Hi, I'm Andrea!
Your holistic coach and mentor
When I returned to Hamburg in 2022 after six years in the USA, I was initially thrilled. But I soon felt really unhappy and wanted to return immediately.
Returning from abroad can be a major challenge. But today I feel truly at home in Germany again.
My mission is to help you and your family successfully reintegrate so that you can fully enjoy your life in Germany and learn to really appreciate it.
Andrea, the adventurer!
Living abroad has always been a fascinating experience for me. The opportunity to get to know other ways of living, the wonderful nature and the unique experiences have always inspired me. I spent three years in the USA, where my children were born, and later another six fantastic years as a teacher at a German international school abroad.
Returning to my old home - Excitement
When my visa expired, it was time to say goodbye. I was heading back to Germany, back to a bilingual school as a teacher, career coach, mentor and eventually also as deputy principal at a school with lots of international children and colleagues. Many people told me the return would not be easy, but I started the journey back to Hamburg full of excitement. The first few weeks were filled with happiness and adventure and I was looking forward to rediscovering my old home.
Germany - I imagined it differently
But then there were doubts. Friends hardly had time and people's attitudes were different to what I was used to. I felt alone and wanted to go back to Boston immediately. "What a mistake" I thought. I seeked help from a coach and learned that it is completely normal to experience a "low-period" after about three months. This revelation totally surprised me, I had never heard of it before and somehow I was relieved - I am normal. Many expats are not aware of the re-entry shock (or reversed culture shock)! I was amazed and immediately felt a little better.
How I learned to really feel at home in Germany again
I started researching, began a training to become a holistic coach and came across more and more information about the challenges of returning and reintegrating yourself after living abroad. Thankfully, I felt like I had done everything right "back home" in Boston. I said a fond farewell and revisited my favorite places. "The better the time abroad, the harder it is to return", I read - well, that's going to be something....
Fortunately, things turned out differently. After a year, I felt truly at home again in Hamburg. I was able to integrate my perspectives, knowledge and skills into my personal and professional life here. Of course, every now and then I still find myself longing for my time in Boston, but at the same time I feel deeply grateful for the great experiences I had and for all the wonderful people I was able to meet.
I wish you the same!
I want to support you and your family so that you feel truly at home again in your new environment and live the lifestyle you dream of.
Re-integration does not happen automatically and each family member goes through this phase in their own way and needs support in different areas of their lives. Children, especially teenagers, often find the return the most difficult. Often one partner returns to work and has to figure out where to go with their career and what value their time abroad has brought. Sometimes a partner has never lived here before and Germany feels completely foreign. Re-integration is a challenge, but how you deal with it, whether you grow from it or find it stressful, is up to you.
My offer for you!
My program FINDING YOURSELF IN TRANSITION is designed to make this journey easier for you so that you feel completely at home again in Germany. Together we will search for resources to help you overcome challenging situations. You will become more aware of the experiences, knowledge and skills you have gained abroad in order to grow both professionally and personally and to successfully integrate these insights into your new life.
Through many years working as a teacher, mentor and career coach at a school abroad and in Germany with many international students, I have been able to accompany and support many children in their integration. I have incorporated my knowledge from various personal development training courses, as well as from my training as a holistic coach and career coach, into my program.
As a result, I have developed a holistic approach with different methods and mindset exercises for the different phases of re-integration in order to consider all aspects of the re-entry journey and provide a comprehensive understanding and a holistic solution.