Be expatriate is not easy. When leaving Venezuela back, we not only change our country, but also our routine, our customs and, many times, we distance ourselves from those we love the most.
It is normal that, with the passage of time, the nostalgiathat feeling of emptiness that makes us miss the tastes, sounds and even the little things of everyday life in our land.
If you have felt this way, you are not alone. All of us who have emigrated have gone through moments in which We miss a cup of coffee at the bakery around the corner, the family get-togethers on Sunday or even the sound of a Caracas downpour in the afternoon.
But the good news is that there are ways to manage that homesickness and find ways to feel connected to Venezuelano matter where we are in the world.
In this article, we share with you practical tips to cope with Venezuelan expatriate homesicknessto maintain the link with your roots and stay in touch with your loved ones.
Because although the distance separates us, there are always ways to make the heart feels a little closer to home.
Why do we feel homesick living outside Venezuela?
Be expatriate means starting from scratch in a new place, with different customs and, many times, without the support network we had at home.
At first, everything may seem exciting: discovering new streets, trying different foods and adapting to a new lifestyle.. But as time goes by, nostalgia appears and reminds us that how much we miss what we left behind. This sensation is completely normal and may be due to several factors:
Culture shock and sense of loss
When we emigrate, we go through a adaptation process, which is not always easy. From the way people greet each other to the type of food you get at the supermarket, everything is different.
Even things as simple as the weather can affect us. If you come from a warm city and you happen to live in a cold place, you will surely miss the sun and beaches of Venezuela more than you imagined.
In addition, distance makes us realize that we have left behind an important part of our history: the lifelong friends, the routine in our neighborhood, even the smells and sounds that made us feel at home.. All of this can generate a sense of loss, as if we are missing something we once took for granted.
Distance from family and friends
One of the hardest knocks of being an expatriate is to be away from our loved ones. We can no longer see our family every weekend or share a meal with friends without having to coordinate a time-sensitive video call.
Special dates, such as birthdays, Christmas or Christmas Day, can be Mother's Daycan feel lonely without the people we grew up with.
It is at this time that we feel the nostalgia. Hearing a Venezuelan accent on the street, finding a Venezuelan Flour Bread in a supermarket or seeing an old photo can make us feel a lump in our throat.
But while nostalgia is unavoidable, it does not have to dominate our experience as expatriates. There is ways to cope and find ways to feel closer to home, even when you are far away. In the following section, we share some tips that can help you.
Some tips for dealing with Venezuelan expatriate homesickness
Homesickness is completely normal when we are far away from home.. However, it doesn't mean that we have to live with that feeling all the time. There are many ways to make the distance hurt a little less and, most importantly, feel more connected to our roots while still enjoying our new home.
Keep in touch with your loved ones
Nothing relieves homesickness more than talk to the people we love. Hearing your mom's voice, laughing with lifelong friends or just telling your family how your day went makes a big difference.
Fortunately, it's easier than ever to stay in touch. Applications such as WhatsApp, Skype or Zoom allow us to make video calls for free, and there are also options for call Venezuela from the United States without spending a lot of money, such as international phone cards.
Create a piece of Venezuela in your new home
One of the best ways to combat homesickness is to make your new space has a little piece of Venezuela. You can decorate with a flag, place a picture of your hometown or even have a small altar with an image of your hometown. Virgin of La Chinita or the Divina Pastora.
Food also plays a key role. Prepare arepas, cachapas or a good creole flag not only will it make you feel closer to home, but it can also be a way of sharing our culture with new people.
If the ingredients are not readily available, look for Latin stores or even check out recipes for making homemade flours or cheeses.
Connect with the Venezuelan community in your country of residence.
Nothing like being surrounded by people who understand how you feel. Searching for Venezuelan groups in your city can help you a lot. Today there are active communities in social networks, where you can find venezuelan eventsrestaurants and even fairs with typical products.
You can also join sports groups, cultural activities or even participate in initiatives to help other compatriots.. Sharing with people who have gone through the same thing you have creates a sense of family that helps to alleviate the nostalgia.
Keep traditions and festivities alive
The special dates can be difficult when we are far away, but they are also an opportunity to celebrate in our own way. It doesn't matter if you are the only Venezuelan in your group of friends, you can always share our traditions.
At Christmasprepares hallacas and plays gaitas; in EasterIf you are devoted to fish, organize a lunch with salted fish; and if you are a devotee of the Virgen de la Chinita or Dr. José Gregorio Hernández, continues to honor those beliefs.
Maintaining our customs helps us to feel connected to our identity and allows us to share our culture with others.
Support your loved ones from a distance
When you live far from your homeland, keeping in touch with your family and continuing to support them is more important than ever. It's not just about calls and messages, it's also about finding ways of to help those who need it most in Venezuela.
That is where Curiara plays a key role for the Venezuelans living in the United States. We are a application created by Venezuelans, so we understand exactly what it means to be away from home.
For this reason, we offer the possibility of send money to your relatives in a fast, safe and reliable way. Our application is available in both Google Play as in App Storefacilitating the process so that you can help your loved ones without complications.
Providing financial support to our loved ones gives us peace of mind and allows us to stay connected to our people, no matter the distance. It is one more way of demonstrating that, even though we are far away, we are still together.
In short, the nostalgia is part of the experience of being expatriateespecially when we have left behind a country as full of life and memories as Venezuela.
It is normal missing our family, the typical foods, our traditions and even those little details that we used to take for granted. But even if we are far away, there are always ways to feel close.
Keeping in touch with our loved ones, surrounding ourselves with things that remind us of home, and connect with other venezuelans abroad helps us to cope with those moments of sadness.
Living far away does not mean forgetting our roots. On the contrary, it gives us the opportunity to value our culture even more and share it with those around us. With small changes and an open attitude, we can transform the way we work. nostalgia into a bridge that keeps us connected to Venezuelawhile building a new life abroad.
If you've been feeling this way, remember that you're not alone - at Curiara we're here to help!
Curiara, uniting families.
