Self-Care

So much of writing about traveling focuses on the excitement of exploring a new place: the overwhelming sights, sounds and smells of a foreign environment. All of this is true and more: jet lag especially runs the body down and accustoming oneself to a new place can be hard physically and mentally.

In September, I will be heading back to Spain for another nine months, this time on a Fulbright Award; however, I am far more aware of my own limitations and the challenges I will face in a country that is still foreign, but no longer quite so foreign to me. One thing that I hope to do while I am in Spain is to get back to what it means to me to take care of myself. Or rather I hope to build a healthy self-care routine into my research abroad, so that when I return to the States, I am more adept at navigating academia.

Just yesterday, I was at an orientation where we talked about several aspects of personal health: insurance, mitigating risk and even appropriate emergency precautions such as drinking plenty of water and including rehydration salts in your travel routine. The woman who led this discussion also mentioned that sometimes it's okay to watch Netflix or any videos in English if that would help with self-care and ward off any mental health issues.

It's true that entertainment can help pull us out of a funk and transport us anywhere we wish, whether that be back home for an evening or into an even more distant land. However, I would caution against our cultural use of entertainment as self-care because I find that distractions do not provide the best ways of working through issues. If anything, I have found that distractions only serve to prolong the pain of homesickness and depression.

So as I get ready to embark on this new journey to Madrid, I am looking forward to finally figuring out what works for me in terms of a self-care routine that I can maintain even in times of stress.