Return to Home Page 1997 Reverse Culture Shock Paul Herbig Executive Summary A lot has been written about culture shock, but not much attention has been given to the other side of the coin: reverse culture shock and reentry training. This research paper will shed some light into the concept of reverse culture shock; analyze the relevant factors that make coming back home difficult; argue that reverse culture shock is a harder phenomenon to cope with than culture shock; and finally, generate useful recommendations and conclusions for expatriates in their readjustment. Due to diverse experiences abroad, psychological factors, and elements in the home environment, each person’s reentry process is a very personal experience. This research is based on secondary and primary data sources. Secondary data consisted of various articles from academic journals, dissertation abstracts, book literature, and the Internet. A very valuable source of information was the data collected from 20 personal interviews with former returnees from the following categories: exchange students, Peace Corps Volunteers, and business assignees. The oral interviews consisted of 14 open-ended questions, the same ones for each respondent. Each interviewee offered a definition of reverse culture shock. The interview participants had spent from six months to four years in the host countries of France, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Germany, Paraguay, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Thailand, and South Africa.1Note The interview results will be displayed throughout this research study. The research found that reentry shock occurs for a shorter period of time than cultural shock. When expatriates that have made a good adjustment to the host culture return home, they experience a longer painful period of re-adjustment. The evidence gathered through books, various articles, studies, and interviews is imperious. The majority of people returning from an overseas sojourn find readjusting to their home more difficult that adjusting to the foreign culture. Expecting that home will be the same, most of the repatriates are shocked when they find out that both they and their home have changed over time. Introduction To understand reverse culture shock, one must first comprehend the concept of culture shock. Culture shock is a widely known phenomenon, which describes the effect on individuals when they find themselves in another country’s culture which is different from their own. Many individuals have gone through the experience of culture shock. These individuals experience communication problems that lead to frustrations because of lack of understanding of verbal and nonverbal communications as well as norms and value systems of the host culture. Although the repatriates expect things to be different, they are ill-prepared for the need to interpret a new set of unwritten social norms. (Westwood, Lawrence, Paul, 1986). The expatriate’s perception in the host country is distorted by the “cultural baggage” he/she has brought with him/her from the home country. Due to this faulty perception, the individual feels out of place and can not synchronize with the new cultural environment. Reverse or reentry shock is the last phase of the adjustment process and, in many cases, has proven to be almost as traumatic as the initial adjustment to a new culture, particularly after an extended period of stay abroad. The returnee in this case has expectations and certain perceptions about the home culture. When the expectations do not meet the reality, the expatriate experiences reverse culture shock and is prone to go through a tough readjustment process. Definition of Reverse Culture Shock Reentry refers to the continuum of experience and behaviors which are encountered when an individual returns to a place of origin after having been immersed in another context for a period of time sufficient to cause some degree of mental and emotional adjustment prior to optimal functioning in the ‘new’ environment. (Church, 1982) When an individual was asked to define reverse culture shock, she said “reverse culture shock to me is the feeling of being a stranger in my own home.” (Ruppel, 1997) Several other interviewees with the above definition and one of them even added, “a very depressive process that takes time to get over with” (Peterson, 1997) One interviewee defined reentry shock as a “relief from not being the center of the attention.” (Plunkett, 1997) While abroad, expatriates hold a celebrity status. Upon returning home, some returnees may miss the celebrity status. Outside the home country, expatriates have a higher profile. One stands out because of being a foreigner; the returnee is more interesting because he/she is a foreigner, and of course, he/she receives more attention because of being from another country. (Storti, 1997) Many returnees have a problem readjusting to the home environment because of the lack of attention; some others feel relieved due to that lack of attention. It is very important to keep in mind that reverse culture shock is a psychological process very much determined by the individual’s personality and the way the individual positions him/herself in the society. Stages of Reentry The contents of reentry are different for every returnee, but the experience itself seems to unfold according to a predictable pattern. For most people, this pattern consists of three steps that returnees go through, each characterized by certain feelings and behaviors. The length and intensity of each stage could be different for everyone, but the sequence seems to be consistent. These stages are as follows: and behaviors. The length and intensity of each stage could be different for everyone, but the sequence seems to be consistent. These stages are as follows: a) a) initial euphoria initial euphoria b) b) crisis or disenchantment crisis or disenchantment c) c) adjustment, acceptance or adaptation (Anonymous) a) Initial euphoria According to Storti, reentry does not actually occur until the expatriate returns home. Emotionally and psychologically it begins several months earlier. The preparation process is the one that takes months before leaving, and it is directly linked to the emotional state of each returnee-to-be. Some expatriates take their time to prepare for departure, some think that saying ‘Good Bye’ comes naturally and there is no need to prepare for it. The ones that prepare for departure are the ones who have spent some quality time in the foreign culture and have almost fully immersed into it. Out of 20 interviewees, only four prepared themselves emotionally and psychologically to return to the United States. The remainder of the interviewees did not think about the return for various reasons: he return for various reasons: 1. 1. 80 percent did not want to come back 80 percent did not want to come back 2. 2. Most of them did not realize that pre-departure preparation was a necessity Most of them did not realize that pre-departure preparation was a necessity 3. 3. 50 percent of the 20 percent that wanted to return home did not think that going home would be a big deal. “Just going home, right?” When the return becomes reality, the repatriate goes through the first stage of the reentry process: initial euphoria or as Storti calls it “the honeymoon”. (Storti, 1997) For almost everyone, the first two weeks after arriving home are very close to excellent. The returnee in most cases continues to be the center of the attention. The celebrity status holds on still, but not for long. During the honeymoon stage returnees get to enjoy simple things that they missed when abroad such as going to a favorite restaurant; having picnic at a favorite park; checking out latest news and books. “Coming back from oversees was such a thrill. I was so very thirsty for news and latest political developments. The first thing I did was going through all my newspapers (the pile was large) and listened to CNN or Headline News. It felt so good to be able to understand the language. Then, more than ever I realized how much I had missed English and being able to communicate in my own language.” (Houge, 1997) Some interviewees stated that they enjoyed the ‘luxury’ of taking a shower every day and having running water. Some had missed food, such as a simple salad. “When asked what I wanted for my first dinner,” Marcia Miller writes, “I unhesitatingly answered, “A simple salad, plenty of lettuce.’ What a pleasure! In one year, I had not tasted one piece of lettuce, had not had one salad or one piece of raw vegetable except for some tomatoes at the end of my stay.” (Storti, 1997) In this stage repatriates feel like they are on a vacation or home leave. The fact that some may have not settled into any place yet, gives the impression that there is no need to confront many of the realities of home. Not until the one settles down and has to deal with responsibilities of every day life. b) Crisis or disenchantment During the first stage, it seemed that nothing about returnee’s compatriots could be annoying. In this stage, everything they do seems to be aggravating and fake. Suddenly, things that repatriates do not like about home, stand out strongly and things that they do like tend to fade and barely get noticed. Even though family members are happy to see returnees come home, the interest they show is not what returnees expected. Often relatives are curious and want to know about experiences abroad. They are interested, even though they do not fully understand the returnee. All of my interviewees said that their family members were very happy to see them back home. The majority of the them felt uncomfortable with their own parents. Repatriates appeared to have problems when telling family members and relatives about life in “the other culture”. Issues such as lack of interest and impatience exhibited by compatriots turned the repatriates off. In most cases relatives looked at pictures and listened to stories only to be nice, not because they cared or understood. “I was showing to my family pictures that I had taken during my three years abroad. For each picture I had a story that I attempted to share with them. The experience was infuriating. My family members kept flipping the album pages so fast, that I could not keep pace. To me that was a signal to shut up and comfort myself with the thought ‘They do not understand; they were not there; they will never understand.” (Stellema, 1997) Later on in this stage, repatriates find themselves judgmental. They keep on criticizing and reacting to things in a way never seen before. They become impatient and subjective; start comparing home with abroad by concluding that abroad is nicer than home and that home lacks substance. “It’s one thing, after all, to find home lacking in some respects, but it is quite another to be determined that home will not measure up with abroad. At the culture shock stage of reentry, however, this vehement reaction to home is understandable, for it is not home that is the problem here but your (returnees’) unsettled emotional state.” (Storti, 1997) Repatriates become disenchanted when they realize that friends are not the same or are not around anymore. Those still around have either “forgotten” or do not want to hear about repatriates’ exciting experiences. Furthermore, when the home country’s standards of living are lower than from where expatriates come from, disenchantment is even harder. When abroad, the individual changes, for better or worse, and so do people back home. The problem is that returnees do not see these changes and do not realize how those changes now set them apart from their compatriots. Repatriates are considered a ‘minority’ in their home culture. Like other minorities, returnees have to be extremely careful when communicating with people back home, careful with gestures, language, and especially careful not to project their own values and feelings into situations. To one returnee, going to the gas station after returning home, was an embarrassing experience because she could not comprehend the pre-payment on a credit card at a gas station. “I felt like an idiot trying to figure things out. Products and services had changed so much that I felt like I was in another planet.” (Nichols, 1997) Business professionals feel like they are being “demoted” when getting back the positions that they had before going abroad. No longer can they use their competitive advantage: foreign language/s. Some feel that their careers have not been enhanced by the foreign assignment. They feel a discontinuity and a loss of momentum in their careers. (Adler, 1981) Overall, repatriates are in a stage of devastation and confusion. Many of them feel like they have to start life all over again; some think that starting life all over again is a necessity, otherwise they will not survive. Returnees that have grown attached to the foreign culture, find it very difficult to accept their own culture; sometimes they refuse to do so. They still live in a world of dreams and perceptions. The reality does not make sense and frustration accelerates. c) Adjustment and acceptation During this stage, the individual starts realizing and recognizing changes, and in the mean time, adjusts to the present by slowly accepting it. Readjusting does not mean forgetting about the expatriate’s experience. It simply indicates that the returnee now has a more balanced view of his/her own country, and has been able to put both it and the overseas experience into perspective. The returnees start identifying themselves with the home country and culture. Slow transformation takes place as repatriates start realizing that the home country is now what matters and what they have to deal with. They start falling back into the everyday life routine and things that upon return had seemed strange and meaningless begin to shape up. As repatriates adapt to the home ways of living, they begin to feel more positive and effective. They begin to live a more “normal” life within the home country. This positive readjustment phase is usually marked by neither the high feelings of the initial phase nor the frustration and disappointment of reentry shock. Expatriates move to the acceptance stage when they feel comfortable with the mores in the home country and find themselves returning to many earlier views and behaviors. The moods of repatriates follow a “flattened” U-shaped curve. The following figure shows how the moods of the returnees change from very high, to low, to moderately high. The high mood corresponds to the honeymoon stage and it is very short. It can vary from hours to less than a month. (Adler, 1981) Lowest moods develop during the second and third months. Only after six months at home, returnees generally have accepted their situation and report feeling “average”, neither very high nor very low. * (Adler, 1981) Factors that Affect the Degree of Reentry Shock. Even though returnees are different and have various personalities, they are affected by almost the same factors that are beyond their control. Some key variables are presented below: Even though returnees are different and have various personalities, they are affected by almost the same factors that are beyond their control. Some key variables are presented below: 1. 1. Whether reentry is voluntary or involuntary: involuntary is worse. Interviewees that prepared themselves for departure experienced a smoother reverse culture shock. Some of them intentionally allowed themselves a certain period for traveling in order to make the return home easier. That ‘transition” period proved to be effective. n” period proved to be effective. 2. 2. Age: reentry may be easier for older people who have been through more life transitions. The group age of my interviewees was 22-40. It seemed that the older returnees did not experience the reverse culture shock in the degree of the younger ones. My interpretation of this conclusion is based on various reasons: retation of this conclusion is based on various reasons: a) a) The younger returnees left home when their personalities as individuals were forming. The younger returnees left home when their personalities as individuals were forming. b) b) Most of them experienced important life changes, such as being independent. Coming back and living with parents again was devastating, especially for exchange students. Most of them experienced important life changes, such as being independent. Coming back and living with parents again was devastating, especially for exchange students. c) c) Some returnees liked the foreign country better than their home country, thus the return was a painful must. Some returnees liked the foreign country better than their home country, thus the return was a painful must. 3. 3. Previous reentry experience: the first time is the worse. Previous reentry experience correlates adversely with the amount of reentry shock: the more reentry experience, the easier the reentry. : the first time is the worse. Previous reentry experience correlates adversely with the amount of reentry shock: the more reentry experience, the easier the reentry. 2. 2. Length of the overseas stay: the longer the sojourn, the greater the chance of adaptation, hence the harder it may be to leave and come home. This is a very important variable. The relationship between length of stay and reentry shock is a positive one. The longer the period the expatriate spends abroad, the harder the readjustment upon return becomes. Interviewees with longest abroad experience, went through a difficult readjustment process at home country. Crisis or disenchantment is longer and risk of depression and mental crisis is high. sis is high. 3. 3. Degree of interaction with the overseas culture: the more involved returnees become in the local culture, the harder it may be to leave it behind. This variable is very highly related with the length of stay. When abroad, many expatriates try to adopt and immerse into the host country culture to ease the degree of culture shock. They become so submerged in the foreign culture they start loving and appreciating abroad over home. Most of them do not want to go back to home country. the degree of culture shock. They become so submerged in the foreign culture they start loving and appreciating abroad over home. Most of them do not want to go back to home country. 4. 4. The reentry environment: the more familiar and supportive, the easier the reentry. This variable is associated with the concept of home. Home has several meanings, but for simplicity’s sake we will describe the essence of home based on three key elements such as familiar places, familiar people and routines and predictable patters of interactions. Participants in my interview gave various definitions of home. The ones that had spent a longer time abroad and had kept traveling defined home as a place where they live more than six months. The rest of the interviewees defined home as the place where they where born or where their parents live. The reason I am elaborating in the home concept is that home definition is directly related with the degree of reentry shock. If the one identifies home with familiar faces and expects to see customary faces upon return and he/she does not, home is no longer familiar. Home is strange and people that make its substance are even stranger. This feeling of strangeness is even more disturbing when old places and routines have changed as well. In this condition, it is up to a certain limit to family and friends to make repatriate feel at home. 7. Amount of interaction with the home culture during the overseas sojourn: the more familiar the returnee is with changes in the home culture/company, the easier the reentry. “The reasons for reentry shock have to do with change, change within the home environment itself during the period of individual’s absence, and change within the individual as a consequence of [one’s] stay abroad. The severity of reentry shock is related to the magnitude of these changes.” (Martin, 1984) When the one takes into consideration the changes that took place at home while being abroad and sum it to the changes that took place within the individual him/herself, it is no wonder coming home is not exactly what was expected. (Storti, 1997) 8. Degree of difference between the overseas and the home culture: anecdotal evidence suggests the greater the difference, the harder the reentry. Reentry from cultures similar to the home culture may be assumed to be easier than from dissimilar cultures. The assumption would postulate that an expatriate returning from England to the United States, for example, experiences a lesser amount of reentry shock than when returning from South Africa to the United States. Opposing this view, a study has found that “No aspect of the reentry transition systematically varied according to either the geographic area or the type of the overseas work. Therefore, it should not be assumed that the reentry transition will be easy or trivial for employees returning from similar cultures or assignments.” (Adler, 1981) Some Strategies In Assisting Repatriates With Their Return While in host country: Research has found some infrequent dissemination of written information describing the readiness for returning expatriates. Beyond that, there are a variety of approaches that could be taken, either singly or in combination. Some of them include: Research has found some infrequent dissemination of written information describing the readiness for returning expatriates. Beyond that, there are a variety of approaches that could be taken, either singly or in combination. Some of them include: a) a) refocusing the orientation session to alert expatriates to the necessity of preparing for eventual departure and return; refocusing the orientation session to alert expatriates to the necessity of preparing for eventual departure and return; b) b) providing expatriates with the opportunity to receive first-hand information about reentry through dialogue, reading, or other media from those who have been through the experience; providing expatriates with the opportunity to receive first-hand information about reentry through dialogue, reading, or other media from those who have been through the experience; c) c) developing guidelines which enable expatriates to maintain better contact with home, particularly in regard to changes at home as they occur; developing guidelines which enable expatriates to maintain better contact with home, particularly in regard to changes at home as they occur; d) d) providing expatriates with feedback about the amount of acculturation which typically occurs and which they may have personally undergone without being aware of it. Necessary Transition When asked “What should an expatriate do before returning home to make the transition easier”, one of the interviewees suggested that traveling from the host country to another country before entering home is a very effective and gradual transition. (Stellema, 1997) This interviewee implemented the strategy and upon return home her reentry was easier than if she had moved from host country directly to home. In home country In home country 1- 1- Reentry training should be mandatory for all the returnees that go abroad as part of an assignment through Peace Corps, College and University Exchange Programs and Multinationals. Considering that: Programs and Multinationals. Considering that: •• over two million Americans work overseas (New York Times, 1985) over two million Americans work overseas (New York Times, 1985) •• another 575,000 U.S. military personnel and dependents are stationed abroad (U.S. DOD) another 575,000 U.S. military personnel and dependents are stationed abroad (U.S. DOD) •• more than 76,000 U.S undergraduates study abroad every year, (USA Today, 1995) and more than 76,000 U.S undergraduates study abroad every year, (USA Today, 1995) and •• between 20,000 and 40,000 high school students participate in overseas exchange programs annually, more than over, orientation programs have become essential. The essence of a reentry program must be to make available and known as many support alternatives as possible. Survey indicators of programs for study abroad in public and private colleges and universities revealed that over 68% of the responding institutions did not offer any type of reentry workshops. (Gregori-Gahan, 1981) On the other side, not all returnees with reentry problems will avail themselves of these retraining opportunities, but it is hoped that a more personalized approach to the problem will attract more participants. th reentry problems will avail themselves of these retraining opportunities, but it is hoped that a more personalized approach to the problem will attract more participants. 2- 2- Family Support seems to be vital in easing the pain of reentry. All of the participants in my survey, expected that family and friends to: seems to be vital in easing the pain of reentry. All of the participants in my survey, expected that family and friends to: •• show more interest and curiosity show more interest and curiosity •• be more patient and understanding be more patient and understanding •• not pressure them to visit all the time and not pressure them to visit all the time and •• not get offended when returnees start criticizing home. CONCLUSIONS Whereas culture shock has been well documented in the literature, reverse culture shock and the reentry transition have not. The implicit assumption has been that returning to a familiar place or home is easy. Contrary to this assumption, returnees in my study and from previous studies found reentry experience more difficult that the initial entry experience. The factors that make reentry shock worse than culture shock vary for each individual, but they all follow a common pattern. Upon return many returnees anticipate adjustment problems. The problems and frustrations are worse because repatriates are not prepared physically and emotionally for them. An important vehicle to facilitate reentry is reentry training workshops. Regardless of the direction of the flow, reentry programs would provide some degree of insurance to protect the large amounts of money spent by governments and institutions on the individuals involved. In addition, family and friends play a pivotal role in helping repatriates cope with reverse culture shock and readjustment. Culture shock and reentry shock are not two isolated events, but part of the total adjustment process that stretches from pre-departure to reintegration at home. The process is complete when the returnee can function effectively in the home environment. Reentry could be difficult and devastating but, with proper preparation normal reintegration can be a reality.