Ways to Feel Connected in a New Country

Moving to a new country can be so exciting, but it is also often hard to feel connected—to yourself, to others around you, and even to your friends and family back home. The unfamiliar environment, cultural differences, and language barriers can create a sense of distance and confusion. You might feel torn between adapting to your new surroundings and longing for the comfort of home. Maintaining close relationships with loved ones can become challenging when time zones, different routines, and new social norms make communication a struggle. This mix of major life changes and feelings of disconnection can leave you feeling isolated, lonely, or unsure of where you belong. Finding ways to reconnect with yourself and rebuild bonds, both locally and across distances, is an important part of navigating this transition and feeling at home in your new life.

Here are some ways to find connection and support your mental health in a new country.

Join Local Community Groups
Getting involved in clubs, classes, or meetups that match your interests—like sports teams, book clubs, or hobby groups—can help you meet new people and feel part of a community. Building friendships like this can reduce loneliness and boost your mood. Connecting regularly helps you feel more like you belong, and can increase your confidence and sense of empowerment.

Find Hobbies You Love
While building new relationships takes time, find activities that you enjoy and that help you feel connected to yourself. Whether it’s cooking, writing, sports, or listening to music, doing things you love can bring meaning and comfort on days when you’re spending time alone.

Attend Cultural Events and Festivals
Participating in local celebrations and festivals is a fun way to learn about your new environment. It helps you meet people who share your curiosity, lifts your mood, and strengthens your sense of identity and belonging.

Stay Connected with Family and Friends Back Home
Regular contact with loved ones keeps you emotionally supported and grounded. Engaging in community projects or charity work can also help you feel part of something bigger, increasing your confidence and reducing feelings of loneliness.

Learn the Local Language
Taking language classes or practicing conversation helps you get around more easily, meet others, and build friendships. Improving your language skills boosts your confidence and independence.

Join Support Groups
Whether for people also grappling with the challenges of moving abroad or others sharing your background, support groups offer a space where you can share your experiences, get advice, and feel understood. They’re a safe place to express your feelings and find comfort.

Connect Through Religious or Spiritual Communities
Attending local places of worship or spiritual gatherings can help you meet people with similar beliefs. These communities can provide emotional support and strengthen your sense of purpose during this transition.

Use Online Forums and Social Media
Joining online groups or forums for people living abroad and locals allows you to ask questions, share tips, and arrange meetups. Virtual connections can reduce feelings of isolation and help you feel part of a wider community.

Start Small Conversations
Chatting with neighbors, shopkeepers, or joining local activities creates informal friendships and boosts your confidence. Small interactions can help you feel safer and more connected in your neighbourhood.

Get Involved with Your Local Library
Signing up for classes like cooking or art at your local library helps you learn new skills and meet like-minded people. It’s a friendly space that encourages creativity, learning, and socialising.

Spend Time in Nature
Visiting parks, markets, or outdoor spaces helps you relax, reflect, and connect with others casually. Being outdoors reduces stress and calms your mind, helping you feel more grounded.

Reconnect with Your Roots
Engaging in activities or traditions from your original culture can comfort and strengthen your identity. It helps you stay grounded and proud of where you come from.

Find a Therapist Who Understands
Feeling disconnected and misunderstood can be tough. Having even one person who truly gets you—and shares your language and culture—can make a big difference. Therapy can help explore what’s holding you back and find ways to move forward.

Read Books and Poems That Speak to You
Engaging with stories or poetry that reflect your feelings reminds you that you’re not alone. These words can bring comfort, hope, and new perspectives on your situation.

And I’d like to leave you with one of my favourite poems that highlights the power of connecting with nature to feel more at home:

Wild Geese, by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.