Guest Blog: Overcoming homesickness as an international nurse

Moving to a new country is an exciting adventure, but it’s also a deeply emotional experience, especially when it’s your first time leaving home. For healthcare professionals starting their careers abroad, adjusting to a new culture while missing familiar comforts can be overwhelming. In this guest blog, Conexus nurse, Ruth Almoguera shares her personal tips and essential items she brought from the Philippines to help lessen homesickness and make her new place feel like home.

By Ruth Almoguera, Registered Nurse

Don’t get me wrong, we’ll probably always feel homesick. We spent 33 years in the Philippines before coming to the U.S., and this was our first international travel. On top of that, it’s also the first time we’re starting life together as a married couple. Just imagine the anxiety and emotional stress! Believe me, we’ve tried everything to ease the longing for home. I think what’s most important to bring with you is courage, strength, open-mindedness, and passion.

Pictures

In our rented apartment, we’re not allowed to hang pictures because nails aren’t allowed on the walls, but we still brought them with us. They can be stored electronically on your laptop or phone, or in printed form. Pictures and memories from home are always a powerful defense against homesickness, especially during winter, when we don’t usually go out for walks.

Food/Snacks

We had watched a lot of migration videos, so we knew we should bring our favorite Filipino foods with us to the U.S. My husband and I love to eat, and we always crave Filipino dishes. When packing our suitcases, we decided to dedicate our medium luggage to food, condiments, snacks, and instant meals. We brought our favorite pansit canton and other noodles, essential cooking staples like recipe mixes, and—believe it or not— we even brought a bottle of soy sauce! We also packed canned goods, mostly for survival, along with our favorite local chips and crackers. A week after our transition, we realized it was the best decision, especially since the nearest Asian market is 40 minutes away.

Tabo

This is a traditional hygiene tool from the Philippines that has always been part of my daily routine. I consider it a little comfort from home – a familiar item that travels with us wherever we go. Even though our apartment here in West Virginia has modern facilities, the tabo is always packed when we travel.

Document organizers and pens

I’m a sucker for good pens. I brought my everyday pen and made sure I’d have enough supplies for the coming months. While many things in the U.S. are digital, I still rely on my trusty pen and paper when needed. If you’re like me and enjoy organizing documents, be sure to bring your favorite binder, clear book, or envelope. Honestly, clear books are hard to find here in West Virginia; they have very limited options for office or organizer supplies. Plus, keeping your documents in order can help keep your mind busy when you start feeling homesick and longing for the Philippines.

Religious items

No matter your faith, we believe a strong bond with God can help ease emotional stress. In our case, we brought a holy cross gifted to us on our wedding day. Having meaningful spiritual items around can make your new apartment instantly feel more like home.

Start your own U.S. journey and create a home away from home just like Ruth, while embracing every new experience along the way.