It's not easy to be this far away

At least you were well taken care of. In my case, nobody's here to guide me where I really want to go. My friend is busy with her life and she seems to not really care if I want to do something. I understand her though because she's not used to taking care of other people. That makes me homesick. I'm just thankful I have an internet. I couldn't live without one. Maybe if there's no internet I would die not being able to communicate everyday with friends and family.

Going through responses here I see that you are there on a job. You will soon find your bearings. Do try and explore on your own as far as possible. May be you could take a local tour and get the hang of it.

If only people here could understand and speak and the English language, I won't be having a difficult time getting around and exploring. I have explored only the Central part of this city last week since i was with my mother-in-law and we were on a tour. But when they left, I felt so alone even though i'm living with a friend. I thought I would not feel alone because she would guide me and teach me how to get around. Other than that, i am fine.

Oh yeah, I know for a fact that everything will be ok once i start to work. What i'm feeling now is temporary and i know i'll be able to get used to the place and be able to go around by myself. Maybe i was just expecting that my friend would guide me somehow. But i seem to be getting a little of that.

Can you not research into taking classes in their language or even go to an English class just to find other people that speak at least a little bit of English too? Then you wouldn't feel so alone. I think if you keep relying on speaking to your family you aren't going to advance any on your own and I know it is difficult when I was in India I spent the first three days blubbering over the phone to my mum and boyfriend but once I started investigating and traveling outside a little bit more I was having the time of my life and didn't want to come home at all. Do they have public transport systems where you are? Even if you got a bus until the last stop and then get the same bus back you could get out of the house and identify the area more and get used to it better, or even do what we did and draw a map as you go so you can find your way back easy enough. Or if you go to a restaurant that seems really popular they may be more likely to have English speakers or people who can translate to you in other ways, when I was in Italy nobody spoke English either just German and Italian and the family run restaurants that I visited actually were kind enough to draw pictures for me to describe what they were selling.In places like restaurants as long as you buy something from them it is their job to make you happy and offer good service.

I will start working on November first and i know i'll be able to find friends soon. I am trying to learn to speak their language using my iPhone. You have no idea how difficult it is to find someone here who could speak English. The people here won't adjust to you or make drawings so you could understand. That's why i was relying on my friend to guide me and teach me what bus number to take or how to get to places so i could start going around by myself. However, she's not that accommodating. In time i know i will be able to do that. It's only my first week and i'm still adjusting. I've never been far away from home and this is the first time. I've never lived without a maid attending my needs that's why i find it a bit difficult.

The only thing that keeps me going actually is the fact that i can talk to my family every single day. I feel like I'm not that far when i'm talking to them. The problem why i couldn't go out alone, is that the people here speak a different language and they cannot understand English at all. So it's a bit difficult to go out and wonder around when I couldn't ask anybody for directions. I do intend to get to know the place well and find my own apartment soon. If only people could speak the English language here, i wouldn't have trouble roaming around by myself.

The funny thing is i already told her that, but she always has some excuse. One time I asked her where I could print some papers and she told me in a computer shop. Of course I know it's in a computer shop, but what i was referring to is where's that computer shop and she just said there's none in this area. I once asked her how to get to Victory Mall and she just said by bus. She could have told me how to get there by telling me which bus i should take or tell me that we could go together. Last night she left me alone in the apartment to meet her American friends, bringing along the key with her. Now she's not yet here and I couldn't go out because I don't have the key to the apartment. These make me feel alone. I would really want my own apartment but i need her help to find me one.

Hello Sid! I never thought I would be lonely in this place before I left home because I would be staying with a friend. I just didn't expect that she would not be accommodating as I've expected. Actually last night, she left to meet some American friends and left me alone in the apartment. She brought the key with her so now I couldn't go out to get food because she isn't home yet. This makes me feel sad and lonely. That's why i hope to get a place of my own where I can freely do my thing. I don't want to burden her with my presence here. I know i'll be fine in my own place and not be a burden to anyone.

What's making my stay difficult is that the people here can't understand nor speak English. It's hard to take a taxi when the driver couldn't understand me. I don't know how to take the bus since I don't know which bus number goes to where. I know i will be ok the moment i get used to roaming around here. If only people could speak English, i wouldn't bother to be alone outside. I wish i were in Korea instead! There are some people there who can understand English and I have a lot of students from there who are very accommodating. I am thankful that I could use the internet here so I could mylot and not get bored.

The thing is i already asked her about that and she doesn't know how to. The work place is far from her. But i know she has friends she could asked about that. I will start work in November first and i hope to find my own apartment in that area. I know I would be much more comfortable in my own place as long as i have an internet connection to get in touch with friends. I know too that i'll be meeting new friends the moment i start work who will be able to help me get around in my area. If only people here can speak and understand English here, I wouldn't have so much trouble.

True. I think I would be ok once i started working and find my own apartment. If only people here could speak and understand English, I won't be having a hard time at all.

Yeah, now i know. At first i thought it would be easy because i have a friend here so i won't feel alone. But i was wrong. I never considered that she has her own life and she doesn't like baby sitting me. If only people here could speak and understand the English language i wouldn't be having a hard time.

I don't think she has any plans to have her keys duplicated. The whole day i've been researching on how to get around the area and finding my own ways. We have been friends for 6 years already. When she first came here, she also had a friend who was kind enough to guide her. I think she's not just used to taking care of anybody and i'm not used to not being taken care of. I just hope that she would be kind enough to show me around and teach me how to get to places. Soon i know i'll be able to do it on my own and i don't have any plans to stay in her place for long. When she arrived tonight, she didn't even bother to ask if i was able to get my own food or tell me where she had been or how was her night. That really made me feel more estrange.

Yes, now that i'm living with her i realized that she's not the friend that i expected her to be. Maybe i shouldn't have had any expectations at all. Maybe i'm just exaggerating things because i feel homesick. But when i think about it deeply and when i chat with my other friends, the problem is not me. I wouldn't feel lonely if she didn't make me feel alone. Now i just want to move to another place and hope i could afford it since my job will start on the first of November.

she's so lucky someone was kind enough to guide her when she was new, because there's nothing like help from your countrymen who can really relate to you and explain things clearly and completely, with comparisons and contrasts even, right? but then, i wonder if she even feels any appreciation or gratitude to that person or see her old self in you? nobody makes it alone, even so-called self-made people. i really don't understand why she doesn't seem to possess any care, concern or compassion to others, even for a friend staying with her. can't she even write down or email you the basics? i guess this proves there's nothing like living with a person to really know them. :(