Some individuals, called resocializers, quietly assimilate back into their old routines and behaviors. They may choose to suppress their newly acquired cultural perspectives and skills, storing away their experiences like memories in social media albums they avoid revisiting-because doing so can cause identity dissonance or discomfort.

Others, known as alienators, feel they can never truly reintegrate. Home no longer feels like home. They prefer being abroad and often pursue more international experiences. Alienators tend to feel more alive, comfortable, and engaged in foreign cultures and may eventually become global nomads—identifying more with the global community than with any one nation.

Sojourners perceive people and events through pleasantly rose-colored glasses.

They do experience slight confusion and bewilderment about the new culture.

Occur rapidly right after the glow of honeymoon

Emotional upheavals

Consciously incompetent

Loss of self-esteem and self-confidence

Aggressive/hostile or totally withdrawn

people are excited about new cultural environment

everything appears fresh and exhilarating

sojourner perceive people and events through pleasantly tinted

sometimes, experience bursts and loneliness and homesickness

may not completely understand the verbal and nonverbal

excited about new cultural environment.

everything appears fresh and exhilarating.

Sojourners perceive people and events through pleasantly rose-colored glasses.

experience mild bewilderment

may experience bursts of loneliness and homesickness.

be cognitively curious about the new culture.

enjoying their initial “friendly” contacts

with the locals.

Sojourners begin to laugh at their cultural mistakes.

Develop a more light-hearted and objective view of themselves and their experiences.

Recognize both the pros and cons of their home and host cultures.

Build resilience and maturity.

Make progress in achieving instrumental goals

Begin forming new friendships and social networks.

Gain the ability to look at their own behavior objectively

A person returns to their home cultures that may experience reverse culture shock

Reverse culture shock is the feeling of of disorientation, confusion, and sometimes even distress that can occur when returning home after living abroad for a significant period.

Reverse culture shock may occur because the person spend a long period time overseas. They may grow more accustomed to the local norms than what they experienced at home. For instance, it is a local custom to remove one’s shoes before entering a residence in numerous cultures.

sojourners experience major emotional upheavals.

They face a major loss of self-esteem and self-confidence.

They often feel emotionally drained and overwhelmed.

They experience intense communication stressors in many aspects of their lives.

After struggling with confusion, misunderstandings, or feelings of isolation, they start to gain confidence.

Reframe mistakes as learning experiences.

They are less judgmental and more realistic about cultural differences.

Form friendships and social networks.

Adapting to workplace norms, or learning a new language or custom.