11 Ways to Overcome Homesickness Abroad

After the anticipation and farewells back home and the buzz and stress of getting started in your new ‘home’, it finally hits you. You’re here alone. Maybe you won the roommate jackpot or were blessed with a coworker that’s taken you under their wing, but if you’re like many brand new expats, this is probably the time that loneliness and homesickness are starting to set in.

Packing Dos & Don’ts for a Year Abroad

My standard packing style usually starts the night before I leave, typically after my despedida (farewell) dinner, and almost always after one-too-many glasses of wine. It’s one thing to rock that laissez faire lifestyle when packing for a month or two, but a year of living abroad is definitely higher stakes, as I learned moving to Spain as an Auxiliar de Conversación.

No One Says Apartamento: A Piso Glossary for Spain

No One Says Apartamento: A Piso Glossary for Spain When I first moved to Madrid, I absolutely thought my Spanish was on point… until I started looking for apartments and had my potential compañeros de piso rambling on a mile a minute about fianzas, ascensores and gastos aparte. ¿Say what? For starters, you’re not looking…