Quick Tip: Prepare for Reverse Culture Shock

Most people know about culture shock and try to prepare themselves for it, but not as many people seem to know about reverse culture shock, which can often be worse than culture shock. Reverse culture shock happens when you go back home after being abroad.

Some people experience reverse culture shock after a short vacation, but it often hits people hard after living, working, or studying abroad. Sometimes it's so bad that people move back abroad because they don't feel like they could fit it.

While abroad, you change and see the world differently. You might even think differently about your own country. You have new ideas and when you go back you find that people might not share those ideas. You want people to care about things that you've learnt while abroad, but they don't. Or you want to tell people about your experience abroad and they don't want to hear it. Things that are important to you aren't important to people back home and you can feel ostricized.

The best thing to do is to prepare yourself. If you're planning on going back home, have a plan and realise that you'll probably go through reverse culture shock. Try reading TEFL Tips' article on reverse culture shock.


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