Five Reasons why Relocating Back Home is a Good Thing

Summer, and the end of the school year is often a time of global movement – a time when expats living overseas move back home for a variety of different reasons.?

Are you finding yourself in this situation?

It’s not always a happy time, or a move that is welcomed.? Maybe you love your expat life and are moving home ‘kicking and screaming’, for reasons that are beyond your control.? If that is the case, then focusing on the positives will certainly help you to cope with the upheaval, and begin this new phase in your life with a sunnier disposition.

I’d like to share five reasons why moving home is a good thing!

1. Reconnecting with Family and Roots:

After years away from family, seeing them only during your brief visits back home, or when they came to see you, you will have missed out on quite a bit of their life.? Being closer to family allows you to re-establish, and strengthen the bonds, create new shared experiences, and be present for important life moments. You can take this opportunity to blend your international perspective with long-standing family traditions, potentially bridging generational gaps and enriching family relationships.?

2. Cultural and Linguistic Comfort:

Living in a country where you fully understand and are understood reduces daily stress. You might not have realised the additional stress coping with cultures and languages that are not your own has put on you, and your family, until you return.? The relief of being able to express yourself more easily, catch cultural nuances, and navigate social situations with greater ease, cannot be underestimated! This comfort can lead to deeper, more meaningful connections and conversations with both those nearest and dearest to you, and when establishing new friendships.

3. Stability and Long-Term Planning:

Freedom from visa concerns provides peace of mind and allows you to focus on long-term goals. You can make decisions about career, housing, and personal projects without the constraints of temporary residency status. This stability can open up new opportunities for personal and professional growth for both you and your partner and family.?

4. Utilizing Your Global Perspective:

Your international experience gives you a unique lens through which to view your home country. You can contribute fresh ideas, challenge assumptions, and act as a bridge between cultures. This perspective is valuable in both personal and professional settings, potentially leading to innovative solutions and broader understanding in your community.? This global perspective and cross-cultural knowledge and understanding, gained from working in an international environment overseas, will be invaluable to future employers – and should certainly be highlighted as one of your personal strengths!

5. Rediscovering and Redefining Home:

Returning home with your expanded worldview allows you to rediscover your country with fresh eyes. You can appreciate aspects of your culture that you may have previously overlooked, while also identifying areas where your international experience can contribute to positive change. This process of rediscovery can be exciting and fulfilling, leading to a richer, more nuanced understanding of your home and your place within it.? When you approach your return home with the same curiosity and excitement as you approached your overseas postings, you will find the relocation much less stressful and unwelcome.

Having been ‘there’ myself, I fully understand that appreciating the positives of a move back home, when unplanned or unwelcome, can be quite challenging.? That is where I can help.? I have worked with many expats, in circumstances similar to yours, to help them adjust to the upcoming move, and to build on the advantages from the outset, so they can hit the ground running, with a positive outlook that will benefit both themselves and their families.

If you find yourself in this situation, we should talk.? Working with me, before you get home, will help you to plan, and to look forward to the opportunities ahead.

Book a call with me HERE (free 30-minute conversation with no obligation)