Does journalling really help with dealing with negative feelings?

I'm currently away from home on a university exchange program and I'm having a hard time. The city and country where I am are really rough, and I've already been robbed twice at gunpoint. I miss my family and friends, and while I'm only going to be here until December, sometimes I get so down and I start crying over small things. I'm trying my best but in all it's very hard. I read online that journaling and writing out your feelings can be therapeutic, and I'm thinking of giving it a try. The only reason why I haven't started is because I'm not sure how I would feel seeing my negative thoughts on paper and if that would further compound them. Any thoughts or advice please?