Expats, immigrants, and migrants are all people that have left their homes for foreign shores in search of a better life. It is an intensified way of life, exciting at times, but fraught with challenges and hardships.
I am the child of immigrants, and have been living as an expat for over a decade. I understand the complex feelings and experiences of immigration. Issues of identity, belonging, and adjustment are all vital parts of the immigrant narrative, deeply woven into the tapestry of daily life and self-perception. The journey of an expat is marked by a continual process of adaptation and re-evaluation, a dance between preserving one’s roots and embracing new cultural landscapes. This journey, fraught with its unique challenges and blessings, unfolds a rich palette of emotions, ranging from exhilaration to alienation, loss to discovery.
While the struggles facing immigrants and expats are both vast and varied, psychologists and social scientists that have studied these experiences have simplified the process into 5 stages:
Preparation
This is the time spent planning the move. It is often a mix of excitement and anxiety. Deciding what to take with you, and what to leave behind, this period is often very optimistic as anything is possible, even as sacrifices are made in anticipation of the move.
Honeymoon
The early stages after arriving can often be a time of enchantment. Everything is exotic, exciting, and new. It is a time of euphoria. For many, just making the move and arriving at their new home can feel like the hardest step. The optimism of preparation and planning still lingers, even as the expectations meet reality.
Culture Shock
Once the novelty wears off, what was once exotic is now simply infuriating. Nothing is familiar, and homesickness sets in. Loneliness, frustration, and depression are markers of this phase. Reality has overridden the optimism, and all the barriers present begin to feel insurmountable.
Adaptation
After some time the highs and lows will have passed, and life will become somewhat easier. What was unfamiliar becomes familiar. Cultural and language barriers are crossed, and communities are found. The rhythm of life in the new home is adopted, and while the original culture remains within us, we adopt the new culture as part of our outer presentation. This is also a time that any personal problems or issues that existed before the move reemerge.
Repatriation
Going back home, even for a visit, feels strange. You have become a stranger to the place you once called home. This is where we see how our previous homes have changed, as well as the friends and family we have left behind. But even more so, we see how we have been changed by our time away. This can be disorienting, and while some feel more at home anywhere they go, many others feel alienated from the world, as though they belong nowhere.
While the list is generic, it is helpful and I have experienced these stages several times. However, the hardest challenges of expatriation and immigration I have seen is not exclusive to one particular stage, as it is in our relationships, the ones we leave behind, the ones we try to forge, and the ones with those that join us on the journey.
Partnerships often experience strain during these kinds of massive life shifts, as our communities, friends, and family remain behind. These are our support systems that help us navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. Leaving our support systems means losing them to distance, or worse, because they feel left behind, abandoned, or resentful. Others may be unable to relate to the experience and see the act of living abroad as an extended holiday. Losing our support systems means we need more from our partners, while also have less energy and emotional bandwidth to provide for all of their emotional and esteem needs. No one can be everything to their partner, and the isolation often experienced in the early stages of expat life can put enough pressure to crack solid relationships.
Finding new communities and support systems is vital, but it is always hard, especially as we grow older. However, in a new environment and unfamiliar cultural landscape it becomes even more difficult. The easiest way to connect with others is by finding other expats and immigrants, as being a foreign resident becomes its own culture. After all, only another stranger knows the challenges and loneliness of being far from home.
But the biggest challenge of expatriation and immigration is in finding ourselves, outside the bounds of the roles assigned to us by our cultures, families, or friends. In the intricate dance between assimilating into the new and preserving the old, we will be confronted with our own bad habits and self-imposed limitations. Wherever you go, your problems will follow. You cannot run from yourself. But you can discover yourself.
The expatriation and immigration experience provides an involuntary opportunity for self-discovery and transformation. It is a journey of navigating foreign terrain, both geographically and culturally, while we are also forced to explore our own inner landscapes. Navigating the complexities of expatriation and immigration can feel overwhelming, and psychotherapy can serve as an anchor, offering support, clarity, and strategies to manage and transcend these challenges, enabling individuals to forge a coherent and authentic sense of self.
Recognizing the profound challenges of expat life, I bring a depth of empathy, cultural sensitivity, and personalized insight into each therapy session. Let’s embark on this journey together, leveraging your unique experiences and challenges as catalysts for transformation and growth.