View Leaving Japan:Back Home
Most Westerners experience reverse culture shock upon returning home that can last up to a year. Being prepared for this can help.
The main thing to remember, especially with respect to old friends and family, is that you have changed. You are not the same person, but your friends and family will expect you to be. It’s a gradual process of reacclimatisation.
You might be bursting with stories of your adventures and your wonderful foreign friends but, unfortunately, most will not listen for very long and will never truly understand. It can be disappointing, but expect it.
If you are in a relationship with someone you met in Japan, this means your relationship is ‘Japan-defined’ and you may have specific issues to deal with. If you are single and have felt somewhat ‘ignored’ during your life in Japan, you may find the possible burst of attention a welcome relief. You may have to relearn your sense of personal safety; your hometown is probably not as safe as where you lived in Japan. If you have children, then remember that they are experiencing the same reverse culture shock that you are, but may be quicker to adapt to their new surroundings.
Focus on the positive aspects of your new life! Huge trees, sidewalks not covered with people, and land with nothing built on it. Walking into a bookstore and being able to read the books!
It is common to develop confused feelings towards your home after being in Japan, and it is difficult to justify them. It seems natural for you to have strange feelings when you come to Japan because it is so different from home; nobody expects to feel like an alien in their hometown with the people they have known all their lives. But remember that it is OKAY to see your home culture differently, critically, and to reject things that once were commonplace to you. It is okay to question your own culture just like you questioned Japanese culture when you first arrived.
You made a life in Japan; you can make a life at home again too.