Lost my best friend this week and nobody in NL to talk to

by AstraNL Community▲ 28340 views

Anyone here after losing someone close and feeling completely alone in a foreign country? Moved to NL 2 years ago for work, found out my childhood friend back home passed away Tuesday. My Dutch colleagues don't get it. Don't know how to grieve here.

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I am so sorry for your loss. Grieving abroad is a particular kind of loneliness because the people who shared those memories with you aren't around. A few things that helped me and others: (1) There is a free Dutch expat mental-health line: 113 (free, 24/7, any language). (2) Slachtofferhulp Nederland offers grief support in English (slachtofferhulp.nl, 0900-0101). (3) There are expat grief circles in A-dam, Utrecht, Den Haag — search "expat grief group" on Meetup. (4) Write a letter to your friend. Out loud or on paper. It sounds cheesy until you try it. Please reach out to 113 tonight if it feels heavy. You are not alone even if this country feels foreign right now.

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