
This feeling I had been told, the famous homesickness, came upon me, when I did not think it was possible.
This fatigue, this discomfort, this discontent, or this disappointment took hold of me without having the clarity of mind to admit it.
This sensation, which in the end is not talked about much. This part of a journey that sometimes happens and it is not exciting.
This state that I wanted to push back was there!
Nevertheless, as I always say, to every problem there is a solution. Taking the time to digest and accept my discomfort, it was part of this new experience .
When I figured it out, maybe after a few weeks, it was so much easier to let go, to distance myself, not to compare this new environment to how it was before at home. Acceptance.
Accepting things to change the way you react, to change your perspective.
To finally rediscover the beauty of the simple things that make you feel good and comfortable. Meeting other volunteers and making friends, drinking a good coffee, enjoying the soft rays of sunshine, getting a smile, calling your loved ones, watching a bus full of people moved by the laughter of a baby, discovering new good places, laughing out loud.
Because in life there is a time for all things and accepting this homesickness eventually brought me only good things!
Yes, these mixed emotions are part of the journey, especially during the first long stay away from home.
In a way, it allowed me to take a step back, to acknowledge my own limits and to realize how important things that we take for granted are. In the end, it helped me to get to know myself better.
Coming back from the Christmas season in France I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to go through all this and I am starting again in full consciousness with fresh energy.
To conclude, Cyprus seems to me like a big bubble. Cyprus is an island of villages with orange trees, where everyone knows each other, where people take their time, talk loudly and take pride in their souvlaki.