Teaching abroad is a great adventure. It is an adventure that requires a lot of preparation before and after your arrival at your new destination, but what about during your stay? Many first-time ESL teachers don’t consider one big issue that might unpack itself during a long-term travel adventure: Depression. Yes,I said it, depression. Living abroad depression isn’t the most popular topic to discuss when preparing to teach abroad, but the possibility of it just can’t be ignored.

Why you might feel depressed while teaching abroad

There are many reasons why you might become depressed or experience a slight case of “the blues” while you’re having this awesome experience better known as “The Teach Abroad” experience. Some of the causes may be obvious, while others not so much. “Traveling is my passion, why am I having negative feelings while doing what I love? This isn’t suppose to happen!” you may say to yourself. Or you may think, “Traveling and teaching is my dream job, I would never feel glum. How could I ever feel depression after moving to another country?”

Don’t worry, you aren’t the first person to have such an experience and most people don’t expect depression to happen to them while living abroad. Unfortunately, depression has a valid passport, too.

Teaching abroad is a job. Starting a new job, settling into a new workplace, interacting with new co-workers, and learning a new workplace culture can lead to depression if you don’t take care of yourself. Along with being the new foreigner in town, you may also garner a lot of attention from the students and from the locals. The attention may be a lot to handle at first if you’re not use to being the local superstar. 

When preparing for your new teaching position abroad, you are often given great advice such as “Research the culture, prepare for culture shock, and be open to all new experiences that will come your way.” While this is relevant advice, the topic of mental health rarely comes up. Many new teachers don’t even recognize that they are not themselves, as they are not aware of the warning signs. These negative feelings often present themselves during the beginning of your stay when all of the initial excitement is happening. But if you take a little time to prepare for the worst case scenario, you will be better able to handle it so that you can get back to being you. Here’s our best advice on how to handle depression while teaching abroad.

Know what types of feelings you might have

Change can be hard, even if you prepare for it. One main reason why you might feel depressed during the initial stages of being abroad is culture shock. Once the initial euphoria has worn off and you settle in to your new real life, you must learn to adjust to your new environment, your new home, and your new workplace. The adjustment period can be one of the most difficult periods, and therefore, very overwhelming for many people. So don’t worry, you’re not the only one having a hard time. 

Loneliness is another major cause of depression after moving to another country. Even the word “loneliness” conjures up a sad image in your mind. When you first arrive at your destination, you are over the moon with happiness because you are in a new place with new people and new things. But after a while the reality sets in that you’re in a new place with new people and new things. You’re not at home anymore, which may lead to feelings of anxiety. Discovering your new home can be daunting, especially by yourself. Depending on the country, you may also have to overcome a major language barrier. Dealing with a language barrier in a new place with strangers could cause feelings of severe isolation. It’s like the perfect storm for Hurricane Depression, but don’t worry, we have a nice strong umbrella for you. Just keep reading!

Last, but not least, is familiarity—or lack thereof. A lot of living abroad depression comes from missing your home country and culture, preferred foods, family, and friends, all of which may affect your ability to be present and to enjoy the moment. We get it. It’s tough.

Being aware that depression is a possibility can help you to avoid it or at least lessen the blow of it when depression does decide to rear its ugly head.