h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A question for all you problem solvers out there:

I'm stuck in a country I hate, which is not my true home, is 3500 miles from where I want to be and with no chance whatsoever of getting out of here for the next 18 months - what should I do to ease the depression and homesickness?

Thanks for any help. I need it!

Jamie

Stop counting for a start-off - it always makes it worse!

And without sounding like an ancient old crone, don't wish your life away!

What are you going to do that's so fab when you get back to Wales?

What will be so great?

Well, for a start I'll be back with all my really good friends. Who I miss. I also miss the nightlife and the general atmosphere of local pubs and hangouts. I miss proper television. I miss actually having a few basic civil rights, which I don't have here living under a dictatorship. I miss not being faffed about by the government over religion. I've never settled here properly as far as a social life is concerned and I don't have any really good friends, which I really need. The list is pretty much endless.

I just don't feel right here and never have. Whether things will get better or not when I get back to Wales remains to be seen but I suspect they will...

Sounds constructive - though 11-16 is a bit of a black hole for a lot of people - do your parents know how miserable you are?

You're not wrong as far as the black hole is concerned! I think I've learnt to deal with the worst of it now though. I'm over the whole 'relationships' thing, which was a big jump for me.

Yes, my parents do know I'm miserable but believe it or not it's a lot better now than it used to be. So I don't bring it up any more. I can deal with it but that doesn't make the problem go away...

I'm right there with you Jamie. I sound pathetic and i'm only 80 miles from home, but have terrible homesickness (i'm maybe not the best person to ask for advice) support - yes, advice on how to make the best of a bad situation - no. i miss all the things you do. Anyone that knows dundee will know how different it is from glasgow, so i can only imagine what it's like living in a different country. i could be full of great advice if i actually had any. don't clock watch - or calander watch - you'll be home soon enough. but there's absolutely nothing wrong with being homesick.

Keep occupied. This is the solution to most of life's problems. I've already given this advice on a different conversation today: do something to keep yourself busy.

Try learning to play the guitar. If you already know, try the mandolin or the recorder. None of these is too difficult and you'll never forget it.

Take up reading. Science fiction or fantasy are popular for people of your age. Try Lord of the Rings (don't read the Hobbit first). Try Robert Jordan: the Wheel of Time - this will certainly keep you going for 18 months. Try "the City and the Stars" by Arthur C Clarke. Try "Titus Groan" and then "Gormenghast" by Mervyn Peake.

Try writing articles for H2G2. I know you already do this, but, more please!

Do you speak\read arabic?

If you are going to read SF/Fantasy give Jordan a miss.Try Modesitt's Recluce fantasy series and his SF isn't bad either.Try Robin Hobbs Farseer series also. Try some of Simon Greens Deathstalker series(swords and lasers) or his Hawk and Fisher series.Then there is the Hope series by David Fientuch which is a wonderful swashbuckling read.Read C.J.Cherryh's SF most of which is stand alone.Try the SF classics of Asimov,Clarke,Dick,Harry Harrison,Larry Niven,Silverburg,Alan Dean Foster,Gordon Dickson.If you enjoy really hard SF try Kim Stanley Robisons's Mars Trilogy or Peter Hamilton's Reality Dysfunction.

Hope you do well in your exams and that after the wait,home is not a disappointment.

Believe me, being at home aint that good either. For the past six months I´ve been trying to get to Ireland, with no other result than spending half my savings. I´d do anything to get out of here. I´m so frigging bored of doing nothing but stare into the walls.

I'm just a little concerned that when you finally return to Wales, it may not quite live up to you expectations/fond memories - we only ever remember the good things. Is Dubai really that bad?

This is going to sound patronising and you're going to hate me for it, but it may be a solution. Take the enemy face on, I always say. Find out lots about where you are and learn a bit of the language (although I assume you already can) . Find out about customs, history, etc., by travelling about or reading things up or better still asking people you can bear.

When you get back, people are going to bombard you with questions and you are going to be the bee's knees if you can really answer in a fascinating way, about how they practise their religion, how they run their country.

If I met you I would first ask you have you seen the President's Suite at the Hilton (I think it was the Hilton) That was featured on TV here n Germany once or twice recently. Perhaps you are allowed to see it, sort of as a tourist.

Bring back stories of the riches and of the extreme way of life. Outside the capital, there are people living in quite bad conditions(or so I have been led to understand) Find out about this. I, for one, would spend an evening over a few beers listening to you tell me all the stuff you know about it.

I would also want to know from you: How strictly do they impose their religious laws, how well do they speak English, what should I visit if I went there, do they know about European life and life styles, have they heard of Wales? Do they drive on the right or the left? Are they hospitable? Do you really have to pay baksheesh for everything? What are the job opportunities like? What sort of cars do they drive?

Equip yourself for genuinely interested people - you could even earn money holding talks on life there when you get back home. Make an album in your last months there. Lots of photos, postcards, sugar wrappers, everything. Jot down all the silly little bits of life that annoy you or fascinate you. You'll be surprised how quickly you forget.

This will also have the advantage of keeping you occupied, as advised above, while making sure you haven't wasted your time after all. And most of the locals are quite liberal, aren't they? Are you not allowed to have a girlfriend - or at least hang round with a few of your own age and drink coffee or whatever? Or is this completely out of the question?

Well, sorry about that. *Waits for tomatoes*

Bug people with it!
I am a bit homesick here... and I am looking for other people from my own country to speak with.. but havn't found anyone yet. I have found other "international" people, who all have moved here.. and just that helps me.

Thanks very much to you all! I had no idea I'd get this much response!

Keep occupied...good idea! I think I'd probably rather learn Welsh than Arabic as I did Arabic in school for 4 years but gave it up because I hated it. And, coincidentally, I happen to have 'A Beginners Guide to Welsh' in the house. So I'll make a start with that.

Trillian, thanks loads! You've given me some great ideas. Maybe I'll find out all that stuff you suggested and put it into a Guide entry - maybe even a series of Guide entries if I find out enough info. I'm particularly interested in the political system and its advantages/disadvantages. I'm going to look into that...

So, I feel a whole lot better now that I've got some projects to work on. Thanks again to everyone!

Jamie

I couldn't agree more! I'm holding interview boards here and it's amazing how few people make something of the things that life throws into their lap: good and bad. How ever much you may dislike this period of your life, it's giving you a unique insight (you're showing that already!) and that will stay with you for ever: use it: learn about the people around you and about yourself, and how you react to situations: it will give you a head start compared to others of your age.

(Sounds ancient again and uses too many colons :::::

Nothing wrong with the liberal use of colons; although personally I prefer semi-colons. Here, have some - ;;;

There you go: you've proved yourself again - semi colons on an application form are sooo impressive...

i'm filling in application forms at the moment - is that your recommendation - using lots of semi colons in my personal statement!

Oooh don't get me started...

3 easy tips to make your application form stand out:
1. Use the name of the company and the job title at least once (use also for university/course)
2. Pick out the adjectives they use in the info and use them yourself
3. Demonstrate what you say - if you say you have a skill - prove it!

I'd guess that 3/4 of the people whose application forms I see *could* do the job but don't show it

thanks for the tips !