Earlier this year, I had to get my passport renewed, and I found that handing over that little book containing a rainbow of stamps and visas was more difficult than I would like to admit. I’ve been obsessed with world travel ever since my family hosted a German exchange student when I was in high school. Since then, I’ve made it a point to leave the country every time finances and work schedule will allow.
Before I embarked on a college semester in Paris, it seemed everyone had a warning word to say about culture shock. The city would be busy and crowded (it was). French people are rude (they weren’t). The linguistic barrier is impossible to overcome (shockingly untrue). After six months of new friends, new foods, and a bevy of new experiences, I returned home … only to find myself breaking down in the condiment aisle of an American supermarket less than 24 hours later.
At the time it seemed too absurd to fully comprehend. I had mastered the Parisian metro system. I had passed a four-hour language test in French. I had gained friends in multiple countries. Had I really overcome all this only to be trumped by ketchup and mayo?
What I didn’t realize at the time was that I was suffering from reverse culture shock. After adjusting to a new culture for an extended period of time, your body is physically, emotionally and mentally required to make another switch when you return home. The result? What once seemed to so familiar now seems foreign, and you may be experiencing an unexpected learning curve (i.e. choosing a simple grocery item from endless shelves lined with nearly identical ketchup bottles). As I learned after my mother ushered me out of the store to go home for a long nap, the transition can be more difficult than we expect.
While everyone reacts differently to returning home, here are a eight tips for heading reverse culture shock off at the pass, whether you are homeward bound after serving on a mission trip, vacationing or otherwise expanding your comfort zone by traveling home and abroad.
1) Sleep it Off
Your body clock doesn’t sync with the local time as easily as your iPhone. If you’ve spent the entire plane ride home catching up on several months of movie viewing (guilty as charged) you’re going to arrive home exhausted, and probably mentally fried. If you’re not the kind of person who can nap easily on a plane, do whatever it takes to make up those zzzs when you land. You’ll be surprised how much easier it is to function on a full night’s sleep.
2) Hydrate
If your body clock is stuck somewhere on another continent, chances are you’re probably neglecting your regular water intake. Since 75 percent of your body is made up of water, losing even 4 percent of fluid will result in lethargy, apathy and mental fog. For this reason, if you’re the type of person to indulge in a glass of wine, practice extreme moderation in the air. Nothing says “welcome home” like a headache after mixing alcohol with altitude on a dehydrated system. Like sleep, your body doesn’t work as well if you’re not giving it what it needs to function.
3) Talk it Out (Or Don’t)
Obviously, you’ve had a great time, and maybe learned and experienced something new along the way. Your friends and family probably want to hear about your adventures! But there’s no rule that says you have to start spilling the beans the second you step off the plane. If you’re exhausted or overwhelmed, there’s nothing wrong with taking a rain check for a day or two until you feel ready to do your stories justice.
4) Realize That Life Goes On
Chances are, if you’ve been gone awhile, your friends and family have had their fair share of life events as well. (Hey, you’re not the only one who has been growing and changing.) It’s easy to feel displaced when you haven’t connected with those close to you for the time since you’ve been away. Schedule some coffee dates or girls/guys nights out to help you get caught up. Be sure to listen as much as you talk.
5) Keep a Daily Routine
If possible, take a day or two off when you return home, but try to cap it at a few days. No one will blame you if pajama pants and Hulu are your closest friends for the first week after you return home. But don’t prolong it—you’ll be surprised how something as simple as getting up at the same time every day or pitching in with the household chores will help you slip back into the rhythms of life.
6) Bring It Back Home
What did you discover on your trip? A new hobby? A new favorite food? A new language? Don’t be afraid to incorporate the discovery of abroad into your daily life at home. You may not be able to recreate the experience exactly (I’m still on the hunt for a place in the U.S. where I can buy Swedish Söder tea), but nurturing your newfound passion and sharing it with others is a great way to reconnect with friends while appreciating your newly expanded life experience. Especially if you’re fresh from a mission trip, don’t stop doing the work. Find ways to incorporate the ministry that captivated your passion in another country into everyday life at home.
7) Keep in Touch
One of the most rewarding souvenirs from any trip is newly formed friendships. With email and Facebook, it’s even easier to stay in touch. Don’t forget to exchange contact information! Plus, you never know when these friendships will result in a cool houseguest, or provide a couch to sleep on next time you visit the country.
8) Appreciate “Home Sweet Home”
You call it home for a reason, right? You may have left your heart in San Francisco (or Paris, Dubai, Madrid), but there’s a reason you came home—even if it might be hard to remember at first. Drink up the little details that make your city unique. Remember the people and things you missed most while you were away, and let them know. Open your eyes to the cultural experiences right outside your front door, keep a look out for how God is moving in your very own neighborhood and claim your own hometown adventures as you step back into daily life.
