What’s Waiting for Me at Home?

During this session, you will:

Learn from the experiences of past Muskie fellows to identify challenges and prepare for your return to your home country, personally and professionally.

Changes! What changes?• When people live in another country for

a long period of time, they might find that unconsciously they have changed in different ways, from the clothes they wear, to their professional attitude, and perhaps even some of their values. As such a person, you have the opportunity to select the best of two cultures.

Changes! What changes?• Take three minutes to write down 1-2 things

that you think might be different about you after your time in the US.

When you return home, you may discover that you have changed in more ways than you realize. Additionally, your friends, family and coworkers may notice how you have changed. You may remember you had to adjust when you came to America. In this session we will discuss the adjustment process you will experience when you return home, and strategies that you can use to help you re-acclimate effectively to your home.

Now, let’s look at a diagram that you might recall from Muskie Orientation…

Pattern of Cultural Adjustment

Pattern of Cultural AdjustmentThe W curve can be a helpful way to look at how people adjust to new cultures and re-adjust to their home culture upon their return. Not everyone will identify with the W curve or all of its components, nor is it a hard-and-fast definition or rule regarding how people should or may feel. But knowing what the W curve is may give you insight into your own actions and reactions as you return to your home culture.

ArrivalUpon arrival in the host country, most people are very excited. They may be nervous or worried, but at the same time, being in a new place brings new opportunities and experiences, so this point of the W curve is fairly high for most people in terms of satisfaction.

Culture Shock

After some time in a new culture, many people begin to experience frustration, begin to miss home more, and as the “newness” wears off they are less enamored with their host culture. They feel less satisfied than when they first arrived.

Recovery & AdaptationWith time and with adjustment, many people find that their satisfaction level comes back up to a more “normal” range. They are more familiar with their host culture—not so many things are new and exciting, but not so many things are frustrating and different. As they begin to adapt to the culture and manage the differences, the host culture becomes the new “normal” for them.

Return HomeAs people prepare to return home, their excitement increases. Looking forward to seeing family and friends, eating familiar foods, and visiting familiar places brings excitement, and sometimes some nervous anticipation. Some people may be very sad at leaving their host culture. Overall, though, many people are very satisfied with both their host culture and their home culture as they prepare to return home.

Reverse Culture Shock

Many people do not experience reverse culture shock, but for those that do, it can be a very surprising and uncomfortable feeling. The places and people that seemed familiar and safe can feel strange or unnerving. The familiar ways of doing things can seem odd or frustrating.

Recovery & ReintegrationWith time and readjustment, most people feel “normal” again in terms of their interaction with their home culture. Home feels familiar again.

Thinking About Cultural Adjustment

• Did you find that the W pattern of cultural adjustment was true for you?

• What about other friends, colleagues, and Muskie fellows?

• Keep in mind– when you return home, everyone’s adjustment will be different.

Returning Home Video Clip • IREX interviewed several Muskie Alumni about their personal cultural and

professional experiences returning home.

• The video montage you’ll see now is about 10 minutes long. This is a great opportunity to hear from other alumni about the realities that they faced, the positive and the negative, as they navigated the cultural adjustment process. They will share personal experiences and offer their personal advice. Of course you’ll note that not everyone agrees – everyone’s experience is different. And yours will be unique too.

• Click here for the Returning Home Video Clip.

Returning Home VideoA few questions to consider:

• What are some of the common ‘returning home’ themes or issues that Muskie alumni mentioned?

• Did anything said by the alumni surprise you? What? Why did it surprise you?• Have you had any worries about returning home? Were those worries

realized?• If you had family with you in the U.S., were they worried about returning

home?• What advice or strategies offered might be useful for you as you adjust to being

back home?

Go back to that last question one more time– “What advice or strategies offered might be useful for you as you adjust to being back home?”

Take 3 minutes to write down 2-3 strategies that you might use in your own personal, family, and professional life. They don’t have to be examples from the video– they can be ideas that you have from your own experience, from the experiences of others, or even ideas that just make sense to you. Even the simple idea of patience is a good one– with time, adjustment usually happens on its own!

How will you adjust?

Everyone’s return home is different depending upon many variables. Anticipating changes and challenges and having some strategies in mind will help to ease the transition.

Congratulations!

You have completed the Returning Home section!

Click here to continue to section 5, Alumni.

Click here to return to the Introduction.