Dealing with adversity back home as an expat

Expats everywhere in the world know this feeling. When you leave family and friends back home, part of your mind always remains there with them thousands of kilometers away. While everyone is still trying to process the ongoing news of this year, this past week has carried devastating news for expat communities in the Gulf, triggering support initiatives and a conversation about dealing with adversity in such a hard time, abroad. 

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Last Tuesday night, a huge explosion shook Beirut, killing more than 150 people and injuring thousands. Already facing economic and political hardships, support poured in for Lebanon from all over the world and from the GCC. In addition to words of support, official aid and NGO donation campaigns, LinkedIn members took to the platform to express their thoughts keeping up with the developing news, and to point to organizations of support: 

Only a couple of days later, on Friday night, an Air India repatriation flight carrying 190 passengers from Dubai to India in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic crash-landed in Kerala. 18 people lost their lives, most of them were expats living in the UAE, and dozens got injured. The accident left families and friends in both countries processing its aftermath. 

Processing such traumatic events in the midst of Covid-19 is a doubled challenge. “You don’t have to be directly impacted to experience stress over a traumatic event, such as one you are watching on the news. Your feelings are still valid.” advises the Canadian Red Cross. 

“It is common to feel helpless, confused, angry or worried,” writes Anna Teehan for the Red Cross.   

When it comes to the workplace, each of the colleagues around you might be experiencing and processing the news in a different way. It’s important to extend patience, understanding and any gesture of support in a time like this. 

It’s difficult for expats to process tragic news happening back home. Connecting with people is one way to experience the humanity in others in difficult times, writes clinical psychologist Dr. Robin F. Goodman. It goes hand in hand with showing compassion towards others and towards yourself. Realize it takes time.

• Ways to help Beirut 
• How companies are helping
• Tips for healing after horrific events
• How to talk to kids about distressing world events

What ways do you find helpful in processing bad news? Share your thoughts in the comments below, along with what you’d like to read about next using #ThatExpatLife.