118 - Culture and re-entry shock

When you've been away from home for some time, it's not unusual to feel homesick and even get a bit depressed at times. Over time, the constant differences can turn life sour as culture shock sets in. Don't panic though! We're here to help with some funny stories and serious tips to bring you through your culture shock…and then re-entry shock after you get home.

**What is culture shock?
Culture shock is more than experiencing a different place. It's a real form of shock which goes through several different phases. In the podcast we expand on this and a simple three-phase description of culture shock.

**Three phases of culture shock
At its simplest, the three phases of culture shock are:
Honeymoon
Negotiation
Adjustment

More complex models exist, but this one's easy to talk through in a podcast.

Throughout the show we talk about our personal experiences and things that helped us cope with culture shock.

**Re-entry shock
Returning can be just as hard as going away. Now that you've adjusted to living in a foreign country, you may find yourself more than irritated with the way things are back home. Also known as reverse culture shock, this follows a similar pattern and, once again, we share our personal tales and ways of coping. Or not coping in some cases.