Avoiding+Homesickness


 * Introduction**

When making the decision to live away from home, you will initially feel excited about the fact of being in a totally new environment. However, facing the complete change in your life, leaving all the memories, friends, family and food behind, may strike you enough to make you feel depressed. I, the author, had the same experience when I started attending school in the U.S., and I am thrilled to share some tips to avoid homesickness! Living in Seattle offers you a good chance of overcoming nostalgia for your home country, depending on how you try [play with this phrase].

The good thing about living in an urban area is that it has various communities and small groups you can join. The easiest way to feel included and make new friends is to join any of the interest groups or clubs at school. There are also Christian Churches and Catholic Churches you can find. There are many churches that are divided into ethnic groups, such as Korean churches placed around the city. You may also join a sports team at school or a small organization in the city. For example, Participate in whatever you can so that you will feel included and excited!
 * Feeling Lonely?**

If you find yourself groaning for home food, such as traditional Asian food, there are various restaurants and grocery stores in Seattle that you can find. In a nearby neighborhood named Shoreline, there are quite a number of Korean restaurants on Aurora Avenue. Also, some grocery stores are located in Shoreline. Even in the downtown area, you can find a small number of Korean restaurants. There is a good Korean Barbeque and Sushi restaurant on Denny Way near the Space Needle, called Shilla. If you are looking for Chinese food, there is no greater place to be than Chinatown (also called the International District). In Chinatown, you can find everything you are seeking, from Chinese seafood to a great dish of dim sum. In the International District, placed in Chinatown, there are also small number of Japanese restaurants that serve Donburi and Sushi.
 * Missing Traditional Food?**


 * Visit Fun Places!**

Besides eating your home food and meeting new friends, you might want to spend some of your time visiting thrilling places in Seattle. In my personal experience, nothing is more helpful to avoid homesickness than keeping yourself busy. In Seattle, there are more great places to visit than you could possibly think of. I recommend visiting Pike Place Market and the Space Needle. Pike Place Market is one of the most exciting places to be. You can visit the world's 1st Starbucks coffee shop and have a latte, watch fishermen selling the products and be a part of the crowd in the Market. The Space Needle can also be a fun place to visit, too. In the amusement park around the Space Needle, you will be surrounded with many kinds of entertainment, starting from roller coasters to an opera house called “Seattle Opera House.” How about spending your precious time riding roller coasters all afternoon and then watching “Don Giovanni” on the following evening, an opera that is currently playing in the opera house?

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