Managing Re-entry Home: The key phases of the return experience

In the blog last week, we explored a general overview of the re-entry home experience after an extended period of living overseas, together with some of the most frequently reported challenges faced by returnee sojourners. This week we shall focus on examining the key phases of the return adaptation process.

Reviewing the key phases of the return experience

With two notable exceptions at the outset and concluding stages, the 7 key phases of the re-entry home process are comparable to those previously experienced during the adaptation process in the host nation, though they are, oddly, not typically anticipated by the returnee.

1. Farewells

First, in an interesting contrast to the outward sojourn, the initial return adaptation phase begins in the host nation with the farewell rituals. This can be a highly charged emotional experience that combines sad goodbyes to a range of people with the sense of loss of all the other aspects of the gradually built home from home.

2. Euphoria

Secondly, the initial return home is often experienced as a period of excitement because of events such as a reunion with family members and close friends, together with the anticipation of revisiting once favourite places that hold a range of special happy memories. This period is also known as the honeymoon phase, but the duration is typically quite brief for several reasons that soon arise in the following disengagement phase.

3. Disengagement

Then, relatively soon after the return, irritations and frustrations in the home context begin to arise. This is prompted primarily by the realisation that people who were once significant personal network have now frequently moved on, while those remaining are typically rather disinterested in the cross-cultural travels and tales of the sojourner.

Moreover, at this point, the returnee also rather abruptly becomes aware that much in the home context has changed making the environment feel surprisingly unfamiliar while the successful completion of simple routine tasks can now be annoyingly challenging.

4. Shock

Next, the returnee, being typically unprepared for potential home challenges, can initially find everyday life difficult. One reason for this is the feeling that previously familiar rhythms, rules, and expectations, even if largely imagined, have simply vanished while being replaced by somewhat incomprehensible alternatives.

Indeed, in this phase, some people can become so disorientated that they start to lose confidence in their ability to manage previously routine events, actions, and expectations. This is also around the occasion that those encountering re-entry shock often experience a debilitating sense of loneliness that in turn can trigger all the sadness and regrets associated with reverse homesickness.

5. Acceptance

At this point, as was previously the case for some sojourners during the host adaptation process, the returnee now must decide whether to commit themselves towards facing the new realities of life at home. This critically involves making a positive effort to identify some functional balance between new perspectives developed during the sojourn and changes in the home environmental context, especially the behavioural expectations of others.

6. Adaptation

Subsequently, having accepted the urgent need for change in terms of both personal perceptions and interaction with the environment, the returnee now must focus on practical actions to achieve adaptation. These must include establishing a new comfortable home base, working to become a familiar figure in the immediate local area, and then gradually establishing a range of new routines and relationship networks.

A critical personal quality at this stage is patience both with oneself and others, together with an acceptance that adaptation will once again be roller coaster experience that will inevitably include some good and not so good days.

Moreover, during this phase, many expats have reported the positive outcome of discussing the re-entry experience with previous returnees describing such encounters as being practically helpful, motivating, and comforting.

7. Re-integration

Finally, beyond some basic dictionary description, reintegration is a difficult concept to define, as what is required to be positively functional in any societal context changes over time and across cultures.

For example, from a cross-cultural perspective, the ability to interact appropriately in relation to behavioural expectations, actionable non-verbal signalling, meaningful interpersonal relationships, and effective communication styles vary fundamentally between what Hofstede defines as individualistic and collectivist cultures.

Finally, the motivation to commit fully to the reintegration challenge will depend largely on the purpose and the planned length of the return period. Those returning home on a permanent basis will obviously be more energised to fully reintegrate, whereas those only returning for a short period will have only a minimum interest in any of the more demanding re-entry challenges.

To conclude, next week we shall explore one systematic approach to planning the return by adapting the Johari Window concepts to help focus on key issues that must be addressed both prior to leaving the host context and the before arriving home.