If you’ve been on an overseas relocation or lived abroad for personal motives, coming back home can take some adjustment for both you and your family.
When you return home, you’ll probably be happy to see your friends, although things might not be the same, as when you left. Your friends may no longer share the same interests or may have found new friends and relationships. It could also happen that some of your favourite places like restaurants or stores may have been replaced.. The longer you've been away, the longer it usually takes to successfully “come home.” Things are just different.
Read these tips to help you and your family make the adjustment, before and after:
- When you have the confirmation of your return date, share it with family, colleagues, and friends.
- Prepare your family for the relocation. Explain your children the positive changes they’ll experience and how they’ll be able to connect again with their old friends and family.
- Take time to say goodbye to local friends and colleagues. Make photos, collect addresses and make plans to stay in touch with close friends.
- Start with the housing and school arrangements in your home country in advance.
- Organise the shipping of household goods, moving pets and removal of goods from storage.
- Reconnect with friends and family as soon as you arrive.
- Socialize with others and create new life routines and new relationships.
- Be open-minded, patient and keep a positive attitude – all very important to help you settling in back into your daily routine.
- Connect with people with similar expat experiences. Share tips with colleagues going abroad or coming back home.
- If you learned a foreign language overseas, use your experience to volunteer with immigrants, foreign nationals or exchange students.
A foreign assignment can be an excited experience, special time in the life of your family and children. Prepare and organise well for the return home and when you’re back, talk about the experience and appreciate the memories you’ve made together.
The experienced and caring experts in our offices would like to help you with your relocation.