Belonging and Living Abroad

Traveling abroad is an eye-opening experience that prompts you with a whirlwind of challenges and emotions. From the minute you step into this new environment, whether in Europe or beyond, you feel like a black sheep, which you are. As a tourist, you’re easily noticed, standing out even after numerous attempts to adopt dialects and local languages. As weeks begin to pass, you just can’t seem to shake this feeling of being out of place and yearning to belong. 

Due to my own experiences traveling abroad, I can attest that these constant feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and displacement are common, and you are not alone in these ventures. As someone who has studied abroad before, I’ve learned that no matter the location, adjusting to a new environment is challenging and can be a considerably harsh reality. From the culture shocks you face two days in, to the new social norms you are forced to adapt to, these are all things we are forced to navigate alone. Moreover, just because we are enduring it doesn't mean a few tips and tricks can’t help us conquer these fears and make navigating them a little easier.

Belonging 

Belonging is considerably rooted in biology and can be viewed from various standpoints, such as neural/peripheral, behavioral, and social (Allen et al., 2021). Our brain is chemically trained and motivated to seek socially safe connections and inclusion. Belonging is as important as the need for food and shelter for survival (Allen et al., 2021). It is essential for human health, and harbouring it can lead to positive, everlasting effects. While we may aim for generalized belonging within our home, when entering new environments, we foster a need for cultural belonging. Understanding this reframes loneliness and allows you to decipher different perspectives about yourself in a new place and how others decipher your presence. 

Loneliness and Culture Shocks

Additionally, many theories back up the scientific background of loneliness, with John Cacioppo’s Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness being the most established ( Finely, A. J et al., 2022). His theory suggests that loneliness has a conserved biological response, which can cause dysfunction in the long term, causing cognitive decline if it progresses over time. With international communication becoming more prevalent in recent years, both belonging and loneliness seemingly coincide with cultural shocks. Everyone will encounter cultural shock when introduced to a new culture that is unfamiliar to their former one. Unfamiliarity influences culture shocks, which lead to many other underlying conditions such as depression, anxiety, and feeling helpless. These psychological stressor symptoms can become quite significant when entering a new cultural environment (Junzi, 2009). Moreover, when people fail to meet or overcome the cultural shock they endure, they become more hostile and take more time adjusting to a new environment. 

Though it may seem hard adjusting to being abroad, it is not entirely impossible to finally feel a sense of belonging. There are certain things you can do to adjust to a new environment abroad progressively and healthily…

• Self-confidence and Optimism. These factors can decrease anxiety and encourage facing obstacles head-on. Research proves that explaining negative encounters optimistically can decrease both depression and uneasiness (Junzi, 2009). 

• Acceptance minimizes Stressors. Though it is not easy to develop this, having a great willingness to belong and be accepted amongst a different community can help tremendously.  

• Social support. Asking questions, greeting locals, and attending events around your area can engulf you in the beautiful domain you will live in. These micro actions will get you more acquainted with locals, which, in the long run, can gain you their support.  

Pre-departure plans can also have a positive influence on your experience abroad. Doing additional research and searching up norms in the area you are residing in can help decrease the feeling of not belonging and reduce psychological stressors (Junzi, 2009). Furthermore, these factors reduce the psychological stressors influenced by cultural shock, belonging, and loneliness, and make adjusting abroad easier. 

Entering a new country can be challenging; however, taking these steps to decrease negative contentions during your experience is crucial. Though you may have to find a sense of belonging, know that with the right resources and mindset, you will get there. 

Sources 

Allen, K. A., Kern, M. L., Rozek, C. S., McInereney, D., & Slavich, G. M. (2021). Belonging: A Review of Conceptual Issues, an Integrative Framework, and Directions for Future Research. Australian journal of psychology, 73(1), 87–102. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049530.2021.1883409

Finley, A. J., & Schaefer, S. M. (2022). Affective Neuroscience of Loneliness: Potential Mechanisms underlying the Association between Perceived Social Isolation, Health, and Well-Being. Journal of psychiatry and brain science, 7(6), e220011. https://doi.org/10.20900/jpbs.20220011

Junzi, Xia. (2009). Analysis of the Impact of Culture Shock on Individual Psychology. International Journal of Psychological Studies. 1. 10.5539/ijps.v1n2p97.