S3 E2 - How to deal with Reverse Culture Shock

How to deal with Reverse Culture Shock

This episode is for you if:

This one is for anyone who moved home and expected relief, then felt like a stranger instead. If you are navigating reverse culture shock, this episode will help you make sense of it and find your feet again. We break down what reverse culture shock is, why it hits returnees hard, and practical tools to rebalance. If you are frustrated by tiny things, tired of comparing countries, or unsure where you belong, this will help. Tune in to learn the four stages of reverse culture shock, why “home” feels smaller or louder, and simple routines that rebuild belonging without losing who you became abroad.

What we cover:

🔹 Reverse culture shock, what it is and why it hits returnees harder

🔹Home Feels Foreign, why shops, slang, and pace feel “off”

🔹The psychology, identity dissonance and the four phases

🔹 Euphoria, Frustration, Adjustment, Integration

🔹Tools to reconnect without erasing growth

🔹Hybrid Identity, Third Culture Friends, Tourist-at-Home days

🔹Settling forward after a move back

🔹Routine anchors, comparison checks, and deciding whether to adapt or relocate locally

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Questions to ask yourself this week:

Have you ever felt like a stranger in your own country?

What surprised you most about coming home?