While the world is recuperating from the pandemic and Asian countries have gradually lifted their travel restrictions, we’ve seen an increase in families and individuals looking to return to their home country. Repatriation can mean a big adjustment period for many people. Here are our tips for adjusting to life back home.

Accept that you have changed

Many return home and expect that it will be easy to slip back into the routine they once knew. However, we are all shaped by our roles and experiences and living abroad will have changed you. This cultural shift may make it difficult for you to adjust to your home country. But this is not a bad thing, it means that you can come back home with fresh eyes, knowing that the explorer in you has not left. There’s likely going to be new places to visit and things to do that will satisfy your inner traveler. It proves to be useful for readjustment that you engage with news, cultural norms and events happening in your home country while you prepare ahead of your return. 

Get to know about your new role in your home company when you return from your overseas assignment. Your position, benefits and office culture would probably differ. It’s important and fulfilling to find your new opportunity within or outside your organization to leverage your international experience in your career. 

Be patient normality will come 

Repatriation does not mean you will instantly be settled into your old life just because you have roots there. It will happen, but it’s OK for it to take some time before you feel settled in at home. Take it easy as you’ve changed and so has the home you left behind. It takes some time to rebuild your network when you’ve reduced contact while living abroad. Get in touch with your contacts through social media and online meetings before your move may help to reduce some of the social distress. 

It’s OK to feel homesick at home

Don’t feel guilty about missing where you used to live. You would have been homesick some days when you lived abroad too. It’s OK to love both places. You’d probably want to maintain links with your host organisation, friends and colleagues to build your global network.

But you did it!

  
Many will experience their repatriation differently. No matter your journey to settling-in to life back home, always remember what you did. Relocating abroad no matter the timeframe is a big step, that many people will never get to experience. Take great pleasure in remembering all the adventures you had and all the adventures that lie ahead of you now.

If you need repatriation and re-entry support as an individual or for corporate assignment management, feel free to get in touch with Crown to help you or your employees to adjust to life back home and readjust into your role/their roles within the organization.