Life around the world

Saturday, 28 June, 2014 - 13:32

The opposite of homesickness?

by KatieP

Everybody knows what homesickness is I'm sure and I'm sure many of you, if not most of you will have felt some sort of homesickness once in your life.

In German, the word for homesickness is 'Heimweh' (home-pain if literally translated) but Germans also have another word, 'Fernweh'. I guess literally translated it would mean 'distance pain'. I don't think we have an English literal translation but I have heard many people refer to it as 'wanderlust'. 

Basically what it means to me is missing somewhere which for me is not home or that I am longing to go back and visit somewhere or travel somewhere new. I'm currently experiencing a large amount of wanderlust as I recently left Hamburg where I had been living for the past ten months.

To me, Hamburg is not 'home' but it is somewhere where I began to feel very comfortable and happy and it feels very strange to me that I am no longer there. 

Thinking back to my time I spent there and looking at photos is actually, at the moment, difficult for me to do as it makes me really miss being there. I think this is a normal thing after spending so long in a place, but it still feels slightly strange. How can I miss a place that is not my home? Especially when I am reunited with the people and things I love at home!

Discussion

Have you ever felt homesick or experienced wanderlust?

 

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