How long do you need to be in a new country to feel at home?

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   emilynemchickposted 11 years ago

   How long do you need to be in a new country to feel at home?
   
   I always adapt very quickly - I can feel at home in as little as a week or two, but it takes much longer to get a really deep knowledge of a place.

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   edhanposted 11 years ago

   It depends on the area where you are living as some make you feel welcomed while others may not hostile. Anyway, my family and I are very adaptive in places we go to stay in different areas though I have not move to a new country. My young brother is now staying in New Zealand and settle in quickly.

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      emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It does depend on how welcome people make you feel - great point! Thanks for your comment.

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   Family Fun Faithposted 11 years ago

   It seems to me that one of the key variables regarding to your question has to do with language. If you speak and read the language of a new place, assimilation should be much quicker than in a place where you do not know the language.

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      emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I absolutely agree. I didn't have that problem moving to America, but in the Czech Republic it took a while to feel comfortable speaking Czech (and I only ever had a basic grasp of the language). Still, Prague felt like my home. Thanks for commenting

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   Billrrrrposted 11 years ago

   It took my grandparents about five seconds to feel at home in the United States after spending what seemed like an eternity in an overcrowded leaky boat, coming over from the old country.
   
   They spoke not a word of English, but learned it very quickly and made it a rule in their household that we could speak only English -  we were not allowed to speak the tongue of the old country.   Sounds perhaps like a harsh rule, but it made us real Americans in just one generation!

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      emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That's amazing Billrrrr! I can't imagine how difficult that must be, and I'm glad your grandparents found a good home in America.

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   travmajposted 11 years ago

   Depends if the new country is to be long or short term.
   As a long time ex pat I still miss home. Perhaps because I left my immediate family behind. Admittedly, travel wasn't so easy in those days either. Today, many years later I'm still torn.
   Also much depends on language, finances, work, relationships, status - they often are a part of moving permanently to a new country.

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   1. 78

      emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with you on all points - getting my visa and work permit in America helped me to feel more at home and independent. I still miss home sometimes too - leaving family behind is hard. Thanks for your answer.

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   THINKINDIAposted 11 years ago

   Purely depends on the country......nothing else

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      emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That can be true. I've felt more at home in some countries than others. Thanks for your comment.

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   marwan asmarposted 11 years ago

   I like to think I quickly adapt. I don't think it troubled me in the past to stay in other cultures and I'd like to think it won't trouble me now to be marooned in a place that I completely know nothing about. The potential thrill of the place is always exciting.

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      emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks, marwan asmar. I always feel a thrill when I am in a new place, and that does help you to adapt. Thanks for your comment.

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   Aussieteacherposted 11 years ago

   It depends.  If you have to learn a new language and learn to comprehend a very different culture it can take months or year.s  Perhaps the learning never ends....

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      emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That's very wise, Aussieteacher. I think you are always learning new things when you live abroad. I also agree that some places do have very different cultures and it may be harder to adjust to living there. Thanks for your comment.

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   shahbharti76posted 11 years ago

   A person starts feeling at home in a new country only when he/she can start earning his/her bread and butter in that country.

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      emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That is an excellent point and I truly agree. Part of why I felt at home so fast in Prague was that I began as a teacher almost immediately and I felt that I had a place there. Thanks for your comment!

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    Globetrekkermelposted 11 years ago

    I have only lived in 2 countries but i have travelled quite a bit. I adjust easily to a place I go to, even with the language barrier.I love exploring places so I think If I move to onother country, it will be easy for me to adjust.

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       emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I love exploring too! It's easier to adjust if you have a love of new places.

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    Abhaque Supanjangposted 11 years ago

    
    
    Usually around three months, Emily....! I need to observe more on everything in the new country where I live in -- especially the people who live around me, this is the first priority for me that I have to adapt before the other...!

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       emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       The people around you can make all the difference. I was lucky to be around great people in Iceland, the Czech Republic and America and that really helped out. Thanks for your comment.

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    Ingeniraposted 11 years ago

    Depends on the person's adaptability. For me, I need a year.

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       emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       That's true. It is certainly different for every person. Thanks for commenting.

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    X-Conposted 11 years ago

    I would say, maybe about 2 years. I've been in Poland now for over 2 years (after my deportation from the US, which I lived in ever since I was 3 years old, for drug related charges, which I deal with in my hubs) and I'm starting to get the hang of it. The most difficult aspect of it all is the language barrier. But after overcoming that, it gets much easier. They say it takes about 2 years to learn how to speak a language conversationally and 5 years to speak it fluently.

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       emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       The language barrier certainly makes a huge difference, I agree. Thanks for your comment.

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    KawikaChannposted 11 years ago

    Wow, that's a good one... I think it depends on what you do in that country, and how you impact those that are around you and visa-versa.  When you have spent enough time in the trenches/offices/businesses etc to feel as if you have earned your keep in the presence of your peers, and when you have stopped saying you, you guys, you people, and have replaced it with, I, we, and us... I think that would be a good indication of feeling at home where ever you are.  Peace.  Kawi.

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       emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Very insightful comment, KawikaChaan. I still say 'you guys' to my husband when talking about America sometimes, but at other times I identify myself as a part of this country and city too.

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    Kevin Peterposted 11 years ago

    I depends upon the character of each person. Those who are friendly and bold will require only a few days to feel at home in a new country. But for those who are shy and quiet, it may take a lot of time. I.e, adaptability of a person has great importance in such cases.
    People who quickly adapt to a new atmosphere can be good friends too. We never feel bored when we are along with such people.

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       emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       True - some people are simply more adaptable. I'm very shy, though. I think I was just lucky to meet many other people who were not. Thanks for your comment.

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    liesl5858posted 11 years ago

    Maybe a month or two but I always feel homesick, even here after 23 years in England I still miss my family in the Philippines especially my father, step-mother and brothers & families & sister. I can adapt easily to other places and people but I still miss my country home. As the saying goes "There is no place like Home".

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       emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       There is no place like home. Even though I feel at home in the US, I still miss my family and occasionally get homesick. I hope you get to visit plenty! Thanks for commenting.

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    Onesimusposted 11 years ago

    In my opinion, this has less to do with time spent abroad and more to do with your ability to grasp the language and etiquette's necessary to live and function on a day-to-day basis.
    
    Once these are grasped you can start to be more independent and make progress with the things that are important to you. 
    
    It also depends on your ability to cope with change.  I lived abroad for 3 years without returning home (in fact, as of the writing of this, I'm going to be returning back to the US for a while now).  Avoiding "complaining" and the other expats that complained about everything was absolutely essential to living abroad like that for me.

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       emilynemchickposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Unfortunately many people love to complain about the place they are in because it is not the same as the one they left. It's great that you are able to avoid that. Thanks for your answer.

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    Justsilvieposted 11 years ago

    when one has the ability to make a living, speak the language well enough to understand politics and a developed close circle of friends to share your life with. That pretty much makes you sigh and think "there is no place like home". But I don't think the feeling of homesickness for your native country ever goes totally away.

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