Focus on the bright side
There are many reasons to feel sorry about when bidding farewell to your host country — the friends and the colleagues; maybe the lovely weather; the cuisine you became accustomed to, and the routine you had to create from scratch. All these are your achievements and battles, which you won with patience, persistence, and hard work. However, with every “goodbye”, there's a new “hello” awaiting — so now let this become your focus. What are the things that you are looking forward to? When asked what do they miss the most about their home country, most of our expat members state their families and friends. Now is your chance to commit to spending more quality time with your beloved ones, and finally be able to attend those family BBQs that for so long you had been only tasting via Facebook and Skype.
Do your homework
Before you moved to your expat destination, we provided you with expat guides to the formalities of your new country, the job market, housing, healthcare system, transportation, etc. Going back home may fill you up with confidence, which stems from familiarity, but don't underestimate the preparation process — the longer you have been away from home, the more serious you should be about undertaking this task. The ongoing global political and economic conditions have an impact on the cost and quality of living. You will be at a much better place if you know what new to expect in your home country regarding the cost of rentals, the up-and-coming neighbourhoods to live in, newly opened restaurants and bars, etc. You may notice that even the language has changed to a more modern version.
Remember: it's not just about you
You have arrived at your home country, and at every social interaction you catch yourself going on and on about your experience abroad — the lovely people, the strong work ethics, the delicious food, everything. However, keep in mind that not everyone is willing to listen about faraway places and reminiscences which don't include them. Also, whereas it is, of course, great to reconnect with old friends, remind yourself that as many things have changed in your life, they have changed for them too, regardless of whether they left the country or not. So, respect your friends' reality, and don't expect them to be constantly available for you, just because you are back. That said, grab this opportunity to meet new people and widen your circle — networking may also lead to job opportunities if you are back in the job hunting game.
Be kind to yourself
Technically speaking, repatriation is another move, which includes adaptation, effort, and most importantly, it takes time. Don't rush into establishing a routine, finding a job, and catching up with everyone at once because most likely this will drain you mentally and physically. Instead, allow yourself some time to appreciate the new person that you have become, cherish the lessons you have learned during your time abroad, and look into your surroundings with a fresh perspective. Also, it's possible that you will go through reverse culture shock — this uncomfortable feeling during which you don't seem to be able to fit in, and you identify yourself as a stranger in your home. All this may be distracting and hectic at first, but if you don't ignore or bottle up the emotions, and you deal with them gently, soon you will be in a good place.
Look to the future
Returning to your base gives you the chance to reset your batteries and to think and decide on what's next. What is that you want to do? Where do you want to be? What is more important to you? Use this time wisely to build your future with the tools you have acquired while living abroad — whether it is a professional skill or a personal realisation, such as the fact that you want to set up your business. Finally, coming back home shouldn't be the end of expat life, if you don't want it to be. It may well be just the beginning of a series of expat adventures.
