I recently learned a new word, fernweh. It’s a perfect word to describe how many of us travelers are often feeling, especially now. This is a German noun and there’s unfortunately not a direct translation in English. If you look it up, you will find translations such as “wanderlust” or “farsickness.”
Wanderlust also comes from the German language and means to have a lust for wandering; a common word found in the vocabulary of travelers. Although similar, it doesn’t quite have the same meaning as fernweh.
“Farsickness” is a more accurate translation, but it isn’t actually a word in the English dictionary.
Fernweh is the opposite of homesickness. Instead of longing for home, you’re longing for somewhere else that you’ve never been. Just like being homesick, it’s a feeling deep down in your stomach that doesn’t disappear right away or not at all until you’ve satisfied that need. If you break it down, you’ll see what I mean. Fern means “far” and weh means “ache” or “pain.” Essentially, an aching feeling for somewhere far away. It’s a bit odd to yearn for a far-off place where you’ve never been before. It almost seems like a word from a fairy-tale or a magical storybook, but I’ll bet many of you reading this have had this feeling.
How do we usually cure our itchy feet? We start planning our next trip! Picking my next destination and researching everything it has to offer is my temporary remedy for fernweh. More often that not, this turns my feeling of fernweh into anticipation and excitement for my upcoming trip. The true remedy is walking out your door en route to that soon to be discovered new place. Luckily, our world is big enough to always have a cure, even during difficult times.
Putting this feeling at ease right now is a little more challenging, but still do-able. You may not know when you’ll be able to go, but you can start researching those future vacation destinations and all they have to offer for when you eventually get there. While many people think of international destinations, another option is to take advantage of domestic travel and visit those not quite as far-off sweet spots your own country, province and city have to offer.
Besides research, what are other ways you satisfy your feeling of fernweh? Perhaps reading a novel set in that locale? Maybe studying the language of that country? How about ordering in food from a restaurant that offers that cuisine? I would love to get more inspiration from others on your remedies for fernweh!
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