When people travel away from their home for a while and get accustomed to a new way of life, thinking about coming back home can be a little scary. They are not scared because they do not want to go back. In most cases people are ready to see their family and friends. No, the reason that they are scared is because they have changed. Adapting to a new culture is a challenge in the first place, so many things are different from what they are normally used too. Whether it be food, the idea of time, or language; things differ from place to place. Once you finally get into a routine, one usually enjoys the flow of life from there on. It is nice not to be stressed from trying to adapt to the everyday world around you.
Other than adapting to a new culture the person has changed on a deeper level. They have these new experiences and memories. The things that they did and saw are a part of who they are. Some people become more independent when they study abroad, others break out of their shells, and some find new hobbies or a new lifestyle that they enjoy. So when they look back at where they came from they see it in a different light. They have changed and realize that, but home is still the same.
Although there may have been small situations which have caused the people back home to change, it is still in the small context of the world that they live in. Going to a different country opens your eyes to a different view of the world that you may have never known before. One feels like it is going to be hard to go back to the old routine that they once lived, but that routine may never actually be the same as it was before. People back home have this idea of who you are and their expectations of you, but you might no longer fit this view. They have not been there with you as you have been changing and growing as a person, so when you finally do come back it is a huge difference to them. Their idea of you is static. It is just like they pressed a pause button when you left, and just try to hit the play button from the last known spot when you get back. It is also like when you have not seen a young kid in awhile and you picture them in that state, but when you see them a couple months or even years later you really see how much they have grown. You would not have realized the difference in such a drastic manner if you saw them every day or every week. So it is hard to want to go back to a place where people no longer feel like they know you.
To be honest it is difficult and scary to get ready to go back to that, and try to prepare yourself to not be a shock. To try to learn to not to talk about the past couple weeks, months, or years that you have experienced. To be less of the person that you are right now, the person that you have grown to be. No one tells you this until you get here, and no one can prepare you for this when you go back. All you can do is be who you are and start adapting to the environment around you once again.
