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The moment has finally arrived and you touch down in your new home. Everything is amazing and you’re filled with a sense of wonder and adventure. You’re out exploring, making new and exciting discoveries: a certain smell or flavour, a piece of music, a landscape, etc.
Be careful, as the initial excitement of the honeymoon period won’t last forever. Don’t be surprised if your stress creeps back up on you. After all, you’re now in an unknown world and you might wake up one day thinking, “What the hell am I doing here?”
During the honeymoon period, you’ll be constantly confronted with culture shock, where you compare your new culture to home. All the differences you notice might seem incredible and fascinating, or you might prefer what you’re used to and long for familiarity. You might idealise your new country and ignore negative aspects of their culture, even if similar things back home would annoy you. Or you might struggle to adapt and question if this move is really for you.
Possible emotions you might experience during the honeymoon phase
- Euphoria
- Excitement
- Fascination
- Questioning
- Overly positive
- Motivation
- Curiosity
- Energy
Examples
“Wow, I have never seen a sunset so vivid in all my life.”
“Locals go barefoot, even in the supermarkets!”
“The people here are so much friendlier; they love to stop in the street, smile and have a chat.”
What you can do to manage your emotions during the honeymoon phase
Firstly, have fun and make the most of this time! Get out, explore, and really spend your time achieving the things you set out to achieve on a WHV. Whether it’s seeing more beautiful landscapes or making some new friends, creating happy memories will make it easier during the tougher times to remember why WHVs are worth all the stress.
Channel any excitable energy into connecting with locals who can help teach you the new culture. It’s important to have a support network in your WHV country, as well as at home.
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