Reverse culture shock is when those coming back realize they have been changed by their experience abroad and no longer fit in the same place they did before going. First-person accounts written by European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteers after returning home are rare online, and the more detailed accounts of a hard return come mostly from Erasmus students. On this page, each account says who it comes from. Our guide on what to do after your project covers the practical steps after you return.
Last updated: November 2026.
How do people describe reverse culture shock?
Reverse culture shock is the mismatch you feel when you have become a different person, while family, friends and the home town are the same. The "W" model has two connected U-periods: culture shock when entering another culture, and reverse culture shock after the return home. Erasmus students describe it: "I feel like an outsider in my own family". One ESC volunteer felt like a new person after coming back. A paper on overseas volunteers says home may no longer feel like home. A guide of the Swedish National Agency for ESC support organisations tells them to talk about a possible reverse culture shock. Our guide on culture shock and homesickness covers culture shock when you first arrive abroad.
What does it feel like?
Reverse culture shock feels like missing people, struggling to explain the experience and needing time:
💭 Missing life abroad: Erasmus students describe missing their friends and daily life abroad, home life that feels boring or smaller, and sadness or loneliness for a while. A paper on overseas volunteers says many returned volunteers have signs of mild depression for a short period after returning. One Youthpass reflection question for returned long-term volunteers is what you miss about the volunteer country.
🗣️ Hard to explain: Erasmus students say they want to talk about what they lived, but find no words for it, or feel that friends and family cannot follow or quickly lose interest. Returned overseas volunteers said the most common adjustment difficulty was in communicating the overseas experience.
⏳ Needing time: for an Erasmus returnee, the meaning of the year abroad does not become clear right away, and some say they needed months to sort it out. A paper on overseas volunteers describes a sense of numbness, and a time as a volunteer that seems distant or unreal. Youthpass says certain moments become clearer and your learning becomes easier to name.
Our guide on mental health and wellbeing abroad covers support for hard days, and our guide on what Erasmus+ does not tell you gives more about the return.
What helps when you come home?
These steps come from official sources and from people who came home:
🤝 Talk to your support organisation: when you return, the support organisation from your country of residence will support you, and you can also get help with your return to the home community and guidance on the labour market and further education and training opportunities. You should evaluate the overall project with the support organisation upon your return.
🧑🤝🧑 Other returned volunteers: a paper on overseas volunteers says there are people who are genuinely interested in your stories, including other returned volunteers. The guide for ESC support organisations says to provide opportunities to exchange experiences with other volunteers.
📓 Go back to your notes: Youthpass suggests going back to all the notes, reflections, drawings, voice recordings and observations. One guiding question is about your next step for learning or growth. Taking time to reflect after returning home helps you integrate this experience into your identity.
🌱 Stay involved: returnees who turn their experience into a new role at home describe this as what helped them settle. For Erasmus students, joining a local section of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) gave contact with other returnees and a sense of belonging. The guide for ESC support organisations names existing alumni networks such as EuroPeers and Eurodesk Ambassadors.
🎉 Annual event: the European Solidarity Corps event takes place once a year and volunteers are invited, but not everyone can attend; long-term volunteers are given priority.
📣 Share the experience: the guide for ESC support organisations suggests social media, a local newspaper, a library exhibition, a youth centre event or a visit to a school.
📝 Participant report: the participant report is filled in online through a link sent automatically after the volunteer returns from the project.
Our guide on alumni networks explains how to stay connected, and our guide on what to do after your project lists the steps.
How do you turn the experience into your next step?
When you put the experience on your CV, write the organisation's name and your task description, not just "I volunteered", and give concrete results. Ask your host organisation for the Youthpass certificate at least one week before you return home. Some Erasmus returnees want the experience to continue, and they look for the next programme, a Masters or job abroad. A former ESC volunteer was looking for the next opportunity to broaden a European experience. There is no waiting period between two activities; the next activity can start even the next day. Our guide on ESC on your CV gives the lines to write, our guide on a second ESC project explains the rules, our guide on Youthpass explains the certificate, and our guide on the benefits of ESC explains what you gained.
Frequently asked questions
How long does reverse culture shock last?
The duration of reverse culture shock upon reentry varies significantly.
Who can I talk to after the project?
The support organisation from your country of residence will provide you with support upon your return.
Can I go abroad again?
Yes: there is no waiting period between two activities; the next activity can start even the next day. Our guide on a second ESC project explains the time limits.
What should you do next?
Our guide on culture shock and homesickness helps if you plan to go abroad again.
Youth Works Hub has a Match page that finds projects suited to you: it asks 8 questions and shows the results as a swipeable deck of cards, and using Match requires creating an account on the site.
Related pages: what to do after your project · culture shock and homesickness · alumni networks · mental health and wellbeing abroad · ESC on your CV
👉 ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=esc-projects
👉 Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/?tab=erasmus-projects
