It’s 8:30 am, my pool is a few inches away from overflowing, and for a quick second I forgot I was even living in California with the crazy wet season we’ve had.
I’m lying in bed doing everything I can to not get out, hoping I can avoid going to work. It’s hard to cope with being here, considering just a couple weeks ago I was nearly 8,000 miles away from home, down under in Sydney, Australia.
Now I’m no rookie with traveling to Sydney. My boyfriend and I have been doing long (and I mean long) distance, and I recently flew out there for the third time to celebrate our 2 year anniversary. Super cliché, right? December to February are Australia’s peak summer months, and I’m definitely having withdrawals from Sydney’s sun shining on my back. As you can imagine, coming back to a wet, dreary Los Angeles has been rough. I’ve figured out some ways to overcome those post travel blues you may be dealing with as well.
It’s OK to be sad.
If you’ve just gotten back from a trip abroad, whether you were gone for a few weeks, months, or yes, even years, it’s ok to be upset! You just had an incredible life experience (hopefully). You encountered a completely different culture, maybe even had a language barrier. Not only is your mind and body going to need time to readjust from all of the adventurous activities, but spending hours on a plane to get home is also exhausting. Take some time off for yourself. Lie in bed, catch up on Netflix, sleep in, look back at the awesome pictures you took, just relax.
Try something new.
The whole point in traveling abroad is to experience different cultures: food, music, traditions, etc. Why not try something new in the comfort of your own city? I’ve made a pledge to get a cup of coffee by myself at least 3 times a week. It sounds pretty simple, and you might even be thinking, “don’t most people get coffee alone?”, but it’s something new for me. I’m taking an hour or two out of my day to sit, people watch, and try to unwind despite the amount of work that’s waiting to be finished…. Or get started on.
Set goals.
Regardless of age, we should all have goals, right? Spending time in Australia has given me so much motivation to see what the rest of the world has to offer. Find ambition and set goals that you know you can and want to accomplish. Want to travel somewhere else? Stay determined to save money for that plane ticket. Dreaming of going to Coachella 2018? Pick up a few extra hours at work and be wise with your money.
Talk to someone.
When I’m upset, most of the time I stay reclusive and avoid talking to people. I’ve learned over the years that your biggest support system consists of the ones who always ask how you’re doing. Talk to them. It’s perfectly understandable if you’re having a hard time being back home! This is normal. It’s important to stay in touch with your close friends. Go out for a beer, have a wine night at home, get ice cream together. You’re good friends for a reason, aren’t you? They’re there to listen and you’ll feel so much better after talking about how you’re feeling.
I hope these few pieces of advice will help you overcome your travel blues. Take it from me, staying busy and motivated makes the time pass that much quicker. Before you know it, you’ll be boarding for your next destination.
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