Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Leaving one’s country, family, language, and habits is never trivial. Whether you are a student, worker, volunteer, returning refugee, or a member of the diaspora coming back “home,” homesickness can strike… even when you are in Burundi. For many Burundians who grew up elsewhere, staying also means losing the landmarks built abroad. Conversely, for foreigners settled in Bujumbura, Gitega, or the hills, being far from their home country can become a heavy burden.
Research on the Burundian diaspora shows that overcoming homesickness is not just about being strong. Rather, it involves gradually building a balance between one’s roots and current life, relying on concrete insights about acculturation and mental health in a displacement context.
Homesickness is a common emotional reaction when separated from one’s familiar environment, loved ones, and routines. Studies show that among students, up to 70 to 90% report feelings of nostalgia during the first weeks away from home. It is neither a sign of weakness nor an illness in itself: psychologists describe it rather as a form of separation anxiety, which can become a risk factor for depression if it persists or intensifies.
Studies conducted in refugee camps in the Great Lakes region illustrate the three types of manifestations of psychological distress. In addition to physical symptoms (fatigue, pain, insomnia), emotional symptoms (sadness, irritability), and social symptoms (withdrawal), there are specific aggravating factors: past trauma, uncertainty, loss of status, and poverty. These studies revealed very high rates of distress, with a significant proportion of people expressing a loss of hope and perspective.
Understanding this mechanism is an essential first step in Burundi: whether you are a Burundian returning after years abroad, a foreign student in Bujumbura, a humanitarian volunteer, or a member of the diaspora on an extended visit, the shock of a changed environment is real. The goal is not to completely eliminate homesickness—it’s to avoid its downward spiral: withdrawal, isolation, and then a lasting depression.
Between two worlds: acculturation as seen from Burundi
Living in Burundi when you come from elsewhere, or when you return after a long period abroad, involves a process of acculturation. Researchers describe four main possible strategies: integration (maintaining one’s original culture while being open to the local culture), assimilation (prioritizing only the host country’s culture), separation (withdrawing into one’s original culture), and marginalization (being detached from both).
Studies indicate that Burundian expatriate families who manage to combine their culture of origin with that of their host country often develop better self-esteem and a stronger sense of competence. For young people, acculturation facilitates integration with local peers, while maintaining ties to Burundian culture strengthens confidence within their community of origin.
Transposed to Burundi, this means that:
– a Burundian raised in Belgium who moves to Bujumbura may feel “in between” two cultures: neither entirely “from here” nor truly “from elsewhere”;
– a Rwandan, French, Congolese, or Chinese student living in Burundi must learn new social codes, while maintaining a connection to their home culture;
– a returning refugee, after years in a Tanzanian camp, sometimes experiences a deep disconnect with those who stayed behind.
Research on young Burundians from the diaspora shows that more than half describe themselves as ‘between two cultures.’ This feeling is not necessarily negative: it can become a strength. Some authors speak of a ‘bridge identity’: young people capable of understanding both Western and Burundian codes, of navigating between Kirundi and French or English, and of serving as intermediaries between generations or communities.
Research on the Burundian diaspora
Homesickness in Burundi often stems precisely from this tension between these two poles: nostalgia for the “before” life (in Brussels, Pittsburgh, or Durban) and the difficulty of feeling fully integrated here. The goal is not to choose one side, but to find a way of life where these two belongings coexist.
Rooting yourself locally: building a community in Burundi
All migration studies converge on one point: the quality of the social network in the country of residence is one of the main factors for well-being. In Knoxville, United States, a research program with Burundian refugees showed that engagement in associations, churches, schools, and social services was decisive for good adaptation. Those who found a community—even a modest one—fared significantly better psychologically.
In Burundi, the same mechanisms can come into play. But they must leverage local specificities: the weight of the extended family, the importance of ceremonies, the central role of religion, the strength of neighborhood networks, and civic initiatives.
Associations and collectives: powerful antidotes to isolation
The Burundian diaspora has shown a remarkable ability to organize abroad: cultural associations in Pittsburgh or the UK, mentorship platforms like Ubumwe, networking conferences like Tuvugane, community WhatsApp groups. These models can inspire those who feel homesick in Burundi.
A Burundian trained in Kenya created a Google Developers Group in Bujumbura. The initiative was born from the realization that Burundi was missing from the map of an international competition. A test event eventually attracted more than double the expected participants, revealing—beyond technology—a need for gathering, exchange, and shared construction.
Joining or creating a collective in Burundi—whether professional, religious, cultural, artistic, or sports-related—allows you to set regular meetups, meet people going through similar experiences, and break isolation. For those returning after years abroad, participating in a parish, neighborhood association, young professionals group, or cultural club can recreate the social fabric often missing after a return.
In the Nduta refugee camp in Tanzania, a Burundian founded the traditional drum group Ingoma Akaranga. For him and his thirty members, playing, dancing, and leading ceremonies brought a feeling of ‘coming back to life,’ momentarily allowing them to forget the loss of their country and loved ones. This initiative demonstrates how community activities—musical, sports, or artistic—once transposed to Burundi, can similarly help people who feel uprooted, even in their own country.
The importance of the early years and youth
Studies on building tech communities in Bujumbura also show the importance of targeting young people. The founders of the local GDG understood that by reaching out early to first- and second-year students, they could create a solid foundation for a sustainable ecosystem. In university contexts, international studies indicate that nearly 70% of students experience strong homesickness during the first few months. The earlier they are integrated into clubs, associations, or project groups, the more favorable the adaptation curve.
In Burundi, this translates into a simple piece of advice: if you arrive for studies or a first job, don’t wait until you’re very unwell to leave your room. Even if the urge to stay in touch with family online is strong, joining a group—a development club, choir, prayer group, sports association, or art workshop—is one of the most effective ways to reduce nostalgia.
Leveraging digital connections without getting trapped
Recent studies on social media and homesickness paint a nuanced picture. On one hand, platforms play a key role in maintaining ties with loved ones back home. According to an international survey, 87% of travelers say they feel less nostalgic when they maintain regular digital contact with family and friends. On the other hand, several studies show that staying constantly connected to those “back there” can sometimes intensify the pain of separation.
For people in exile, such as Burundians, social media are crucial for following the news, especially after the disappearance of independent media. However, this constant flow of information, images, and testimonies about the suffering of loved ones can generate strong emotional distress, amplified by the powerlessness to act from a distance. Similarly, for some students, constantly seeing photos of happy events (parties, weddings) in their home country via Facebook or WhatsApp can reinforce the feeling of lack and distance.
Research on international students clearly distinguishes two uses of social media:
| Main type of social media use | Observed effect on homesickness |
|---|---|
| Communicating mainly with loved ones back home | Neutral impact or sometimes worsening of nostalgia |
| Interacting with people in the host country (local friends, university groups, associations) | Reduction of homesickness in the short and long term |
In Burundi, for someone who has just arrived or is returning after a long time, the challenge is therefore to find a balance. Staying in touch with family abroad—in Canada, Belgium, or South Africa—is essential for emotional stability. But if all social energy is absorbed by these exchanges, it becomes difficult to fully invest in local life.
A pragmatic strategy is to set light rules: limit passive scrolling through news feeds, prioritize direct exchanges (video calls, voice messages), and devote part of your online time to connecting with people and groups in Burundi. Following local accounts, joining Burundian student or professional groups, and using networks to find events in town or volunteer opportunities can transform a potentially painful tool into a lever for integration.
Recreating landmarks: routines, language, and small rituals
Research on the adaptation of Burundian refugees to the United States shows that building consistent daily routines is a key factor in well-being. Going to school, work, church, participating in an association, learning the local language: these are elements that stabilize daily life and restore a sense of control over one’s life.
In Burundi, paradoxically, many people affected by homesickness are precisely those who have lost, upon arriving here, the routines painstakingly built elsewhere. A young adult who grew up in Lyon, accustomed to a punctual metro, classes in French, and precise schedules, can be deeply destabilized by the unpredictability of transport, the more relaxed relationship with time, or the strong family expectations placed on them. A foreigner who came for a humanitarian job, used to Western standards of housing and services, may feel overwhelmed by power cuts, language barriers, or distance from loved ones.
Studies on acculturation suggest several concrete levers.
Working on language to open up daily life
For Burundians settled in the United States, learning English is unanimously described as the first essential step for integration. Half of the participants in one study explained that school had been their main driver of adaptation, with 29% emphasizing work, and 19% churches and charitable organizations. In all cases, language determined access to these spaces.
For a French-speaking expatriate, using even a few polite phrases in Kirundi deeply improves daily interactions. For a Burundian from the diaspora, relearning the language is a sensitive identity issue, a source of pride, and a vital link to family and culture, as evidenced by projects teaching children abroad.
Data on immigrants emphasizes that the more one progresses in the language of the place where they live, the richer and more spontaneous social interactions become, and the less the feeling of isolation persists. In Burundi, this works both ways: mastering French can facilitate understanding institutions, studies, and urban environments; daring to use Kirundi allows entry into the intimacy of neighborhood relationships, ceremonies, and hill-side conversations.
Establishing personal well-being routines
In situations of displacement, psychologists recommend putting in place simple but regular rituals: stable meal times, dedicated time for physical activity, moments of prayer or meditation, a time slot reserved for calls with loved ones. In refugee camps or contexts of extreme precariousness, these routines are sometimes the only thing people still have control over, hence their importance for mental health.
In Burundi, daily routines incorporate local cultural elements such as morning walks on the hills, attending mass or worship, time devoted to traditional music, and family visits. For mothers, specific postpartum practices—massage, belly wrapping, prolonged rest at home—form deeply rooted care rituals. Deprivation of this support during migration harms their well-being, while returning to these familiar frameworks in the country can be soothing, provided they are surrounded.
Keeping your own cultural references alive
Managing homesickness in Burundi often means dealing with multiple layers of nostalgia: longing for Belgium, Canada, Tanzania, or the United States, while sometimes awakening a nostalgia for childhood in Burundi itself. Research on Burundians living in Finland, for example, shows that food plays a central role in this back-and-forth of identity. Those who ate exclusively Finnish dishes reported a feeling of efficiency, but hinted it was not their preference. The lack of “home” products and the fatigue from the climate made preparing Burundian dishes more complicated.
A student or expatriate living in Burundi can preserve their well-being by maintaining certain habits from their country of origin, such as cooking traditional dishes, celebrating national holidays, or listening to their music. The key is to find a balance between these cultural roots and openness to local customs, so as not to cut oneself off from the new Burundian environment.
Relying on Burundian culture for healing
Burundian culture itself contains many tools for managing distress, whether through music, dance, stories, or community practices. For someone suffering from homesickness in Burundi, rediscovering them—or discovering them for the first time—can be a real support.
Music, dance, and sociability: a collective therapy
Researchers describe Burundian music as far more than entertainment: a mode of expressing history, myths, connection to the land and ancestors. The ingoma drums, the umuduri violin, bamboo flutes, inanga zithers structure a sound universe that accompanies all major life stages: weddings, funerals, harvest festivals, religious ceremonies.
When he played, he felt “alive” and the pain of loss would subside for a moment.
Founder of the Ingoma Akaranga troupe
Participating in drum rehearsals, learning a traditional dance, attending a cultural festival, or simply listening to Burundian artists—whether traditional or contemporary—can therefore become a concrete tool for taming homesickness. For a Burundian returning after years away, it can also be an opportunity to reconnect with a part of their identity that may have been dormant.
Stories, tales, and lullabies: weaving meaning anew
Oral traditions hold a central place in Burundi: evening tales, pastoral poetry, lullabies. Lullabies, called “Guhoza umwana,” are not just for putting a child to sleep. They allow mothers to express their joys, fears, and sometimes social criticism. A common refrain is “Hora, hora mwana wanje”—“Calm down, calm down my child”—a promise of protection against the world’s dangers.
For an adult, listening again to songs from their childhood can revive memories, recreate a link with the past, and provide a symbolic language for expressing emotions related to separation, fear, or hope. Studies on poems like ‘Amazina y’inka’ reveal that they also celebrated values such as loyalty, bravery, and gratitude toward community supporters. These themes echo experiences of exile, return, and solidarity.
Again, a concrete suggestion: incorporate moments of reading or listening to stories into your daily life in Burundi, in Kirundi or French, participate in evening gatherings, invite elders to share their journeys. In studies on Burundian families in exile in Europe, some parents say they seek, through their children’s education, to break with a “culture of hatred and revenge.” Stories, reinterpreted, can be a valuable support for this transformation.
When homesickness becomes complicated: recognizing warning signs
Not all nostalgia is the same. Most of the time, after a few weeks or months, things stabilize: you build ties, understand the codes better, find your bearings. But certain situations require particular vigilance.
In a refugee camp in Burundi, 70% of respondents reported thoughts of hopelessness or suicide.
Even though the situation of a student or worker settled in Bujumbura is in no way comparable to that of a refugee, certain signs should alert you:
– persistent sadness, without improvement over weeks;
– inability to handle daily tasks (getting up, going to class or work, eating);
– progressive withdrawal, giving up all social activities;
– recurring thoughts like “what’s the point,” “they’d be better off without me,” or even thoughts of death.
In case of homesickness, international recommendations converge: it is important not to remain isolated, to talk to a trusted person, and, if possible, to seek professional support. Studies on expatriates show that psychotherapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral approaches that help identify and modify negative thoughts, significantly improves symptoms of anxiety and depression related to cultural adaptation.
In Burundi, mental health services remain limited, but international reports also see this as an opportunity: by gradually strengthening its care system, the country could better support both its citizens and the refugees on its soil. Meanwhile, informal networks (family, religious community, associations), when supportive, can play a decisive role in early detection and accompaniment.
The key role of family and generations
Studies on Burundian families in exile show how much the family remains the first place of support… and sometimes of tension. Many parents who fled violence in 1972, 1994, or more recently carry a heavy burden of trauma and discrimination, often in precarious economic conditions. Their children, born or raised abroad, do not have the same references or expectations. This gap is felt upon returning to Burundi.
Research highlights several dynamics:
Parents, often absorbed by survival, lack time and guidance to support their children’s schooling. These young people, exposed to more egalitarian values, question certain aspects of traditional Burundian culture. These tensions are exacerbated by a language barrier, with a loss of Kirundi among the youth and difficulties in French for the parents, fueling misunderstandings.
To manage homesickness in Burundi within a family context, an important approach is to explicitly acknowledge these differences in experience. Diaspora initiatives that encourage the creation of “young bridges”—people comfortable in both cultural worlds—point in this direction. They can inspire families settled temporarily or permanently in Burundi: value the intercultural skills of young people, involve them in discussions, listen to their experiences without viewing them as a betrayal of the culture of origin.
Parents in exile may feel nostalgia for the country before the crisis, for the humiliations experienced abroad, and a fear of failure upon return. Their life project often centers on their children’s education, sometimes at the expense of their own ambitions, which can create a feeling of being ‘stuck.’ Expressing these emotions, possibly with the help of a professional (pastor, counselor, psychologist), can lighten this tension.
Using technology to stay connected… without drowning
Many studies in migration psychology emphasize the importance of maintaining strong ties with family far away to limit depression and loneliness. Concrete tools now facilitate this connection: video calls, WhatsApp groups, photo album sharing, personal blogs. They are particularly important for Burundian families split across several countries, which is common after years of displacement between Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Europe, or North America.
Cultural adaptation specialists recommend creating a plan to maintain contact with loved ones. This involves identifying the people with whom to keep regular contact, choosing the most suitable channels (weekly call, voice messages, emails, family blog), and agreeing on fixed times to account for time zone differences. This regularity reassures both parents back home and children away studying abroad.
At the same time, research on the negative effects of social media reminds us of the importance of setting limits: avoid spending hours comparing your life in Burundi with the sometimes idealized lives of friends abroad, limit exposure to anxiety-inducing content about political or economic crises, and prioritize quality interactions over the quantity of “likes.”
A table can help clarify this personal balance:
| Main goal | Possible tools | Risks if overused | Benefits of regulated use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stay close to family abroad | Video calls, voice messages, family groups | Emotional over-solicitation, difficulty investing in local life | Sense of continuity, moral support in tough times |
| Integrate in Burundi | Local WhatsApp groups, event pages, professional networks | Staying only in expat circles, social fatigue | Access to activities, meetings, professional or association opportunities |
| Entertain / pass time | TikTok, reels, streaming series | Procrastination, isolation, sleep disorders | Occasional relaxation, cultural discovery |
The challenge is not to demonize screens, but to put them in their place: tools for connection, not exclusive refuges.
Practical tips for taming homesickness in Burundi
By cross-referencing research results on international students, refugees, Burundian diaspora families, and expatriates, we can identify a few broad lines of action adapted to the Burundian context.
Start by recognizing and validating your emotions. Tell yourself that nostalgia is normal, that it affects a large majority of people who experience a change of country or environment. Naming it already makes it less overwhelming.
Then, structure your daily life around three pillars: relationships, routines, roots.
On a relational level, it is important to make an effort to forge at least a few meaningful connections in Burundi. For Burundians settled in the United States, friendship with Americans played a key role in their adjustment; the reverse is true here for foreigners, but also for Burundian “returnees” who may have lost the habit of local codes. Accepting invitations, suggesting a coffee, joining a prayer group or club—even if it feels costly at first—is an investment in your own mental health.
On the routines side, draw inspiration from strategies used by refugees who successfully rebuilt a life in camps or after return: set regular times for waking up, meals, work or study, physical activities, leisure. Integrate stabilizing elements into these routines: paid work when possible, volunteering, language learning, involvement in an association.
For a Burundian returning after years in Europe, this means relearning Kirundi, rediscovering traditional festivals, reappropriating local cuisine, and listening to the drums or songs of childhood. For a foreigner settled in Burundi, this means maintaining ties with their home culture by cooking typical dishes, sharing their music, or explaining their traditions without shame.
Homesickness does not necessarily disappear completely. It sometimes becomes a lasting component of identity, a kind of quiet melancholy. But by surrounding yourself, ritualizing your days, and allowing yourself to be both from here and from elsewhere, it is possible to no longer be imprisoned by it. Burundi, with the strength of its communities, the richness of its culture, and the adaptability its inhabitants have developed over decades of crises and returns, offers fertile ground for this learning.
Managing homesickness in Burundi is ultimately about accepting this double loyalty: to what you left behind, and to the life you are building here, now.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
