Posted: 4/18/2013 | April 18th, 2013
Readjusting to life back home can be a challenge. I remember my first time coming home: I had major culture shock. I remember the supermarkets just feeling so big. and the stores. and the meal portions. (We have such big meals here in the States!) Plus, many of my pals couldn’t relate to my feeling of unease. It was a challenge going from always being on the relocation to all of a sudden doing the opposite. (Clearly, I didn’t cope. My service was to keep traveling!)
In previous reader stories, we’ve talked a lot about people leaving to travel the world. Today we are going to talk about coming home and readjusting to life after life on the road.
Nomadic Matt: hello Erin! tell everyone about yourself!
Erin: hello everyone! My name is Erin and I’m 45 and I grew up throughout the Pacific Rim: California, Washington, Hawaii, and new Zealand.
I’m a former banking executive that chose I’d choose to spend my time working with nonprofit organizations and traveling the world. I transitioned out of banking, taking an entry-level job at a nonprofit organization. I gradually built a specialty in philanthropic financial products, and about six years ago, I started a consulting firm.
As a consultant, I set up my contracts so I could take three months off every year to travel overseas and volunteer. After several years of this arrangement, I chose I wanted to take a longer two-year sabbatical to travel the world volunteering. At the time, I was saving to purchase a home, so I had a tidy sum put away. I tapped these savings to finance my trip.
And where did you go on your trip?
During my two years of traveling, I went to all seven continents as well as 62 countries. I started in Fiji on new Year’s Eve and ended in Antarctica, working my way up through Patagonia as I returned home to the States.
Although I had 3-4 highlights I wanted to hit (hiking in the Himalayas, going to Angkor Wat, and exploring India), I had no set itinerary. I purposely wanted the flexibility to wander the world as I made new pals and learned of exciting places.
As a result, I didn’t travel in a straight line or even one region at a time, but hopscotched across the globe. While my travel trajectory was fluid, I had three clear objectives for my trip: to give myself the time to read, write, and volunteer.
And how did your trip go? Did you have any misadventures?
I had quite a few scary moments on my trip, especially because I choose to travel overland and take local transportation whenever possible. There are certainly some memories — a bus crash in Ethiopia, jumping out of a moving automobile in Zambia, political unrest in the middle east and sub-Saharan Africa — that still give me pause. I also had some daredevil adventures white-water rafting that I could have done without.
Did you have a plan for when you come back?
I did have a plan: I was trying to orchestrate a relocation to London. Unfortunately, these plans fell through. instead of taking short-term consulting assignments before moving across the pond, I now need to ponder a much more permanent life.
I’ve been back two months and am still considering which city I ought to live in, what type of work I want to do, and how I want to rebuild my life. even easy things like renting an house and purchasing a automobile and furniture are on hold. For the time being, I am splitting my time between San Francisco, NYC, and my family in Florida. I’m subletting furnished apartments for several weeks at a time and renting a automobile when I need it. and I’m still living out of a suitcase.
So I guess my nomadic life hasn’t ended just because I came home!
Have you adjusted to life after being away for so long?
I’m a bit blown away by the efficiency of modern American life. I’m also amazed that in some cases I walk down the street and there are no other people around. It’s eerie, like being on a deserted film set. and I’m dumbfounded by the bounty in our supermarkets — aisles and aisles of food.
Of course, I’ve discovered these differences when I’ve returned from previous travels, but now I can think of how a visitor might look at the sheer enormousness of American life. To me, this lushness translates from the physical to the psychological. I am very happy of what we have here in America, with the choices we have, and our rights as individuals.
While we never think they are enough, I’ve witnessed other parts of the world where they don’t have any of these freedoms at all. It makes me very appreciative to be American.
What was the hardest part of coming home?
I think the mental transition is the hardest part of returning. As I mentioned, I’m still living life as a nomad, with no terrific desire to put down roots. last week I was in line at a store when all of a sudden I stepped out of line and put down the item I was going to purchase. הסיבה? It wouldn’t fit in my suitcase!
I’m also struggling a little with being back home. I’ve found that my life is once again a blank canvas and I have the chance to create the life I want. I think this is a terrific opportunity, but the possibilities are literally endless, so I want to take time and make thoughtful decisions.
My pals and family are supportive in that they are simply pleased to have me back home. They’ve welcomed me into their homes and I’ve been able to quickly reestablish our friendships. I’ve been very lucky to have such a strong support network while traveling and upon my return.
I find myself sitting quietly a lot, just thinking. For me, this is the way through the transition: allowing myself the time and space to begin processing all I’ve experienced. I’m confident out of this reflection a new path will emerge for me to follow.
Did you find employers looked at your trip as a negative or did it help in securing a job?
My travels haven’t negatively impacted my profession in any way. As I relaunch my consulting business, my international experience has enhanced my perspective and what I can offer clients.
My travels have also led to additional opportunities. I’m now speaking frequently at schools, corporations, and civic organizations about my journey and volunteering abroad. And, of course, I’m writing my book, adventure Philanthropist, about my experience.
What guidance would you have for people coming home after a long trip?
I would recommend to re-enter slowly. allow yourself the time to acclimatize to familiar surroundings. You’re not the same person as when you left on your travels, so don’t expect to jump back into your old life.
You’ve grown in your thinking, so give yourself the time to explore — just as you did on the road. Readjusting simply takes time. You have to get used to what used to be so familiar.
My one piece of guidance is to continue to speak with the people you met traveling, especially those already home. They know what you are going through. They can relate and by talking with them about how you’re feeling, it makes the transition less difficult.
Become the next Success Story
One of my favorite parts about this job is hearing people’s travel stories. They inspire me, but much more importantly, they also inspire you. I travel a certain way but there are numerous ways to fund your trips, and travel the world. I hope these stories show you that there is much more than one way to travel and that it is within your grasp to reach your travel goals.
Here’s another example of someone who readjusted to life after his big international adventures:
How Dan readjusted to life back home
We all come from different places, but we all have one thing in common: we all want to travel more.
Make today the day you take one step closer to traveling — whether it is purchasing a guidebook, booking a hostel, creating an itinerary, or going all the way and purchasing a plane ticket.
Remember, tomorrow may never come, so don’t wait.
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My new York Times best-selling paperback guide to world travel will instruct you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off the beaten path, save money, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Click here to learn much more and start reading it today!
Book Your Trip: Logistical suggestions and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a low-cost flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches sites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the most affordable rates for guesthouses and hotels.
אל תשכח ביטוח נסיעות
Travel insurance will safeguard you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s extensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it numerous times in the past. החברות האהובות עלי שמציעות את השירות והערך הטוב ביותר הן:
SafetyWing (best for everyone)
Insure My trip (for those over 70)
Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)
Ready to book Your Trip?
עיין בדף המשאבים שלי לקבלת החברות הטובות ביותר להשתמש בו כשאתה נוסע. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.