How often should you visit your home country while living abroad? Why?

I think there are some people who never look back once they leave their home countries. They basically assimilate into their new country, and it becomes the place where they say they are from. They surround themselves with new friends and may even start a family. They would not have any major reasons to go back to their hometown. For others, like me, we still keep ties with people back home and need to go home more frequently. Regardless of one’s preference or social lifestyle, I still think expats should go back to their home country at least once every 2 or 3 years.

In my case, I have always gone back once every year or year and a half. I have been living abroad for the better part of 10 years. Depending on my job I have spent anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months back in Canada, my home country. I think I have finally found my sweet spot which is to go home for 4-5 weeks. The main reason I go back for so long is because of my family. I have one brother who has 3 adorable children who are 7, 9 and 11 years old now. They have become a big part of my life and spending time with them has become a priority for me. Since it can be expensive to go back multiple times a year I choose to go back once for a longer period of time. It can be hard leaving them when spending so much time together, but I think having such a close relationship with them is worth the pain of leaving. If I went back for a shorter amount of time, I would feel quite rushed and the time I would spend with my nephews and niece wouldn’t feel natural or authentic. It is a wonderful thing to have enough time with them without counting down the days we have left. When I went back for just 2 weeks, I had a jam-packed schedule to make sure I saw all the friends and family that I wanted. I also do some shopping while I am home, for clothes and food items not as readily available in Japan. If I have a month, I have more than enough time to find everything I need.

Although I know that not everyone would or could be able to return to their home country for such a long time, I still think it is important to keep ties with family and friends from our school days. Those people and that culture have built a foundation in us of who we, as expats, have become and it is not something we can ignore. I think there are important times like weddings or funerals where, out of respect to those people, we should take the time and money to go back and honor them. If we don’t, we may be missing out on a chance to thank and acknowledge the impact that people have had on our lives. We might have to push through jetlag and the hassle of re-arranging our work schedule, but in the end it is worth it.

Laura

Vocabulary
assimilate (verb) – to become a part of a country or community
expat (noun) – short for expatriate; someone who lives in a country that is not their own
the better part of (phrase) – almost all of, most of
sweet spot (noun) – the best possible place or combination of factors
jam-packed (adjective) – very full or crowded