There’s something deeply transformative about packing your bags and stepping onto a plane bound for a foreign country alone. As we listened to Gabi’s story on the Travel HER podcast, her words resonated with an experience many women travelers know intimately: that feeling of finally feeling at home abroad and the reverse culture shock after coming back to our native country.
Gabi, a Hungarian woman who spent a year in South Korea on a working holiday visa, describes the moment she first arrived: « When I came out from the airport, I didn’t even know where I am, what am I doing and where should I go and anything, but I was like, I’m home. » This immediate connection to a place she’d never been before sparked a journey that would ultimately lead her to rediscover herself and on coming reverse culture Shock.
Leaving Behind the Familiar
Making the decision to travel solo isn’t easy, especially when you’re an only child. The guilt of leaving parents behind can be overwhelming. Gabi recounts her tearful airport goodbye, watching her father cry for only the third time in her life. Yet even through those difficult moments, she never regretted her decision. « If I could do it again, I would do it, » she says with certainty.
This sentiment echoes what many women experience when embarking on solo journeys. We often feel responsible for the happiness and wellbeing of those we leave behind. We worry our absence will be interpreted as rejection or lack of love. But as I notes, « Our parents didn’t make us to stay at home forever. »
Discovering the Authentic Self Abroad
One of the most powerful aspects of solo travel is its ability to strip away the layers of identity we’ve built to please others. Without the constant pressure of familiar expectations, many travelers find themselves rediscovering aspects of their personality that had been buried for years.
« I always felt like I lost myself when I was a teenager, » Gabi shares. « I knew that « this me » was not me… I wanted to go to another city to find myself. » It took her nearly six months of living in Korea to reconnect with the authentic version of herself that had been hiding for 15 years. This journey to authenticity is what makes solo travel so valuable for personal growth.
The freedom that comes with being in a new environment allows us to experiment with different ways of being. Many travelers, including both Gabi and I, discover they’re not who they thought they were. « I always thought I was introverted, but it turns out I’m not. Not at all, » Gabi laughs.
The Challenge of Coming Home: Reverse Culture Shock
While traveling itself presents challenges, the return home often proves even more difficult. After living authentically abroad, settling back into old routines can trigger what experts call « reverse culture shock. » The feelings of depression, anxiety, and identity confusion that follow repatriation are real and valid experiences.
Gabi describes her return to Hungary: « When I came back from Korea to Hungary, I was crying in a different way. I was depressed to come back because I knew what was gonna wait for me. » She found herself caught between two versions of herself; the free, authentic self she discovered in Korea and the self bound by old rules and expectations.
Both women emphasize that seeking professional support during this transition is crucial. « It’s not a shame to go to a therapist, » Gabi insists. « When I went to a therapist the second minute, I started to cry. » This emotional release is often the first step in integrating your travel experiences with your life back home.
Honoring Your Journey
The beauty of solo travel lies not just in the experiences abroad, but in how those experiences transform you forever. Even when you physically return home, part of you remains changed. The challenge of the reverse culture shock and the opportunity is to bring that authentic self back with you, rather than slipping entirely into old patterns.
« Don’t give up, » Gabi advises those struggling with post-travel adjustment. « If you need help from the therapist, just go. Don’t lose what you found in that time because that’s you, and if you found it, that’s what you really need. »
Solo travel isn’t just about seeing new places, it’s about seeing yourself with new eyes. It’s about discovering that you are capable, resilient, and perhaps entirely different from whom you thought you were. And that discovery is worth every tearful goodbye, every moment of uncertainty, and every challenge along the way.
Have you experienced reverse culture shock after living abroad? How did you maintain your authentic self after returning home? Share your solo travel stories in the comments below, and don’t forget to listen to the full episode of Travel HER to hear more about Gabi’s transformative journey abroad.
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