After working hard for long months, who wouldn’t wait impatiently for the holidays? The temptation is big to make our home country our first destination. Vacation is often perceived as a period where most of our postponed desires or needs can be at last fulfilled. We plan for holidays in advance and count the days before they arrive. Living abroad or as expats often exposes us to stress, to loneliness and to the lack of family support.
The more stressful our life is, the higher our expectations are from the holidays in terms of relaxing and having a peaceful time. The lonelier we are, the more we expect to fill the gap by having good moments with friends and family once we are home. Vacation can also be the optimal time for children to catch up with their grandparents and live joyful moments. In other words, holidays with family can be somehow idealized! But do holidays always meet our expectations?
Putting a lot of hope on something increases the chance of being deceived by it. Setting a lot of goals, making a lot of plans to be executed in a short period of time makes a holiday a stressful event. The amount of money spent on holidays makes having pleasant moments an urge and being happy as a duty. Being away from our loved ones make any conflict with them, once together, very difficult to accept. However, being a part of a community after living “alone” can be a hard experience. It requires adaptability, adjustments, and sometimes a regression in our status when it comes to dealing with parents!
As a consequence, it may be desirable to go on holiday in a more “reasonable” state of mind!
Here are some ways to make it happen:
