They say that reverse culture shock—the emotional and psychological duress that occurs when a person returns home after a number of years spent abroad—much like its counterpart (culture shock), follows a standard U-shaped curve. Upon coming home, long-term travelers experience the brief but sweet “honeymoon” period, where all that is wonderful and exciting about being home shines through. (This marks the top of the curve.)
But it doesn’t take long for most repatriates to discover that their attitudes, feelings, and relationships have changed—sometimes drastically. They start to become critical of their home country and may even feel marginalized, as their new identity and values no longer fit in neatly with the status quo. Trying to keep up with norms and expectations can feel exhausting and overwhelming. Withdrawal, self-doubt, and even depression set in, often pulling repatriates down into the pit of the curve.
Fortunately, long-term travelers who have returned home can learn to cope with these challenges. Recovery and adaptation ensue, and slowly but surely, repatriates can climb back up the curve.
There is no magic formula that can be used to calculate exactly how long the process will take.
