Living Abroad + time it takes to adjust

I am teaching English in Western Hungary for 6 months. I have been here about 6 weeks. My problem is that I am having difficulty adjusting to living here. It is affecting my diet, which is causing me a lot of anxiety. I am looking for advice, particularly from people who have lived (or are living) abroad.

First, a bit about my weight loss/maintenance background . . . I lost about 45 lbs 6 years ago and have maintained my weight loss. I lost the weight following the Weight Watchers Point system. I still keep a daily food journal and measure my food. I am 5'4" and I was 127 lbs when I left for Hungary.

During the first two weeks I was here, I was still on my normal eating pattern. After a week and a half, I left Budapest and came to my placement in the countryside. There is nothing to do in my town, and I spend a lot of time alone. I am also vegetarian. While the food is good here, I can't say I have a lot of options. I feel I am missing important parts of my normal diet (such as tofu).

Around the 1 month mark, I think I went through some type of culture shock and my diet took a major hit. I am slowly recovering, but I'm not back to normal. I am still eating more calories, and more sugar, than normal (generally, I am a very healthy eater and I like to cook).

I don't have a scale (I also don't want one because then I tend to obsess), but based on my food journal I would estimate that have gained between 4 and 7 pounds-based on different burn rates). I may not gained anything, but I don't know for sure. I do get a lot of activity.

I think the main problem are as follows: 1) I am alone in the Hungarian countryside, where no one speaks English and Hungarian is a very difficult language; 2) As a vegetarian, my options are pretty limited; 3) I know I am going through some type of adjustment phase. I go through this type of thing whenever I have a change in my life, but this one is a bit different.

I studied abroad in France when I was in university, but Hungary just seems to be so much harder for me :(

How long does it take to adjust? Has anyone else gone through this? Why can't I realize that apple strudel is not the answer to my problems? Just kidding . . . 

I would appreciate any advice :)

If the unhappiness isolation is the main problem then make more of an effort to get to know the locals, and don't let your limited knowledge of the language hold you back.   Your work colleagues (are you based in a school of some kind) might be a good place to start.  Maybe if you could get some invitations to houses for dinner you'd meet new people?  Or hold a party at your home... that's a traditional way to meet the neighbours.   I'm sure they'd find vegetarian cooking fascinating.  A few drinks and everyone speaks Hungarian

Regarding your diet, you might try to find healthy, local dishes that you can learn to make.  That'll keep you on track and give you something to do.  Also, try to get involved with people at the school where you work.  You'll learn the language more quickly that way, if you're trying to learn it at all seeing as you're only staying for six months.

Another option to help you adjust specifically to Hungary is to go to an expat website and see what other expats in H have to say.  Here's one I found just doing a quick Google search.  http://www.expatshungary.com/  That might help you meet people in your area too.  You'd be surprised to find how many Americans and Brits live in back-country villages... like both of us!

hi,  i moved to the czech republic 5 years ago and alot has changed now,  finally i have found nutr labels on most foods or on the net about somethings,  but i know its hard eating foods your unfamiliar with.  i dont know the problem though are you loosing too much weight or gaining, or obsessing.  i eat pretty much the same things every day and dont eat much of the local food here,  only the soup maybe,  i also was veg when i moved here and on and off and while i live in prague with lots of veg options i still chose to start eating chicken sometimes because i was being veg as a way to cope with my ed. fr me the ed developed alot because of home sickness and you dont want to think about friends and family so ou can think about and control your food.  do you even like this place because there are plenty more fantastic places to teaching english.  dont waste your life in a place thats not satisfying.

Hello,

Last spring I studied in northern Spain for 6 months and I understand where you're coming from. I was a vegetarian before going to Spain but decided before I went that I would start eating meat so as not to inconvenience my hosts. For me this was a good decision because even though I lived in a major city, completely vegetarian meals were hard to come by, and finding things like tofu in the supermarkets was near impossible. A bowl of lentil soup would most definitely have chorizo in it, and a "vegetable" sandwich would have ham or tuna.

Anyways, since I was eating meat, I found it easier to cope and I enjoyed some of the best meals of my life compliments of my host mom (pictured in my profile). I realize this may not be an option for you, so the only thing I can suggest would be to make sure you are eating enough protein, and that your diet includes enough nutrients. Does your village have a farmer's market on the weekends? This might be a good opportunity to explore the local cuisine and find ways to modify it.  

Also, while it is important to stay healthy, I would advise you to not think too much about your weight...but rather to just embrace the experience while you can. When I arrived in Spain and realized that I would be eating a large piece of bread with every meal, I thought I would start packing on the pounds quickly. Much to my surprise, I maintained my weight for 6 months, even with all the great food my host mom made and the red wine mixed with coca-cola on the weekends (sounds gross, but it's so great!). I think all the walking and exploring I did helped me maintain my weight.

Anyways, this hasn't been terribly helpful but just know you aren't alone! Eventually you will become used to your surroundings, and maybe even grow to love the place you are staying, just as I did in northern Spain. Good luck with everything, and feel free to message me if you have any questions or need advice!