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Feeling Homesick

20/9/2019

2 Comments

 
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One Friday afternoon, a few weeks after I got here, all our guests left and we closed the resort for three weeks of cleaning and renovating. Due to a religious holiday, many of the staff went home for the weekend too, so all of a sudden, the resort was almost empty and very quiet.

At dinner time, when everybody usually gathers at the restaurant for the meal at our long wooden table, I was sitting on the sunset terrace all by myself – watching yet another gorgeous sunset! - and suddenly felt a little homesick for the first time since I got here. I imagined our guests flying back to their families and friends and started to miss my people in Switzerland. As much as I often wanted to get away, at home everybody and everything feels familiar and gives me a sense of cosiness and security. I don’t have to worry about customs or language barriers and I am able to see or call my loved ones almost whenever I want.

The feeling passed when our intern showed up, the only other Swiss girl on the island at that moment, and we had dinner together. But I know, I will feel homesick again – on and off. And I hope I will, because it shows me that I have a place that I belong to and people that hopefully remember me even though I’m thousands of kilometers away. Just as I am busy working and getting to know everything here, I know that people at home are busy with their lives too and don’t have the time to constantly wonder how I am doing over here (even though I do get a lot of text messages asking me to write how I am settling in – thank you guys!). And the longer I stay away, the less I will be on top of their mind and vice versa.

Would I feel less homesick if I didn’t live on a remote island, but in a city or a country closer to Switzerland? I would be more distracted for sure, as there isn’t much to do here in the evenings except chat with our guests at the bar or read a book in my room (which is great, by the way, I haven’t read this much for a long time!). But I would still feel homesick once in a while. I think, there is no relation between the intensity of a feeling and the size of the place you live in or the distance from home. It’s just not home, that’s all.

But I’ll manage, I know! So far, I really like it here and hope I will continue to do so for quite a while…
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2 Comments
Liv Bianchet
20/9/2019 21:14:06

Hey Monika
En liebe Gruess us de Schwiiz! Mir dänked fest a dich. De Blog bringt dich immer wieder i euses so busy life und git
eim immer wieder es Stückli Ferie.
Liebs Grüessli Liv

Reply
Dominique
21/9/2019 02:49:36

Dich doch nöd vergesse, impossible! Gnüss on/off home sick, ist proof of happy life back home aber auch dass ein grosses Abenteuer erlebst. Big hug aus Bilbao

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    #TalkingWithMangroves

    I never even dreamt of working on a remote island in Indonesia, but life has a way of taking care of itself…
    Born and raised in Switzerland, I worked in marketing almost all my life and joined Raja4Divers in August 2019 as Marketing Manager.
    ​This is my first blog and it reflects my impressions, feelings and thoughts from the day that I set foot on this beautiful island. It is meant to give you a different, more personal and backstage view of life on Pulau Pef.
    Happy reading and thank you for your comments, likes and shares!
    ​Monika
    ​

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  • Home
  • Raja Ampat
    • Region
    • Pulau Pef
    • Weather Conditions
  • Resort
    • The Resort
    • Your Bungalow
    • Bar & Sunset Lounge
    • Restaurant
    • Activities >
      • Explore Pulau Pef
      • Books & Games
      • Pef Band
  • Diving
    • Dive In
    • Diving Facilities
    • Dive Team
    • Marine Life
  • Snorkeling
    • Snorkeling In Paradise
    • Snorkeling Team
    • Marine Life
  • From Guests
    • Guest Comments
    • Guest Galleries
    • Guest Movies
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Jobs
    • Mission
    • Publications
    • Blog
    • Partners
  • Visit Us
    • Reservation / Bookings
    • How to get here
    • Rates
    • Availability
    • U30 Weeks
    • Raja4Yoga
    • Downloads
    • Yachts