Coming Home and Welcoming Back pt 2 of 2

Notes

In this episode of traxcultures, recorded just before Mike and Elissa Picconatto's latest home assignment, the conversation dives deep into the raw realities of returning to your passport country after years abroad. Joined by Dr. Stephen W. Jones and Jennie Jones, the team draws from firsthand experience and the Cross-Cultural Transition Handbook to explore the emotional, relational, and logistical challenges faced in reentry—whether it’s leaving behind the dailiness of life overseas, coping with ambiguous losses, or grappling with the sense of being a visitor in what was once home.

Listeners will hear candid reflections on grief, celebration, and the often-missed practicalities of transition, including the difficulty of saying proper goodbyes, navigating changed cultural norms, and the cumulative stress of reintegration. The group unpacks what they wish churches, friends, and family understood about the sensitivity and complexity of returning workers, and they share tips on self-care, grace, and setting healthy expectations. Whether you’re preparing for your own transition or walking alongside someone who is, this episode offers both empathy and practical wisdom for anyone facing the profound changes of coming home.

Links:

Resources from this episode:

Information on Stephen Jones.

Videos and other traXcultures resources.

Follow Stephen and Jennie on Instagram: @thejonesesinberlin

Visit liminal edges on Instagram: @liminal_edges

Contact Envision Berlin about customizing the Cross-Cultural Transitions Handbook for your cross-cultural ministry organization.

Purchase a copy of our Envision skinned Cross-Cultural Transitions Handbook here!

Credits:

Regular Theme music by Mike Picconatto

traxcultures is recorded and produced by Envision Berlin

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