Foreign Countries

Different attitude; different mental or emotional ‘climate’ than one’s norm; sometimes represents meeting an aspect of oneself that was previously unconscious, so unknown or foreign; the unfamiliar a challenge. One’s personal associations or ideas about any particular country need to be explored. Use the questions in processing dreams.

For instance, if Italy is abroad for you, you might feel it is a warm and romantic place. It would therefore represent a situation in which you are feeling romance and warmth. But a country at war would represent conflict.

So in most cases, abroad suggests a change or a different feeling or life situation than you are presently in. The dream may be referring to the exploration of new interests, or new areas of yourself – or even of being in a situation you are not at home in, a different attitude or different mental or emotional ‘climate’ than your norm. Sometimes it represents meeting an aspect of yourself that was previously unconscious, so unknown or foreign, so the unfamiliar. Also your personal associations or ideas about any particular country need to be explored. Or even a running away from the reality of everyday life. Use the questions in Processing dreams.

Foreign can also refer to something or a situation as in the words foreign body – something that shouldn’t be there or is not fitting.

Useful questions and hints:

What am I meeting that is different to my usual experience or way of life?

Am I experiencing new areas of myself?

What do I feel or associate with this place?

See Techniques for Exploring your Dreams – Summing Up – Processing Dreams