How Music Transcends Borders and Bridges Homesickness Abroad
Article, On Music as a genuine reminder of home
January 2024
Living abroad, amidst new cultures and landscapes, can be a thrilling adventure, but it often comes with the bittersweet echo of homesickness. In these moments, music emerges as a powerful tool, a nostalgic melody that serves as a bridge between distant lands and cherished memories.
Music possesses a unique ability to transport us through time and space, evoking emotions and memories that transcend physical boundaries. For those navigating the complexities of homesickness, music becomes a comforting companion, rekindling the warmth of familiar places and faces.
Here's our selected 4 songs that our community listen to for recalling home:
“ÇA SERT” BY NEMIR
It’s a French rap song about the difficulty of succeeding in life. I love the chorus that reminds me how hard it was for me to make it: Don't look at me destroying my life, look at yourself escaping yours..
Lionel Taurus
“THE GENERATION OF TRIBULATION” BY LANG LEE
I’ve hooked to this song and listened to it many times just before I left Seoul and it reminds me of the drunk time in Seoul with my friends, and also a cold and unfamiliar air of Berlin that I smelled when I got out Tegel airport. I guess my home is in between..
Saem Kwon
“YAMORE” BY SALIF KEITA & CESARIA EVORA
It's not one from home, I don't even understand the words but it has this longing in the music that makes me feel at home, like an earth song.
Latika Nehra
“JUNGE” BY DIE ÄRZTE
The song is about teenagers experiencing criticism and rejection and being held responsible for everything. “Junge Warum hast du nichts gelernt – translated: Boy why didn't you learn anything?”
Marvin Schwaibold
In the Silence, Music Speaks Loudest
There are moments when homesickness strikes unexpectedly, like a sudden downpour on a sunny day. In those moments, we shall retreat into the quiet space where only music can reach. Whether it's the haunting melody of a hometown ballad or the upbeat tempo of a favorite dance track, music becomes the friend who understands without words.
Thriving on the arts of cultural exchange.
LFV is an inclusive online space celebrating humans living abroad and the cultures embracing them; by featuring personal stories that shed light on their journey and experiences.
We’re on a mission to find a deeper meaning of home!
Join us
LETTERS FROM VENUS ©2023
All images © of their respective owners.