srettig24 Many people who travel or live abroad or even those who have experienced a low after an intense or exciting experience may relate to travel blues. You might experience culture shock while traveling, and reverse culture shock after returning home. Travel can change how you experience the world, or how you think about it, which can last long after you return home and make a scrapbook.
What Is Travel Blues?
A term used to describe the melancholy you feel after returning from a fantastic trip. It’s what you experience after a long journey, and the “real world” comes back into focus again.
Found on Via Travelers if you want to check out the post
First research by Kalervo Oberg in the 1950s, the effects of travel on psychology have been studied for decades. More research has been conducted since and the chart below is commonly used when teaching people about culture shock and reverse culture shock.
Culture Shock
“Culture Shock: is a normal process of adapting to a new culture. It is a time when a person becomes aware of the differences and/or conflicts in values and customs between their home culture and the new culture they are in. Common feelings may be anxiety, confusion, homesickness, and or anger.
Definition via University of Kansas
At times you might be aware when Culture Shock is hitting you, and at others, it might not be as apparent; leaving you wondering why you are feeling off despite, having some amazing and life-changing experiences.
Reverse Culture Shock
Describes the feelings (of surprise, disorientation, confusion. etc) experienced when someone returns to their home country and finds they do not fit in as they used to, or things that were once familiar feel alienate to them.
You can also experience moments of reverse culture shock much after your initial return. Something might jostle your mind and bring about a reverse culture shock. I can’t explain why automated checkout machines give me reverse culture shock at times, because many countries have automated checkouts. The impersonal experience of a big box store in the US with a million options, bright lights, and focused shoppers, I can’t say what it is but the point is that moments can happen long after returning home.
It has taken me a long time to realize that at times, I experience Travel Blues. I noticed it was preventing me from working on this blog, which baffles me because it’s one of the things I most enjoy doing! I view travel as a privilege. Something I am insanely lucky to have experienced, it was hard to give myself space to struggle in adapting to life at home. This article by Nomadic Matt does a great job explaining travel blues which helped me to be gentle with myself and empowered me to discuss it on my blog as well!
What to Do If You Have the Travel Blues?
Once I realized that I was experiencing some Travel Blues, I looked at some of the tips and tricks on other travel blogs by really experienced travelers. Turns out I was already doing some of the tips! I shared below the ones that I have embraced. These tips will no doubt enrich your life regardless if you are experiencing the Travel Blues.
Tip #1 Try Something New
Investing time in a new hobby can be a great way to get excited and harness your energy towards something other than travel. The photo above is of a collage that I made- is it perfect? Nope. But it sure was fun and a great way to focus on something new and fun! I also got the chance to grow some plants from seeds and learn to drive some off-road vehicles, a a few more tidbits!
#2 Get Excited About Everything Home Has to Offer
It can be easy to feel disappointed when returning home after an amazing vacation or travel experience. Going on trips around your home might be the best way to re-energize those feelings of discovery, awe, excitement, and of course, and adventure that you found on vacation! Something that I was excited about when returning home was experiencing winter again- and the beautiful snow that comes with! Also don’t be shy about indulging in all the foods and TV and time with family that you missed when you were away! After the initial settling in period might be the hardest for you to keep that excitement to be at home; try and focus more on the exciting things that you get to do now that you are home, instead of spending energy on what you might be missing out on abroad.
Tip #3 Keep In Touch
While traveling I’m sure that you made many connections with people who became instant friends or you think about time to time and wonder what they are doing since you parted ways. Make an effort to keep in touch! I use WhatsApp to keep in touch with friends around the world, some of whom I met more than 8 years ago! At times, my friends abroad can relate to me way better than local friends from home! This might make you more excited about being home by sharing your life at home with friends abroad.
Tip #4 Preserve Your Travel Memories
A scrapbook, blog, printing out photos and hanging them around the house, making a digital slideshow for a screensaver, making a ticket collage, really the list is endless! Buying trinkets or postcards can also be a great way to remember an experience. Having memories in reach can help you reflect on positive memories and make you feel more connected to your experiences.
Tip #5 Plan a New Trip
This is something that really helps me the most. I love learning more about different countries and what time of year is best to go, cheapest flights, and destinations! It can be difficult to narrow down exactly where and when that trip will be, but I love knowing I have a few dream trips in mind just waiting for me to hit the road!
There are plenty of resources with tips on how to overcome Travel blues, like this one, or this one, here, or here, even here.
The Locus of Control
How much individuals perceive that they themselves have control over their own actions as opposed to events in life occurring instead because of external forces. This is measured on a scale of “high internal” to “high external” Theory developed by Julian B. Rotter.
Focusing on what you have control over can give you mental freedom
I will be honest, at times I forget and find myself blaming my circumstances on external factors, and throwing up my hands in defeat… I know super mature! A friend of mine (lucky me) helps me reflect back on the Locus of control and might help you work through things you might be struggling with related to travel or otherwise.
Be Patient with Yourself and Others
Travel Blues fade over time and no doubt the tips and tricks that I mention and those found on other travel blogs can help. Still, I think it is important to acknowledge that while your travel blues slump might fade, you can have moments of reverse culture shock months after returning from abroad. Remember, change is hard. FOR EVERYONE. Hopefully, you have changed from your travel experiences, after all thats probably one of the reasons you traveled in the first place. After returning after a big trip expect that it will take a while to feel comfortable and set up”with a new routine or lifestyle. Reacclimating isn’t something that is linear sometimes transition might feel fluid others like like one step forward one step back.
Beyond that “One World Traveler” you Might Know
At this point some of you might be thinking, this is pretty niche, why should I care? Travel is often seen as a purely fun and enjoyable experience, which is true in many cases, yet just like everything in life there are mental challenges during and after you will have to overcome! I hope that this post makes anyone who is experiencing Travel Blues feel less alone, but introduce culture shock or reverse culture shock to anyone who might be new to these concepts. These concepts can be extremely helpful in understanding people in your life, a person who might have recently immigrated internationally, even moved across the US, or someone who came back from a job abroad and seems to be struggling to find their bearings long after you would expect!
For everyone who has supported me, and my audience who has made it possible for me to be vulnerable on my blog!
