How to fight the home scaries

by Nicole Dann, Australian National University, Australia

On the 11^th July, 363 days after my flight to Sydney, I flew home to sunny Birmingham. Everyone talks about how amazing a year abroad is and all the opportunities there are and great memories to be made etc etc, but no one tells you how hard it is to then drop all that and leave. I’m here to share the realities of saying goodbye and how to better prepare yourself before coming home.

1. Travel while you can

Being the last-minute merchant I am, it was coming up to a couple weeks before my flight home and I had no idea what my plan was. Knowing that it signalled the end of my year abroad, I think I was delaying the inevitable and, in my mind, if I didn’t have any plans to go home then it wouldn’t happen. Of course, that’s never the case.

After a lot of back and forth, I decided on a short trip to the Philippines to do a bit of solo travel and soak up a bit of sun following a very cold few weeks in Canberra. Although I was apprehensive at first, I absolutely loved my time in the Philippines and managed to balance time by myself with meeting friends who were also island hopping at the time. This time alone was absolutely well-needed after a very full-on 12 months. It gave me the chance to reflect on my year and even made me crave home a bit. Before I knew it, 2 weeks had passed and I was excited to be back in Brum (plus, I had an amazing tan).

My advice is to ensure you have a jam-packed plan for your final few weeks before coming home because they fly by very quickly and you don’t want to look back with regrets. I know some people who finished their year abroad with an epic 4-month backpacking trip, others caught the next flight home after their final exam. Whatever you choose, just don’t waste time twiddling your thumbs without a plan in place. Instead, count down the days home with a pina colada in hand and a beautiful sunset.

2. Make a playlist

Sounds cringe, but I made sure to keep tabs on songs throughout the year that will forever remind me of my time abroad and compiled them into one playlist. Whether it’s an inside joke, a guilty pleasure or a real tearjerker, I know that when I listen to my Aussie playlist, I will be immediately transported back to my days at college or hours roadtripping around Tasmania. A word of warning though, if you plan on listening to this as you take off for the last time, make sure you have a box of tissues. I for one was ill prepared.  

3. Make plans for when your home

Of course, those first couple days are packed full of reunions with friends, families, pets and the random neighbours who heard of your travels. But after that… what do you do? Admittedly, I at first struggled with adapting to the slow pace of life at home and as much as I loved returning to a double bed and mum’s cooking, I felt quite lost. After explaining where Canberra was for the 50^th time and clearing out half my wardrobe, I focused my attention elsewhere and managed to secure a bit of work experience. This has given me some direction and purpose, something I initially lacked to begin with. Whatever it is, just make sure to have some sort of plan because believe me, it was quite the adjustment coming from 12 months living independently halfway across the world to Dorridge – a quiet suburban village with 1 shop and 1 pub. There’s something about being back in your childhood home and having to ask your parents for a lift that makes you feel like you’ve never left.

4. Have pick up requests

Sounds small, but I made sure to be greeted at Heathrow with a bag of M&S Percy Pigs. Sometimes it’s the little things that makes coming home that bit easier.

5. Journal

This is something I have recently gotten into while being away and I know it’s a cliché but after such an amazing year, I will be forever grateful that I have something I can look back on. It has all my plane tickets, some mementos from college, receipts from the pub and leaving cards from friends alongside personal recollections of everyday life that I will always cherish. Already after a couple weeks being home, I’ve flipped through it several times – I don’t know whether out of nostalgia or out of boredom. Either way, it will be something I’ll forever look back on and hold dear.

6. Organise more travel plans

For me, saying goodbye to the people was a whole lot harder than saying goodbye to the place. Canberra did me well, but I doubt I’ll be rushing back. Instead, I was gutted to say bye to great friends who will now be on the other side of the world. However, it just so turned out that some of them were coming with me and having a Euro summer of their own. I made sure to lock in my 21^st birthday early and requested that all should attend. To my delight, 7 Aussies rocked up at Birmingham Grand Central and spent the weekend in the English countryside. This was so special and made saying goodbye in Australia a whole lot easier. Admittedly, I had just delayed the inevitable but already, we have works of another reunion but perhaps this time, in SE Asia. Having these talks and plans in place are so important and makes the end of a year abroad seem not so final.

All in all, a year abroad is full of highs and lows. It’s a long time to be away yet the end comes quick and before you know it, you’ll be on that long flight home double guessing whether or not you remembered to pack your phone charger. It’s true what they say – you’ll never fully be over your year abroad. But equally, there’s no better feeling than reuniting with friends and family and catching up on all the details you’ve missed. Soak it all up and be that annoying person whose entire personality is their year abroad (that’s what I’ve done).