Being away from your home country can be hard. You probably find yourself surrounded by a completely new way of life, which could make you feel disconnected or confused or like you don’t fit in, especially if you are also struggling to learn a new language. It could be the people from your old country that you miss, like friends or family you may have had to leave behind.
Luckily we live in a much more connected world than we used to, with video chat (if you don’t have a smart phone or computer you could go to an internet café), social networking and messaging services – this means that you can still stay in good contact with people you’re missing. Although it’s not the same as being there, it can help.
You may find that if you make an effort to get involved in activities in your new country then you will make some friends, which can help to make you feel more supported and that can make a big difference to how you feel.
If you had to leave your home country because it was unsafe and have people you care about still living there, it must be very difficult. If you are worried that you have or will lose contact with the people you care about, you can contact the British Red Cross which has a tracing service that tries to reconnect you with people you have lost track of, or families who have been separated through war.
The Runaway Helpline can only provide services to children and young people within the United Kingdom, and information and advice on this site relates to the UK only.
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