Returning to one’s homeland after many years abroad often seems simple – pack a suitcase and go home. In practice, however, for many people it is an emotionally complex process. Researchers at the University of Latvia (UL) have developed the first conceptual model that explains not only the stress caused by return migration, but also the psychological processes and resources that help people overcome this experience.
The developed model expands the existing perspective, which has more often been shaped from a sociological, economic or policy perspective. It is significant not only in Latvia, but also internationally, providing a broader understanding of the dynamics of return migration.
At the centre of the model is the mobilisation of protective mechanisms. It shows that a return migrant is not a passive recipient of difficulties, but actively evaluates the situation, uses their own and environmental resources, and seeks to regain emotional balance. In this way, return migration is viewed not only as stress, but also as part of a dynamic adaptation process.
The hardest part begins even before packing the suitcases
In research, and also in society, it was long believed that the greatest difficulties begin after returning, but studies show something different — the greatest tension arises much earlier. The decision to return is not just a relocation. It involves saying goodbye to one’s familiar life, friends, children’s schools, a garden nurtured over years and an accustomed rhythm. Along with the decision comes uncertainty, concerns about whether the decision made is the right one, and expectations about what life back home might turn out to be like.
However, researchers emphasise some good news. The earlier a person begins preparing practically and emotionally, the easier it is later to overcome the initial chaos after returning. Planning – looking for a school, housing issues, job opportunities, documents, family conversations and an honest review of one’s own expectations – can become a kind of safety net. In life, not everything goes according to plan, but a plan helps at a moment when everything else seems beyond control.
The baggage that is not weighed at the airport
Return migrants are often spoken about through the lens of difficulties — they have to get used to things, adapt and solve problems. Studies also show another side — these are people with rich life experience. They have already once been able to start life from scratch in a foreign place, navigate an unfamiliar environment, and learn different rules, languages and communication styles. This experience does not disappear the moment the plane lands in Riga.
One of the most important psychological resources that helps people overcome difficulties is cognitive flexibility — the ability to look at a situation from another perspective and seek solutions even when things do not go according to plan.
Alongside this flexibility, proactivity can also be observed. It is the ability not to give up when one door closes. If one institution does not help, a person looks for another way. If something is unclear, they ask. If information is lacking, they look for it themselves. One study participant formulated this attitude very directly: “I am confident that I will not get lost — if necessary, I will learn another language or anything else.”
This kind of inner conviction is very significant. It helps a person not to feel completely dependent on circumstances. Of course, it does not solve all structural problems and does not replace state or municipal support. But it helps them not to remain in a feeling of helplessness.
Stop comparing and start using experience
One of the greatest traps of return is constant comparison. “It was more convenient there. The system was easier to understand there. People smiled more there. The roads were better there. The school worked according to excellent methods there.” Sometimes these comparisons are completely justified.
A return migrant is not ungrateful simply because they notice differences. On the contrary — life in another country provides an opportunity to see that things can also be done differently.
However, constant comparison can become exhausting and create a feeling that nothing in Latvia is good enough, so it is important not to deny the differences, but to use one’s experience as a resource. Yes, a system may seem complicated, but that does not mean it does not work. The work environment has to be learned anew, but this is exactly where the skills gained abroad can be useful. And the moment of loneliness experienced at the beginning can become an opportunity to build a new relationship with Latvia.
A return migrant is often a person with an expanded outlook on life. They know that things can be done in more than one way. It is precisely this experience, which at first can sometimes make integration more difficult, that can later become one of their greatest strengths.
A Latvian with knowledge of the world
One of the most interesting conclusions of the study is related to identity. After years abroad, a person does not always feel quite the same as before leaving, and Latvia has changed as well. Therefore, return can create internal tension — do I still belong here? Is my experience abroad valued here, or is it an obstacle?
The study allows this question to be viewed more hopefully. A return migrant does not have to choose between being Latvian and being a person with global experience — these parts of identity can be connected. Latvian roots, language and belonging can coexist with a broader perspective, intercultural experience, a different understanding of work culture and the ability to navigate different environments.
This kind of “identity integration” can become an important resource. A person who is able to combine several experiences is often better able to understand different people, communicate more flexibly and bring new ideas into society.
This is a benefit not only for the return migrant themselves, but also for workplaces, schools, communities and Latvia as a whole. One study participant formulated this benefit especially vividly: “Latvia’s future lies in return migrants. People want to return home from all over the world. [..] If return migrants are allowed to work, get involved and use their experience, they have enormous, still untapped potential.”
The “bubble” of one’s own people: a place where you are understood
A positive view of one’s own abilities does not mean that everything has to be done alone. The most important source of support is the social environment — family, friends, schools, work colleagues and neighbours — which can significantly influence whether a person feels accepted or alone in Latvia. Sometimes practical support is enough — an explanation of the school system or labour market, recommending doctors, or simply listening without judgement.
The experience of return can be contradictory — a person may simultaneously want to be in Latvia and feel tired, be happy and feel sad.These emotions are a natural part of transition, but they are not always easy for those around the person to understand. Relatives can provide support, but they are not always able to understand what it is like to return to a place that is simultaneously familiar and foreign.
Alongside practical support — from information and consultations to help in resolving specific situations — an understanding of the emotional complexity of this experience is equally important. The study confirms that the greatest comfort is provided by the so-called “bubble of one’s own people” — other people with a similar return experience. For example, initiatives such as the association “With Global Experience in Latvia” serve as vitally important psychological support, where people can freely share their experience in a safe environment, receive understanding and practical advice.
Not a step backwards, but a new beginning
According to the study, a long-term perspective provides a more stable foundation for the experience of return. Although return is often motivated by emotional reasons — longing for home, a desire to be closer to family, or fatigue from life abroad — in the long term, emotions alone may not be enough. People overcome the initial chaos more easily if they see a meaningful goal. For example, the opportunity for children to grow up in a Latvian environment, the restoration of one’s own property, introducing something new and previously unavailable in Latvia, or life at a calmer pace.
A long-term perspective helps people understand that the first months are not the final verdict on whether the return has been successful. At the beginning, many things may be difficult, unfamiliar and even irritating. But that does not yet mean that the decision was wrong.
Adaptation is not an exam that has to be passed in the first week. Returning is not just relocating to one’s homeland, but a multi-layered psychological process that takes time. If there is preparation, support and an opportunity to use the experience gained abroad, return can become not a step backwards, but a new beginning.
The people behind the study data
The study involved 21 return migrants aged between 26 and 70. The participants’ long period of residence abroad is particularly significant — 11 years on average. This provides a deeper insight into the experience of return migration than many foreign studies, which analyse people with a comparatively short period of absence.
► For more details on the model developed in the study and the conclusions, see: Ozola-Cīrule, I., & Martinsone, B. (2026). A conceptual model of stress and psychological resources in return migration. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 113, 102440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2026.102440
