japan trip

JANUARY 2018 | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1

JPTRIP

#ACANOFPOPAROUNDTHEWORLD

THE POST-TRAVEL DEPRESSION WHAT IS IT? DO YOU HAVE IT?

LOVE THE CITY are you in love? are you happy? are you lost?

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE

LOVE THEÂ RURAL

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE

LOVE THEÂ PEEPS

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE

19

POSTTRAVEL DEPRESSION

BY POPPY A. Is it a thing? Is it real? . . .

The answer is “I don’t know.”

All I know is that I get so depressed and sad every time I come home from a trip whether it’s short or long. I’ve read about the “Post-travel depression” or “Post-trip blues” or whatever you would like to call it, but it seems like people who experience this syndrome are those who had traveled for a long time and home just doesn’t feel like home anymore. See, I get that, but what about me? I had only been in Japan for 8 days and now I’m laying in bed wishing I was there again.

This is not the first time though. I used to think that I get attached to things really easily that’s why I always have a tough time coming home after travelling. But I think I just discovered the ultimate truth. The reason why I always feel sad or depressed or sometimes annoyed when I get home is because I cherished the time when I travel so much. I had so much fun and I was just so happy. Yes, happy! I was very happy and had such a wonderful time. Isn’t it nice not to live out of suitcase? Well, yes but I am still not as happy as I were.

This is not healthy. It is just not good. I don’t know. It just isn’t. I feel like I shouldn’t feel sad when I come home, I should feel happy. Home is home and even though you have been having so much fun somewhere else, at the end, home is your favorite place.

Wouldn’t it be better to get to sleep in your own bed again? Yes, yes it is, but I am still not as happy as I were.

I dug a little deeper and found out that I am not happy. I am just “ok” or “fine,” but I’m never “great!” I’ve been trying to become a happier and more positive person and it has not been easy, but I thought I was doing well until now…

“I am still not as happy as I were.”

It’s sad, but it’s true. Every time I go on trips, I just feel so alive and refreshed even though I have to wake up early every morning and go to bed very late at night. I was tired, but I was happy.

But, isn’t that normal? I think everyone experiences the same thing right? However, in my case, I think I feel too depressed. I just need to remind myself how blessed I am that I was able to go on trips and make countless memories instead of feeling sad or upset that I am not there anymore. I think that maybe it’s just hard to accept the reality. I just need to become better at accepting because right now I’m still in denial and I just don’t want to believe that I am actually “home.”

Or maybe, because everywhere is home to me. Maybe I just get homesick. Maybe I just miss my home…