How to Handle the Post-Travel Blues
photo by Kayla Cluff, Greenheart Travel Ambassador
While studying or living abroad, every day is a new adventure. Our friends and family at home impatiently wait for updates and photos from us, and we feel as though everyone is living vicariously through our experiences. It’s a rush! However, after we return home and the excitement slowly wears off, most of us can’t help but feel a little down.
If you are experiencing any of the following, don’t worry, these are actually signs you fully immersed yourself in the culture and country and are having a case of culture shock:
- You love reliving memories. You have photos of you and your friends from your Japanese high school all over your room. You spend hours re-reading journal entries or blogs you kept while overseas. All the feelings come back.
- You still “live abroad” online. Your current city on Facebook is still Salamanca, Spain even though you’ve been back in Pittsburgh for five months. Every #throwbackthursday is an excuse to share your photos from your volunteer experience at the Costa Rica Eco-Reserve on Instagram.
- Everything reminds you of your life overseas. Your friend asks what time it is, and you see it as an opening to start talking about how you mastered military time in Australia. It’s not 4pm, it’s 16:00. Your friend looks annoyed.
- Life feels less colorful. You miss the local slang, the midday meal breaks, and the newness of everything in your host country.
- You miss everything.
Sounds familiar? You are not alone. All of us at Greenheart Travel have been there more than once. If you’re feeling a bit of return culture shock and want someone to talk to about what to do next, get in touch! Greenheart’s new Alumni Program provides a community and new opportunities for you to get involved and share your stories!
To learn more about how to get connected and involved, please visit our Alumni Program webpage.
Where you have traveled with Greenheart Travel? Share your stories in the comment section below!