We are relocating many UK families back from Dubai and reverse culture shock moving back home from Dubai, is an issue . We spoke to Cathy Wellings an Intercultural Trainer and she has put together – five things to think about as you prepare to move back home to minimise the impact of the return.
Relocating overseas is an exciting time with new challenges and adventures yet for those moving overseas there is also the expectation that life will be very different and that relocatees will experience times of homesickness or ‘culture shock’. But as for returning home – that’s the easy part – isn’t it?
However, lots of studies and anecdotal evidence have found that expatriates often find it just as tough – if not tougher – readjusting to life back home than they did starting out in a new country. Maybe because there isn’t the expectation that ‘going home’ will be hard.
We’ve put together five pointers to consider if you are in the process of returning home from an international assignment.
1. Good-bye good life. If you are returning from somewhere like Dubai or Singapore, no doubt you will miss the warm weather, the vibrancy and the higher standards of living that enabled you to eat out more often, enjoy state-of-the art leisure facilities or experience luxury weekends away. You may even have had a maid or a chauffeur and are not looking forward to dealing with the mundane chores again! Don’t underestimate the impact of grey skies, long winters and back to the reality of UK day to day living on your mental well-being.
2. It’s home but not as you knew it. Things change and people move on; the UK political climate has changed demonstrably in the last five years and at a local level, your favourite local restaurant may have changed hands or new development has changed the look of your home town. Or perhaps you are landing in a new and familiar city where everything is new.
3. You’ve changed. You may have developed new skills, taken up new hobbies and adopted some of the local cultural norms during your time overseas – a preference for later meal times or a taste for travelling everywhere by taxi. You have probably also changed in more subtle ways that you may not even be aware of broadening your horizons and opening your mind to different world views. You have changed, but so have your family and friends; new relationships, children, personal dramas and workplace crises – their lives have changed and the reality is they expect you to slot back in. And unfortunately as their lives move on too, they might not be as interested as you hoped in your stories of overseas experience and adventure.
4. Family concerns. Quite possibly your children didn’t want to move overseas in the first place – they would miss their school friends, their clubs and hobbies and the familiar routine. But after the initial homesickness, they’ve had a wonderful time and would rather stay put than go back home. Not only will you need to prepare for your own psychological adjustment to but also be mindful that your children might struggle with their own adjustment to a different schooling system, new friendships groups and the latest in-jokes and cultural references.
5. All work……Research has shown there to be a high attrition rate of expatriates returning to their home employer. They leave because they feel their new skills and knowledge are under-valued, the company has restructured and there isn’t a suitable role available or perhaps their champion or mentor has moved on and they feel neglected and isolated. Finding a new job can be just as challenging, particularly if you had to put your career on hold for your partner’s overseas assignment. You may have lost confidence, neglected your professional network or become out-of-date with developments in your industry.
Coming home can, and should be, a positive experience but like any transition careful preparation and management are crucial. Be aware that ‘reverse culture shock’ might rear its head. Putting in place plans and strategies to help alleviate potential feelings of isolation and frustration will help enormously enabling you to rebuild a new life back home that captures all your new knowledge and skills. Readjustment coaching can help to navigate the challenges of coming back home and build on the positive experiences you have brought with you.
If you would like further information, counseling, coaching please contact:
Cathy Wellings
Intercultural Trainer, Team Facilitator and Executive Coach
cathy@cathywellings.co.uk
Twitter @cathywellings
Area guides:
