What happens after your placement when you come back home? For many people, this can be a challenging time. You might have been gone for anything from a few weeks to several years and may have mixed emotions about returning – you’ll be looking forward to seeing family and friends, you might even be relieved at leaving your host country, but you may also be sad at leaving new friends, not to mention the experiences, sights and sounds of a place that became your home. You may need to consider your physical and mental health and spend some time reflecting on your experiences and readjusting to life at home.
If you’ve only been overseas for a few weeks, you may find it much easier to readjust. However, if you were abroad for a long period, or working in a rural community, a particularly deprived shanty town, on sensitive human rights issues, or in a disaster zone, you might need more time to readjust. Direct exposure to poverty and injustice can also have a significant impact on you as a person - reflecting on the affect volunteering overseas has had on you is time well spent. For some people, the best way to readjust to life at home is to get stuck into a job or studies immediately; however, for others it might be best to talk things through. Comhlámh has a range of support services to assist volunteers and development workers once they return to Ireland. This section takes you through some of our services, as well as providing tips and advice about ensuring your mental and physical fitness and sharing your experiences.
When you get home, there are a number of things you should prioritise to ensure that you are mentally and physically fit after your experience overseas. Read more...
Volunteering overseas can affect not only your physical health, but also your mental and emotional well-being. For many people coming home can be a time of confusion and of differing emotions. Read more...
With over 35 years of experience working with returned volunteers and development workers, Comhlámh have developed a range of services to help you through the various difficulties of readjusting to life at home. Read more...
Sharing your stories with others can help you reflect on and continue to learn from your experiences. This can mean more than just chatting with friends and family and there are a variety of ways that you can use your experiences on your return home. Read more...