Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Moving to Cape Verde, whether for a few months or several years, is an exhilarating experience. Almost constant sunshine, a “no stress” mentality, morabeza (that warm hospitality Cape Verdeans are so proud of)… On paper, everything seems to be in place for an idyllic chapter. Yet, even amidst the beaches of Sal or the valleys of Santo Antão, homesickness can hit you hard.
Between half and three-quarters of travelers experience this nostalgia, which is a mix of enthusiasm for discovery and longing for “home.” This feeling is a natural part of the process of adapting to a new environment, whether in Cape Verde or elsewhere.
This article offers a very practical overview to understand homesickness and better manage it specifically in Cape Verde, drawing on what we know about the local culture, administrative and health realities, as well as the Cape Verdean diaspora and existing mental health resources.
Understanding Homesickness in the Cape Verdean Context
Homesickness corresponds to an emotional distress linked to the separation from one’s familiar world. It’s not just missing a place, but an entire set of reference points: language, smells, climate, food, routines, loved ones, even the noise of the city or the silence of the countryside.
In Cape Verde, this disconnect can be particularly marked for three reasons.
First, the country is a mosaic of islands. Each island has its own rhythm, its dialects of Kriolu, its geography. Settling in Mindelo (São Vicente), very urban and cultural, has nothing in common with a more isolated life on Maio or Brava. This geographical fragmentation can accentuate the feeling of isolation if one is not prepared.
In Cape Verde, local culture values a kind of accepted slowness, illustrated by the ‘hora cabo-verdiana’ (Cape Verdean time). This means an appointment set for 10 a.m. can easily start at 11 a.m. without it being considered a problem. For people used to very structured and fast-paced environments, this relaxed attitude can be perceived as a lack of organization and generate a feeling of disorientation.
Finally, Cape Verde is a country of migration. There is a huge diaspora in Europe and North America, sometimes larger than the population living on the islands. The idea of “saudade,” this profound nostalgia, is an integral part of the Cape Verdean imagination. You are arriving in a country that intimately knows homesickness… but in the other direction.
Typical Symptoms… and How They Manifest On Site
The signs of homesickness remain the same, regardless of the country:
Homesickness manifests through obsessive thoughts focused on home, family, and the country of origin. It is accompanied by emotional states like sadness, irritability, and a drop in motivation. Physical symptoms are also frequent: sleep difficulties, fatigue, physical tension, and stomach aches. This discomfort often leads to a tendency to isolate oneself and avoid new experiences.
In Cape Verde, these manifestations can be reinforced by very concrete little things: internet slower than expected some days, administrative offices closing without warning, inter-island transport disrupted by swell or sand-laden wind (bruma seca), residence procedures dragging on. Each obstacle can become a pretext to think: “Why did I leave my country?”
Rather than feeling guilty, it is useful to remember that these reactions are considered normal by psychologists. They mainly testify to a strong attachment to what you left behind.
Leveraging Local Culture to Soothe Nostalgia
One of the best antidotes to homesickness is to gradually put down roots where you live. In Cape Verde, the culture offers many supports.
Morabeza, “No Stress,” and Informal Support
Cape Verdean society relies on extended family and neighborhood. Sharing a dish of cachupa with neighbors, exchanging a few words with the vendor at the market, being recognized by the server at a small neighborhood café: these links, even modest ones, create a sense of belonging.
Cape Verdeans are described as warm, direct, and inclined towards dialogue. They speak loudly without it meaning anger, like to joke, ask about family, even to recent acquaintances. Entering into this social game, by accepting greetings and conversations, is a very effective way to break the solitude.
Languages: Between Portuguese, Kriolu, English, and French
The official language is Portuguese, but daily life largely takes place in Kriolu. English remains quite uncommon outside tourist areas; French is often better understood, especially by educated individuals.
Rather than suffering from the language barrier, approach it as a project. Learning and using a few basic phrases in Kriolu, like “N sta fixe?”, “Obrigadu,” or “Bom dia,” radically transforms the quality of interactions. This effort is highly appreciated locally, opens doors, and mechanically reduces the feeling of loneliness.
Here is a small table of useful expressions for daily life:
| French | Portuguese | Kriolu (general) |
|---|---|---|
| Hello/Good morning | Bom dia | Bon dia |
| Good afternoon | Boa tarde | Boa tardi |
| Good evening / Good night | Boa noite | Bo nôt |
| Thank you | Obrigado/a | Obrigad(u/a) |
| How are you? | Tudo bem ? | Tudo dretu ? / Sta dretu ? |
| Everything’s fine / It’s cool | Está fixe | Se fixe / Tudu fixe |
| See you soon | Até logo | Té logu |
Even if you don’t yet master Portuguese, these few words are often enough to trigger a smile and start a discussion mixing gestures, French, English, and laughter.
Music, Festivals, and Food: Powerful Emotional Touchstones
Morna, funańa, batuque, coladeira… Music is at the heart of Cape Verdean identity. They often speak of “sodade”, this longing for the absent, of migrations, of the sea. Listening to Cesaria Evora in a bar in Mindelo or attending a carnival group rehearsal is connecting with a community that intimately knows nostalgia.
Cape Verdean cuisine, simple and convivial (cachupa, grilled fish, grogue, pastel d’atum), can serve as a bridge to create exchanges. Organizing a culinary evening to share your dishes and those of Cape Verde transforms longing into an opportunity for sharing, which is an excellent psychological lever.
Building a Network in Cape Verde: An Essential Buffer Against Homesickness
Research on the Cape Verdean diaspora shows a crucial point: what most protects the mental health of migrants are social networks in the host country. A study on Cape Verdeans arriving in Portugal emphasizes that strong links on site clearly reduce anxiety.
In other words, the more relationships you create in Cape Verde, the more your homesickness will tend to diminish over time.
Making Friends On Site: Realistic, But to Be Built
Many newcomers report “silent weekends”, spent alone at home, due to not knowing anyone. This feeling is accentuated in an archipelago where there are almost no formal expatriate clubs and where circles sometimes remain insular.
Several levers exist nonetheless:
Discover platforms and key places to facilitate your integration and expand your social circle as an expatriate.
Platforms like Expat.com, where long-term residents (like the user “CVAngelo” in Praia) regularly answer questions and can guide you to local contacts.
Apps like Wooh App, specifically designed for expatriates in Praia, offering a weekly “match” based on values and interests to encourage in-person meetings.
Places frequented by foreigners: cafés with WiFi, live music bars in Mindelo, restaurants in Santa Maria or Sal Rei, sporting events, and outings for diving, hiking, or kitesurfing.
Rather than waiting for relationships to fall from the sky, it is useful to set very concrete goals: speak to at least one new person every day, join a hiking group, regularly have coffee at the same spot to become a familiar face.
Playing the Card of Places and Habits
Creating fixed points in your new life is a way to manufacture “familiarity” from nothing. A café you go to every Monday morning, a market where you shop on Saturday, a daily walk on the same beach at sunset: these routines structure the week and lessen the feeling of wandering.
Some examples of places well-suited for these routines: coworking spaces for a structured work routine, public parks for an outdoor exercise routine, or a library for a reading and study routine.
– in Praia: the Plateau, the Sucupira market, Quebra Canela beach, certain cafés or restaurants where you can meet both Cape Verdeans and expatriates
– in Mindelo: Laginha, the music bars, the Mindelo Cultural Center
– in Santa Maria (Sal): the pier, the main beach, the Viveiro (botanical and animal garden)
– in Sal Rei (Boa Vista): the bay, the town center, and the beach bars
Over time, these places become your substitute “home bases,” which softens the nostalgia for your original anchors.
Maintaining the Link with Your Home Country Without Getting Stuck There
Communication means in Cape Verde are sufficiently developed to allow regular contact with family and friends back home. Well used, they become a valuable support; poorly dosed, they can sustain homesickness.
Equipping Yourself Well to Stay Connected
The country has 3G/4G networks provided by Cabo Verde Telecom (brand Alou, ex CV Móvel) and Unitel T+. In main towns and tourist areas, coverage is generally decent for video calls and messaging. The simplest option is to buy a local SIM card at the airport (Sal or Praia) or in town, for a modest cost.
The following table illustrates typical costs to give an idea of the amounts.
| Product / Service | Indicative Price (CVE) | Approximate Price (€) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic SIM Card | 100–200 CVE | 1–2 € |
| 1 GB Data Plan | 450–500 CVE | 4–5 € |
| 3 GB Data Plan | ~850 CVE | ~8 € |
| 5 GB Data Plan | ~1,250 CVE | ~11–12 € |
The eSIMs offered by international providers (Airalo, Yesim, etc.) are also a practical solution for recent phones, especially for a short stay, with offers of a few gigabytes valid for one to four weeks.
Having a stable connection allows you to organize regular video calls, exchange voice messages, send photos of your new life. It’s a precious thread to your original environment.
Finding the Right Balance in Contact Frequency
Studies on homesickness stress one point: too much contact with “home” can sometimes sustain the pain instead of relieving it, especially if every call turns into a nostalgic litany.
A good compromise is to find an acceptable balance between different positions or interests, allowing progress while taking everyone’s needs into account.
– schedule regular calls (for example, once a week or every ten days) rather than being constantly available
– prioritize conversations where you also share the discoveries, successes, small pleasures of life in Cape Verde, not just the difficulties
– avoid making a habit of calling as soon as a negative emotion arises: in these moments, going for a walk, writing, or talking to someone on site helps more in building a new foundation
The key is to keep the link without making your country of origin a permanent mental refuge into which you retreat whenever Cape Verdean reality becomes uncomfortable.
Managing Administrative and Logistical Shock, a Powerful Trigger for Homesickness
The “postcard” side of Cape Verde hides a less glamorous truth: the bureaucracy is demanding, not very transparent, and procedures can take years. For an expatriate, these delays are a major stress factor… and therefore a classic trigger for homesickness.
Residence, Permits, Fines: Why It’s So Taxing
The Cape Verdean administrative system is reputed to be rigorous: strong emphasis on respecting procedures, poorly disseminated information, laws that change quickly without clear communication. Concrete examples:
Obtaining a residence permit can take up to two years and requires many documents (proof of resources, criminal records from several countries, medical file, etc.). Paying a traffic fine often requires several steps in different administrative offices, with a 20-day deadline under penalty of vehicle impoundment. Police checks, frequent on the roads, apply zero tolerance towards corruption.
Faced with this type of obstacle, many newcomers are surprised to think: “In my country, it would be settled in 10 minutes online…” This contrast fuels frustration, and therefore nostalgia.
Strategies to Not Let Paperwork Ruin Your Morale
To not let administrative tasks invade your mental life, a few approaches prove effective:
To navigate administrative procedures efficiently, it is crucial to accept their length from the start and integrate these delays into your plans, for example by avoiding overly tight deadlines. Seek advice from experienced residents, expatriates or Cape Verdeans, to understand the steps and pitfalls to avoid. Break down each process into small, achievable steps rather than aiming to settle everything at once. Finally, systematically keep a digital and paper copy of all your important documents (passport, contracts, certificates, receipts) to limit stress in case of loss or request for duplicates.
The simple act of turning a vague procedure into a series of manageable micro-tasks significantly reduces the feeling of helplessness that fuels homesickness.
Taking Care of Your Mental Health in Cape Verde
Even if you come from a country with a strong medical offering, it is important to know the reality of the Cape Verdean health system to adjust your expectations and better protect yourself.
A Health System with Limited Resources
Cape Verde combines public services and private clinics. In major cities like Praia (Dr. Agostinho Neto Hospital) and Mindelo (Dr. Baptista de Sousa Hospital), medical offerings are more extensive than on small islands, but remain far below Western standards, especially for specialized care.
For mental health, the World Health Organization reminds us that the majority of countries have very few psychiatrists per capita. Cape Verde is no exception. Yet the country has recently taken the issue seriously: a national strategic plan for mental health, a year of mental health declared by the government, awareness campaigns with the WHO around the theme “Depression: Let’s Talk.”
Concretely, this means:
Current initiatives and challenges in mental health care on the territory.
Real efforts are being deployed to integrate mental health into first-contact health centers.
Implementation of information campaigns to reduce the stigma associated with mental disorders.
Persistent unequal access depending on the islands and potential delays to see a specialist.
Mental Health, Suicide, and Vulnerabilities
Available figures indicate that approximately 5% of inhabitants suffer from depression, and that the country ranks among the highest suicide rates in the world, even if this rate remains below the global average and very variable depending on age and place (higher among men, young people, and in rural areas).
For an expatriate, this data is not meant to scare, but to remind that:
– psychological suffering does not spare Cape Verde, even if it is sometimes not very visible
– certain local organizations (for example, the Fondation for Fogo, with its Kriolx crisis line accessible via Facebook Messenger, notably for LGBT+ individuals) are beginning to offer support points, even if they are legally located abroad
It is recommended to take out health insurance covering psychological consultations and, if necessary, repatriation for more complex care.
Warning Signs: When Homesickness Becomes Something Else
The border between normal homesickness and more serious psychological disorder is not always clear for the person concerned. A few signals should prompt seeking help:
– persistent sadness for several weeks without improvement
– marked loss of interest in all activities, even those enjoyed before departure
– extreme social withdrawal, inability to create or maintain links on site
– obsessive thoughts of return, accompanied by thoughts like “everything would be better if I disappeared”
– pronounced sleep or appetite disturbances
In these cases, it is no longer just nostalgia: an adjustment disorder, or even a depressive episode, may be developing. Consulting a professional – on site at a private clinic, via teleconsultation with a practitioner from your country, or through a culturally informed support platform – then becomes a priority.
Using Cape Verdean Diaspora Resources Wisely
Even if you are not of Cape Verdean origin, the country’s immense diaspora can indirectly help you understand and tame the islands.
Diaspora and Mental Health: What Research Teaches Us
The study conducted among 647 Cape Verdean migrants recently settled in the Lisbon region provides interesting insight:
– strong social networks in the host country reduce anxiety;
– very extensive networks in the country of origin can, for some women in particular, worsen emotional distress, notably due to financial expectations (sending money) and responsibilities towards the family left in the country.
Transposed to your situation, this suggests two things:
– focusing on links created in Cape Verde (local friends, expatriates, colleagues) is a direct investment in your mental well-being
– maintaining a constant flow of demands and pressures from your country of origin (financial support, advice, arbitration) can sometimes weigh heavily on your shoulders, especially if you are already weakened by adaptation
Learning to set boundaries – even from a distance – is an integral part of managing homesickness.
Drawing Inspiration from Diaspora Organizations
In the United States, the United Kingdom, or Portugal, many Cape Verdean associations (Cape Verdean Association of Boston, Cape Verdean Association UK, Pedro Pires Institute for Cape Verdean Studies, etc.) organize cultural events, support groups, and solidarity actions. They testify to one thing: Cape Verdean culture knows how to create spaces for dialogue and solidarity, including around mental health (multilingual discussion groups, training in “Mental Health First Aid,” etc.).
Inspired by the existence of mutual aid structures for expatriates, you can initiate a small support circle locally. For example, by organizing regular meetings between expatriates, proposing a walking group, a language exchange evening, or simply by establishing a weekly ritual like a dinner among neighbors.
Adjusting Your Pace of Life: Physical Health and Daily Anchoring
Moving to Cape Verde also upsets bodily routines: heat, brightness, different diet, level of physical activity… Yet, mental health is closely linked to lifestyle.
Enjoying the Climate Without Exhausting Yourself
With more than 300 days of sunshine per year, it’s hard not to be tempted by a permanent outdoor life: swimming, hiking, soccer on the beach, walks in the green valleys of Santo Antão, climbing Pico do Fogo, etc. This physical activity is a precious ally against homesickness: it stimulates hormones linked to well-being, improves sleep, and occupies the mind.
But the heat, sand-laden wind, and dehydration can quickly exhaust new arrivals. Knowing how to dose is important:
To prevent risks related to intense heat, it is advised to prioritize outings early in the morning or late afternoon, drink enough water (bottled or filtered), and avoid prolonged exposure to direct sun without protection.
Feeling physically exhausted accentuates negative thoughts, whereas a fit body helps put difficulties into perspective.
Creating Reassuring Routines
Faced with the loss of reference points, it is useful to recreate a daily structure where certain things are predictable:
– fixed meal times, even if the local culture is less attached to the clock
– time slots reserved for exercise (walking, jogging, beach workout)
– time slots dedicated to discovery (a neighboring island, a museum, a new restaurant)
– assumed rest time (reading, music, writing)
This organization doesn’t need to be rigid; it simply serves as a backbone. The more your new life takes shape, the less the fantasy of “immediate return” occupies mental space.
Special Cases: Digital Nomads, Families, and Isolated Island Stays
Not all Cape Verde experiences are alike. Homesickness manifests differently depending on whether you are a solo remote worker in Santa Maria, a family settled in Praia, or a volunteer on a less-serviced small island.
Digital Nomads and Independents
Cape Verde offers a specific visa for remote workers, valid for six months and renewable. The internet infrastructure – decent 4G in major centers, WiFi in many cafés and hotels – generally allows for working. But many nomads report a paradox: being connected to the entire world for work while feeling physically isolated.
A few particular strategies can help:
For a successful experience in Cape Verde, prioritize upon arrival a town with a minimal community, like Santa Maria, Praia, Mindelo, or Sal Rei, rather than a very isolated village, especially if you are sensitive to loneliness. Quickly identify one or two cafés where you can work regularly and become a regular, which facilitates integration. Finally, set a maximum number of work hours per day to ensure you have time for social activities and discovering your new environment.
The danger for independents is to take refuge solely in work to avoid feeling the lack. In the medium term, this sustains homesickness rather than resolving it.
Families and Children
Moving to Cape Verde as a family changes the equation again. Children can also suffer from nostalgia, especially if they leave behind friends, school, and grandparents.
In Praia, an international French-speaking school (Les Alizés) allows some children to maintain a strong linguistic reference point. This facilitates the school transition but doesn’t eliminate the discomfort of distance.
For families, a few axes are particularly useful:
To facilitate the transition, maintain family rituals (game nights, special meals). Schedule video calls to keep in touch with friends and family back home. Quickly enroll them in local activities (sports, music, etc.) to help them create a new social circle.
The homesickness of parents and that of children reinforce each other. Talking openly about what each person feels helps avoid distress settling in silently.
Living on a Less Connected Island
Islands like Brava or Santo Antão, without an operational airport, are beautiful but more isolated. Access to healthcare, services, and even the rest of the archipelago is more complicated. For some, this confidential life is a dream; for others, a shock, especially in case of a setback.
Before settling permanently in a very isolated spot, it is wise to:
– test life on site for a few weeks minimum
– ensure you have solid resources (financial, relational, emotional)
– be aware of the limitations in terms of health (difficult evacuation, distant hospital)
The feeling of being “stuck” on an island can amplify homesickness. It’s better to anticipate these questions rather than discover them once the suitcases are unpacked.
Transforming Homesickness into an Engine for Evolution
Most acculturation models describe a trajectory in several phases: honeymoon, culture shock, adjustment, then integration. Homesickness often dominates the second phase but tends to decrease afterward if one remains engaged in the process.
In Cape Verde, this journey takes on a particular hue:
The initial experience, marked by enthusiasm for the culture and climate, can give way to a phase of irritation with daily hiccups like administrative slowness or service interruptions. By persevering, one learns to adapt to this different rhythm, to value the country’s assets (safety, tolerance, human warmth) while accepting its imperfections.
Homesickness is then no longer just a sign of lack, but also that of an identity that is expanding: one remains attached to one’s country of origin while developing a real link with Cape Verde.
Celebrating each small victory – a first conversation in Kriolu, an administrative file finally completed, a friend to rely on, a place where you feel truly good – allows you to see that, slowly but surely, “home” is beginning to also include this corner of the Atlantic.
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In the end, managing homesickness in Cape Verde is not about stifling nostalgia, nor about idealizing the islands. It is rather about recognizing the sadness when it arises, surrounding it with concrete actions – creating connections, structuring your life, taking care of yourself, seeking help when needed – and letting time do its work.
Advice for Managing Homesickness
The entire country has learned to live with the saudade of those who leave and return. By choosing to settle there, you too enter this story of departures and returns. With a little patience, curiosity, and kindness towards yourself, it is possible that, sooner or later, homesickness transforms into something softer: the awareness of having two homes rather than just one.
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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.
