It’s been a long 2+ years for expats and migrants who relocated to New Zealand and have not been able to visit home to catch up with family and friends during COVID, when it was actually needed most. With a sense of normalcy returning, and New Zealand opening its borders, expats and migrants can now go home and reconnect - or not?
Let’s recap: Most people have experienced a global pandemic for the first time. There was a lot of uncertainty, fear and for some even panic to live through. Each country dealt with the challenges in their own way, with their own measures, and the expats, digital nomads, and travelers at heart could not just put their “if-all-things-go-wrong” plan to action and book a return flight for the next day.
Mobile team member Dani Kuchel is now on her way to Germany to visit home for the first time in three years.
Something that seems, and used to be, so simple now leaves Dani with mixed feelings as she navigates “Vorfreude” (an untranslatable German word for the joy you experience while looking forward to something).
Getting the right mindset for a successful trip home requires some work, and Dani has been generous enough to share her tips and reflections for the benefit of other expats and migrants planning that long-awaited trip.
1. What is the purpose of this trip home?
It sounds self-explanatory, but the devil is in the details. Are you going home to see friends and family again? Do you have cabin fever and need a change of scenery? Are you longing for your culture/food etc?
Prioritising what you want to achieve will enable you to plan to make it happen, rather than feeling like you’ve just had a series of random experiences.
2. Holiday vs working from home: How long are you going for?
The length of your trip most likely determines whether you go on a holiday or a “working holiday”.
The number of businesses that allow flexible work arrangements and remote work has skyrocketed since 2020. If you want to go for as long as possible, you could take “working from home” to the next level and work from your home country.
Although this sounds like the perfect idea, it is important to be realistic and honest to yourself: Are you happy to go home and work your normal hours? Are reduced hours an option? Will you have FOMO, if your circle of family and friends are on holiday while you slog away?
3. Expectations vs reality
As much as everyone is excited to see you, let’s be real - everybody’s life went on just like ours did here in New Zealand.
Personal circumstances changed and we might have missed major life events, break ups, the seemingly forever single friend that is now a parent, or the (not so) little (anymore) children barely recognise you.
Priorities shift in each corner of the world. How we left, or last experienced, “home” might not be the reality anymore. And that’s ok :) Don’t see every change tinged with regret that you missed it.
4. Why are you really going home?
If you have a list of people to see, places to visit, stuff to arrange, gifts to buy and things to do, it might be a good idea to take a deep breath in and step back. What do you really want to have happen back home?
Excitement can easily get stirred up with mixed feelings of stress and overwhelm, when surely this is a time you have been looking forward to for quite a while.
So let’s enjoy the ride and trust the process!
Mobile Relocation delivers resettlement and relocation programmes for businesses employing offshore talent. Our goal is to get your expat and migrant talent up and running in NZ as quickly as possible - reducing their time to effectiveness in their new role, and enabling them to deliver their skills and expertise to your the benefit of your business.
Bridget is a New Zealander who has lived and worked as a diplomat in Singapore and India. After experiencing all facets of the relocation experience, she founded Mobile to work with private individuals moving to NZ and leading local and international businesses bringing in offshore talent. bridget@mobile-relocation.com
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