Even the most adventurous traveling medical professionals experience a bout of homesickness from time to time. Whether you’re in your first travel nurse assignment or you’re considered a travelin’ pro, here are a few ways to make sure you stay upbeat and positive, even when you’re far from home.
Make a Location Bucket List
Chances are good that you took this assignment to see and experience something new on your days off. Create a bucket list for yourself with places you want to visit and even local foods that you want to try. Don’t forget to talk to the locals to find some hidden gems and if you’re currently a Triage traveler, check with others in our exclusive Team Triage Facebook group. The travelers in this closed Facebook group share all sorts of local travel nurse tips, which can help you stay busy and make sure you don’t have time to be homesick!
Stay in Touch With Friends and Family
Texting, calling and Facetiming friends and family often can make it seem like you’re almost in the same city. It’s easier than ever to stay in touch with your loved ones—taking advantage of modern technology and keeping in touch will help you stave off homesickness.
Invite Friends to Visit You
If you have block scheduling, you probably have a few days in a row to chill out and relax. Take advantage of this time and ask your friends or fam to come see you for a couple days. You can explore your new area together—after all, everything is more fun with a buddy.
Travel With a Buddy
And since everything is more fun with a buddy, why not travel with a friend? Many travel nurses or other travel medical pros find a friend and then use the same company and recruiter to make sure they always have someone to pal around with.
There are a couple things to think about though when going this route. Traveling with a friend can sometimes be a jarring experience, especially if you’re renting an apartment or Airbnb together. Consider taking a weekend trip together to make sure you’re travel compatible before signing up to spend 13 weeks together!
Another thing to think about is your schedule. If you’re traveling together, check with the manager ahead of time to make sure it’s possible to be scheduled together. After all, what’s the point of traveling together if you don’t have any of the same days off?
Bring Along a Furry Buddy
What if your fave travel companion has a furry coat? Pets can make great travel companions and can really help you stave off loneliness after a long day at work. While a lot of people travel with a dog, even some cats are happy to experience the travel nurse life. Just make sure to clear your furry friend with your landlord to make sure you don’t have any surprises when you move out after your assignment is over.
We’d love to hear how you get rid of homesickness while on the road. If you’re a current Triage traveler, hop on over to our Facebook group and share travel nurse tips on how you fight homesickness one 13 week assignment at a time. If you’re not yet travelin’ with Triage, connect with a recruiter today and let us help you get on the road.