In the Summer of 2021, I returned to my home country after 20 years of not being able to go back due to my immigration status.
There was no amount of preparation that I could’ve done to be ready for such an impactful experience, but honestly, any kind of insight helps. So, here are five things that you should keep in mind if you return to your home country (or get to visit your family’s country for the first time).
1. Everything will seem smaller.
This might seem silly, but if you left your home country at a young age or have been away for a long time, everything will look different, and that includes things being smaller. Maybe your house won’t look as big as you remember it, or the park where you used to play won’t seem as nice as it was as a child. With time you’ve matured and you’ve grown (physically and mentally), and that means that everything won’t be like what it was before.
2. You might get the shits, or constipated....or both.
Even if your stomach is used to heavy foods, believe me when I say that you will have stomach issues. Having stomach issues occurs with any type of travel because you’re usually eating different foods and at different times than at home, but this especially rings true when in another country. It doesn’t matter if you eat your native, authentic food in the country you live in, it’s going to affect your digestive system because the food itself is different. Also, you may have street food or drinks that do not sit well.
The fun in this is the guessing game. Will it be diarrhea, bloatedness, or constipation? This is why it’s important to have some medicine and natural remedies on hand.
3. Get mentally prepared
Going back to a country that you have not been back to in a long time (or ever) will bring about lots of emotions, including some that may surprise you. Common themes may include guilt, joy, sadness, worry, and indifference. Of course, no amount of mental talk and meditation will prepare you for the experience, so it’s important to keep an open mind (and heart) and have go-to coping strategies in case you are overwhelmed.
4. Set up a time for reflection (in between or after)
This may be a hard one to do if you’re keeping yourself busy, but it’s important to check in with yourself. After a packed day it may be hard to reflect, but at least take two minutes to think about what you did that day. It may have been something that you never thought you would get to do, so try to bring yourself back in the moment to enjoy it instead of just experiencing it, and numbing your reactions. If you’re the type that writes in a journal, during and after your trip is a perfect time to journal about your experience. For me, it was taking lots of videos and pictures and sharing them with all of you! Find what works for you.
5. Consider therapy
As mentioned, this can be a joyful but traumatic experience. If you have the ability to attend therapy, I would suggest having a few sessions to really dig deep and talk about your trip. It might be exciting to want to tell our friends and family all about our trip, and while that’s good, you don’t want to dump it all on them, especially if they themselves are unable to have the experience due to challenges, such as immigration status.
Every time I searched for a post like this, all I found were posts on college students or “ex-pats” (immigrants) returning from studying and living abroad. So, I hope this lands to the right audience, and if you’re going back “home”, I hope it’s everything you imagined.
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