Coping with the lockdown during an Immersion Programme

Hello Everyone,

Recently we have been all faced with the rapid spread of covid-19 which has impacted so many persons and entities on different levels. We wanted to send our warm thoughts and prayers to all affected, as we look forward to flattening the curve. 

We would like to specially consider those who are currently on immersion programmes overseas and who unfortunately cannot travel to be reunited with their families immediately. Outbreaks like these can be scary and can affect your mental health. It is essential to stay informed but there are some things that you can do to support and manage your wellbeing during these times. 

1. Be in touch with your country's embassy/consulate

If you haven't done so, please register at the nearest embassy or consulate for your country. This is very important as it will allow your government (and/its representative) to know where you are and be able to answer all queries especially regarding repatriation or other emergency situations. The registration process is usually very simple so get in touch!

2. Stay connected

"Social Distancing" - has become THE term of the moment but also one of the highly recommended tactics in curbing the spread of the virus. By keeping your distances, you lower the risks  of getting the virus but also of spreading it (especially if you're asymptomatic). Yet, as we are social beings, we'll eventually need to compensate for the lack of face-to-face contact, especially if one lives alone. Fortunately, there are tons of free apps that will allow us to keep in touch with our loved ones back home and in other countries. So do make good use of FaceTime, WhatsApp, Skype..!

3. Create distractions

While you're online, don't forget that there are so many cool activities that you can engage in, free of cost. For example, if you're a chess player, chess.com allows you to challenge your friends in real time. 

A lot of streaming sites are also offering their services free of charge or at a discounted rate during this time. For example, canal+  is offering free streaming until March 31, 2020. Even if you don't have an account with them, YouTube and Facebook Watch have a lot of interesting videos; and of course, you can always "Netflix and Chill", or perhaps it's now "Quarantine and Chill"? (lol)

4. Create a schedule and challenge yourself

Even during a quarantine, it is important to have a feeling of balance, especially if you're usually commuting to your internship/job or language school on the daily. If you'll be working remotely, it could help to try to establish a routine or a schedule for the week that you stick to, so that you can be as productive as possible. You may find that the days go by very quickly this way. You can also add "learning a new skill or language" to this schedule and challenge yourself. If you are interested in online language language lessons, please contact us!

5. Order a care package

We love goodies and they can be such a mood lifter! If you can't go home immediately, speak with your family/friends about sending a care package to you. For Jamaicans overseas, they can also order their own care packages. One of the websites that facilitates this is  jacarepackages.com.

Do check out what's there!

There so many other ways that we can cope with the lockdown during an immersion programme. If you'd like to add a few, don't hesitate to comment on this post. 

If you're interested in participating in an immersion programme offered by Languesol International in the future,  book a free online language travel consultation session, we'll be happy to discuss your plans.

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