• 06/12/2025

Coping With Reverse Culture Shock After Extended Solo Traveling

Reverse culture shock can make you feel isolated.

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Coming home should feel like slipping into your favorite hoodie. But if you’ve spent months or years living or traveling abroad, you might find that sweatshirt doesn’t quite fit the same. That discomfort you’re feeling? It might be a reverse culture shock — the often overlooked emotional jet lag of coming home. 

Whether you’ve wrapped up a work contract overseas, taken a sabbatical or simply returned after years abroad, this guide explains reverse culture shock, the four stages you’ll likely go through, how to navigate it and how to prepare before stepping on the return plane. 

What Is Reverse Culture Shock? 

It’s the emotional and psychological distress you may feel when you return to your own country after living abroad. It’s often more jarring than your initial culture challenges in the countries you visited because you expect home to feel familiar. Instead, you’re surprised when things feel off. 

You might notice you’ve changed. Your values, habits or outlook may no longer align with those of your family and friends. You may feel out of place in conversations, bored with routines or disillusioned by abandoned cultural norms you once embraced without question but have since traded for new core values. If you’ve spent time in Australia, where the locals are super friendly, returning to a more stand-offish city like New York can be a serious adjustment. 

It’s not your imagination — reverse culture shock is real, and knowing what to expect can make managing it easier. 

Common symptoms include: 

  • Frustration with small talk or a lack of cultural awareness
  • Feeling isolated and misunderstood
  • Craving aspects of your host country, such as food, people and pace of life
  • Restlessness or depression 
Disembodiment and being torn between countries can leave you feeling without a home.

The 4 Stages of Reverse Culture Shock

You’ll likely cycle through four stages, though not always in a straight line. Understanding these can help you recognize what’s happening and respond with compassion rather than confusion. 

1. Disengagement 

This begins before you even leave the place you’ve called home while abroad. As you prepare to return to your country, you start detaching from the life you’ve built there. You may feel excited to reunite with friends and family but also grieve the loss of routines, people and lifestyle you’ve grown to love. 

It helps to give yourself time to say meaningful goodbyes. Reflect on your experience — journaling or creating a photo diary can help preserve your memories, alleviating some of the “homesickness” you’ll feel for the life you’re leaving to return to your previous life. 

2. Euphoria

You’ve landed! Everything feels familiar — your native language, favorite foods and places with nostalgic memories. For a while, you’re caught in the glow of homecoming. 

Enjoy the reunion with people and places. Revisit old haunts and reconnect with loved ones, but keep your expectations realistic. The honeymoon phase doesn’t last forever. 

3. Irritability and Frustration

Suddenly, the feeling of being alienated peaks. Maybe you’re annoyed by cultural habits you didn’t notice before. You may feel misunderstood, invisible or disoriented in your home environment. People might not ask about your time abroad or ask and then tune out. 

Vent in safe spaces — friends who’ve also lived abroad and can relate. Try not to judge yourself or others too harshly. Cultural fatigue is normal. Awareness can also help you remain aware of cultural biases you may have shed while traveling. The risk of this reestablishing, once you return to an environment where they persist, can increase if you don’t remain alert.

4. Readjustment 

Eventually, things stabilize. You learn to integrate parts of your old self with your new one. You find ways to talk about your experiences, reestablish purpose and form a blended identity that honors your time abroad. 

Find outlets for cultural expression — cook dishes you miss, join expat communities or volunteer with international organizations. Let your experience shape your life. 

How to Overcome the Cultural Twist

Overcoming reverse culture shock takes patience and intention. Some strategies that can help you include:

  • Rebuild purpose: It hits hard because you’ve likely grown while away. Coming home can feel like stepping backward. Look for new goals or projects that excite you. There’s no need to recreate your old life — design a new one that includes what you value now so you can continue your personal development journey without a passport. 
  • Remain connected to your global identity: Maintain ties with friends who live far away, schedule video calls and follow the international news. Keep learning and using the languages you learned while traveling. This helps you feel less like you’ve left a life behind and more like you’re adding to it. 
  • Create space to process: Journaling, therapy or quiet time outdoors can help you unpack conflicting emotions. You don’t need to have all the answers. Just acknowledging that this transition is hard makes it easier. 
  • Talk to others who’ve been there: Ex-expats and repatriated colleagues often understand what others can’t. Find a group or online community where you can share your experience without feeling dramatic or ungrateful. 

How to Prepare for the Twist Before You Return

The best way to soften the landing is to prepare while you’re still abroad. Just like a packing list reminds you of what to take on your journey, these steps can help make reentry easier. You can:

  • Set expectations: Understand that some relationships may have changed or stayed exactly the same. People may not be as curious about your adventure as you hoped. This doesn’t reflect your worth — it’s just human nature. 
  • Plan for emotional whiplash: You’ll likely cycle through excitement and disappointment. Build in downtime for when the emotional crash hits. Don’t overpack your first week with reunions or work commitments. 
  • Give yourself a reentry routine: Just like you had a routine abroad, create one at here. Having a sense of structure can help you ground yourself and readjust. Including a routine of walking barefoot on your home soil can also help ease the stress of being back.
  • Reflect before you leave: Make a list of things you’ve learned, loved and want to bring back with you — cultural habits, food, social norms and even outlooks. Consider how you’ll integrate these into your home life. 
For those with a global view, returning home can be challenging.

More Reverse Culture Shock Questions

How Long Does Reverse Culture Shock Last?

It’s different for everyone. For some, it passes in a few weeks. For others, it can linger for several months. Factors like how long you were away, your support system and your personality play a role. 

Is Reverse Culture Shock Worse Than Culture Shock?

In many ways, it is. Cultural adjustment is expected abroad — you prepare for it. When you come back, the opposite reaction can surprise and catch you off guard. You expect comfort, not discomfort, which makes the emotional impact sharper. 

Why Do I Feel More Foreign at Home Than I Did Abroad? 

You’ve changed, but your environment hasn’t. Abroad, people gave you grace because you were the outsider. That grace often disappears at home, but you still feel like you don’t belong.  

Can Reverse Culture Shock Affect My Career or Relationships?

Absolutely! You may feel disconnected from co-workers who haven’t shared your experience or frustrated by inefficient processes. As you reintegrate, relationships may need time to recalibrate. 

What Should I Do If I Still Feel Disconnected Months Later? 

Seek out new communities — people who share your global outlook or values. Consider working in an international role, teaching what you learned or mentoring people preparing to go abroad. And if the feeling persists, therapy can help you process the deeper identity shifts. 

Embracing a New Kind of Belonging

Reverse culture shock isn’t about rejecting your home country — it’s about recognizing that your definition of “home” has evolved. You’re not returning to who you were before, and that’s good. 

The goal isn’t to fit back in perfectly. It’s to carry your global experience into your work, relationships and future travels. Think of it as your next cultural adventure that starts right where you are. 

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