What is reverse culture shock?
Reverse culture shock is likewise felt when you return to
your home-based country. People have reported feeling a bit disoriented or out
of place when they return home.
The feeling is like to what they felt when they arrived in
the host country. These feelings are normal and temporary. Reverse culture
shock is nothing more than the emotional, cultural and psychological aspects of
reintegration.
The strange feeling you get when you get home after
traveling for a long time is known as reverse culture shock. This is a common
experience for many people who have lived or traveled abroad for a long time
and who return to their home country after a considerable time.
Signs of reverse culture shock
1. Your country is now driving you crazy
Usually people get bored of everything in their home
country. They don't like traffic, wait times, public systems, public
transportation, the weather, anything that is not in tune with the host
country, which drives them crazy.
As a result, people get mad at every little thing. The
country you live in is where you grew up now is proving to be boring in every
way.
Little things suddenly turn into big problems and cause
violent rage.
2. You feel lonely
You feel lonely and excluded in most things. You miss presence
with people from the other culture there. You miss the fun times, the
nightlife, and all the other good things you experienced in the host country.
Things in the country of origin do not entertain you much
and you feel lonely.
3. Modification
The biggest indicator of contrary culture shock is that it
has changed. You can't go back no matter what you do, and you are used to some
things in life that you may not once see.
There is no going back with anything, plus family, friends,
coworkers, etc. And it will be difficult for all these people to understand why
and how it has changed. Change is inevitable, but it accelerates when you live elsewhere.
4. Opportunistic approach
Another common problem with people returning to their home
country is that they see opportunities everywhere. As they are used to staying
in the host country, they find gaps in their home country and try to fill them
with knowledge or business opportunities from the host country.
It can be as tiny as introducing new foods, introducing a
new business model, or suggesting a change in local structures. They try to
take every opportunity to improve it, but they do it as the host country.
5. Attention deficit
People living abroad are taken for granted in many ways,
like exotic foreigners living abroad. The exuberant special feeling of being a
VIP and that special feeling is lost when they return to their home country.
Sometimes it can be exhausting because the care that the
person was receiving before is no longer there. So coming home is a real shock
when you are no longer special.
6. Constant lack
You continuously miss being in your host country. Everything
you experienced during your stay grabs your attention, and all is not well for
you. You know you gave up all of this for a reason, but very slowly you start
to miss him terribly.
The lack can be in small things like changing your favorite
soda, losing the place where you regularly eat, not having your favorite ice
cream flavor, or the lack can also be in big things like the culture or fashion
of your host country.
Most of the things you've missed are addictive and you miss
them just because you're used to living with them. While it's normal to miss
him to some degree, he should eventually calm down.
Mutual Stages of Reverse Culture Shock
Below are the joint stages of reverse culture shock.
Step 1: disconnect
The whole thing that has a beginning has an end. Sooner or
later, your trip abroad is about to end, and as you get closer, you begin to
focus on getting home.
Slowly you begin to mentally disconnect from the host
country and prepare for your home country. Things return to the starting point
and new plans begin to form, plans for what you will do when you get home.
Stage 2: Euphoria
The euphoria is tr
