Blogs

Frontline: Back from disaster 1

Fundraising | Andrew Chaggar | 22 Dec 2011

After 18 months spent on the frontline in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, aid worker Andrew Chaggar finds it hard to adjust to the 'reality' of life back in the UK.

I’ve now been out of Haiti for almost three weeks and for two reasons the time has gone by in a disorientating blur. Firstly, I’ve been busy catching up with people and attending to my personal life in general back in the UK. Secondly, I’ve been experiencing a fairly major dose of “Re-Entry Syndrome (RES)”.

Re-Entry Syndrome, or reverse culture shock, is something I’ve mentioned previously but never really blogged about in depth. Given its current relevance to me, now seemed like a good time to do so.

Many people are familiar with “culture shock”, which is experienced upon being immersed in a different culture. RES is similar but rather than affecting those traveling to a new culture, it affects those readjusting to their native culture after having been away.

Anyone who has lived and worked overseas, or in a different culture, may experience RES and it has been recognised in military personnel, students, people released from prison and, of course, aid workers like myself.

The degree to which someone experiences RES depends on both how long they were away and also on how intense their experiences were while they were gone. This is something I can personally attest to.

Disaster zones are always intense places to live and work. Haiti was particularly challenging as it was a huge disaster in what was already the poorest country in the western hemisphere. While this was the third time in my life I’ve undertaken a prolonged stay in a disaster zone, my 18 months in Port-au-Prince represent not only my longest but also my most extreme deployment to date. As a result I’ve been experiencing RES significantly since leaving Haiti.

Symptoms of re-entry syndrome

The way RES affects people varies but an often quoted symptom, and one I can certainly relate, is a sense of disconnection. When you return home after living in a disaster zone you will often have to reconcile big differences between the circumstances you’ve experienced abroad in those in your home country.

For me, it has been a shock to return to the comforts of the developed world after living in a place as poor as Haiti, where many people live with hunger and insecure shelter. As a result it can also be difficult to empathise with the values and perspectives of those back home.

For example, when you know that the cost of a simple morning Starbucks could have fed ten hungry children it can be tough to be enthused about the approaching excesses of Christmas.

Overall aid workers experiencing RES may feel frustrated not only because they can’t articulate the intensity of what they’ve been through but also that some at home don’t even seem to care.

Such feelings of isolation can also be compounded by a sense of loss. Many people are drawn to aid work as it provides a definite sense of purpose. Living and working in intense circumstances can also mean that strong bonds and friendships are formed with colleagues. Upon returning home aid workers may keenly feel the absence of such goals and relationships. Overall, in 2003, Aid Workers Network reported that after leaving the field 60 per cent of British aid workers felt mainly negative emotions.

Such emotions can be problematic as some may over over-indulge in food, alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism. If left unresolved these negative emotions and behaviour can damage personal health and relationships with friends and family. While in some cases RES may be mild in others it can lead to severe problems such as depression.

Different people will have different ways of coping with RES but Aid Workers Network also provides some good general tips such as not making rash decisions while suffering and seeking contact with people genuinely interested in your experiences - like local newspapers for example.

I’m personally fortunate as in Haiti I lived and worked with my wife who is also a director of our charity. This means that even though I’ve left the country I have continuity in this relationship and someone who shares my experiences. Also, while I have been missing the hands-on aspects of my work on the ground, my on-going duties with our charity give me a continued focus.

Overall RES is a common occupational hazard for aid workers but thankfully we’re generally an adaptable bunch and as the days pass people do re-adjust to their native cultures. In fact time is a great healer and perhaps the most important thing in dealing with re-entry. Also, coming home obviously has its good points too and it’s important to try and enjoy them.

For me personally, the keys to handling RES are reflecting with my wife, staying focused on my charity work, and maybe a few sit-ups to deal with all the Christmas cake.

Tweet

Who's Who: Andrew Chaggar