Dear community members,
You’ve (finally!) received your vehicle and personal items (hopefully all in good shape...), and are beginning to find a new ‘’normal’’ on this side of the ocean.
As much as all this is surely a relief, some of you may find that things are still ‘’not quite right’’: you might be witnessing yourself being more cynical, more irritable, and more anxious than normal. Perhaps your children are ‘’acting out’’’, and perhaps you and your spouse are fighting more than usual. This could be due to a normal reaction referred to as ‘’Culture Shock’’, where you and your family members are all trying to adjust to the differences with the host culture. Don’t worry, this will most probably pass!
Moving to a new continent certainly isn’t easy. Try to arm yourself with patience, check in with your own thoughts and emotions, as well as those of your family members. Make time for open and honest communication with your family members. Use your best self-care strategies and try to make time for fun, relaxing and/or meaningful activities for yourself, for you as a couple, and for your family. Try to immerse yourself in your new environment, explore the sights, try new foods and learn the language. Dive in!
If you find that your usual strategies are not useful, that your situation gets worse or that it begins to impact your day-to-day life significantly, reach out for support. We’re here to help!
The recording of our webinar called : ''Adapting to life in Europe'' can be found here.