Talking about mental health while abroad..
Talking about mental health while abroad.
By Lucas Whitaker, YES abroad student in Sofia
Sunday, October 10th, was world mental health day. With that being said, I would like to take the time to acknowledge and speak about the importance of mental health while studying abroad.
Being in a foreign country can be overwhelming. You don’t know anyone, you don’t speak the local language, and it can feel as though you have nothing to lean back on. I’ve been in Sofia, Bulgaria for three weeks now. I’ve previously had my share of personal struggles, and I’ve even moved across the United States before. With this being said, I felt like I was prepared to be in a totally foreign environment. I felt strong, confident, and ready to take on the world! However, after about of week of being here, negative emotions started to surface.
I felt as if I wasn’t integrating as easily as my fellow participants. I wasn’t being invited anywhere, I wasn’t making friends very easily, and I felt super anxious about the idea of going somewhere by myself. I felt self-conscious and too nervous to even try and speak Bulgarian even though I knew basic phrases. With that being said, I felt super down and I was at a point where I almost felt numb.
These feelings, however, are normal. Everything described above is not unusual, and I quite frankly was being hit hard with culture shock. Culture shock can have a pretty negative effect on your mental health and overall wellbeing. And guess what? That’s normal, and that’s okay: culture shock can hit hard, but it doesn’t last forever.
I ended up talking to a fellow participant I’d grown close to about how I felt, as well as my host mom. It’s good to confide in other people around you. The first step towards resolving an issue and bettering your experiences and wellbeing is being open about it and admitting that you are struggling. They both offered support and advice, and even though I had already thought about most of the advice they offered, hearing it from another person can give you a new perspective.
I decided to start taking initiative and control over my exchange and did things to build my confidence. I went out and bought hygiene products by myself. I remember how proud I felt, walking out of the pharmacy knowing that I had just had a normal, everyday Bulgarian exchange with the employees! After that, I ended up doing something a bit bigger: I went to a local music store, tested, and purchased a guitar all on my own.
As for the making friends part, my first mistake was comparing my experience to my peers' experiences. I am a totally different person, and I build relationships at a different pace. It’s okay to take your time and adjust, I’d even encourage you not to feel pressured into jumping into things. Take initiative, say “yes”, but also prioritize your own wellbeing. Your mental health matters and you cannot offer up your best self without being in a good place mentally. Finding a good balance can and will take time. I’m still working on it; adjusting is a process and it’s not something that happens overnight. Take the time to take care of yourself and check in on your peers.
