HOME IS WHERE YOUR HEART IS!
My name is Kayla. I am one of the new members of staff from overseas.
Being away from home can sometimes be tough. Many of the overseas workers endure in silence in a thing we call homesickness. When we leave our homeland for work there will be times when homesickness kicks in.
Being homesick is normal, and everybody has experienced it. However, it is different for everyone. Some people get emotional, and others are a bit depressed. The good news is that there are several ways to get over it.
We are very blessed and fortunate that ubu has organised a get together for the overseas workers in Harrogate. This was led by one of the Support Team Leader, Joy O’Brien who herself was a Filipino as well. Joy gathered and networked everyone to join the Harrogate Trail. A whopping total of 16 team members from each of the services in Harrogate and Knaresborough attended the get together on the 22nd of September 2023.
We all met up at Victoria Shopping Centre in Harrogate. Judy Tan, one of the support team leaders joined the activity with her support and presence as well. We all explored the area in Harrogate. Joy became a tour guide in a flash as she showed us plenty of places, we might be interested to visit during the days off.
It’s true when they say that when making a new home away from your home, one of the first things you should do is to visit new places. Doing so, will help break the barriers down of homesickness and allow you to enjoy the culture. We visited local shops and had trivial information about the history of Harrogate. We all then went to Valley Gardens which left everyone in awe as to how peaceful and beautiful the place is.
We shared our lunches at Valley Gardens. We were taught how to properly eat sandwiches the British way. All laughs and smiles for everyone who enjoyed each other’s company and it somehow felt home at that very moment.
Positive feedbacks were given by the team members as they appreciated the get together activity. This made them feel that they’re important and being heard. We are also deeply grateful for the all-out support of our leaders who made this thing possible.
Lastly, this get together allowed us to reflect the importance of having people around to support you, of reaching out, of getting involved and engaged in the community. I realised that that home is not about a place but it where your heart is. Harrogate is now our new home, a home away from home.
