienced all the stages and you say goodbye to everything you have created in that country. It’s always bittersweet because I’m conflicted with two different homes.
Post Culture Shock
This stage is the worst. Post culture shock is basically culture shock but in your own city or country. You come back to your place and it’s as if no one cares or understands what you just experienced. Then you have to find a routine again, catch up or make new friends, and transition back to your old life.
Every person experiences these stages at different times, some more serious than others, and some may be lucky to not experience the meltdown or the post culture shock.
However, I’m so happy right now being in the Honeymoon stage and it doesn’t bother me that the Meltdown stage might be coming. Oh well.
Happy travels,
Dandelion Traveler (السفر الوردة)
dandeliontraveler 