01954nas a2200205   4500008004100000022001400041245009100055210006900146300001200215490000700227520126700234653001401501653002801515653001601543653001101559653002501570653002201595100001701617856011401634       2022                        eng d  a2300-168200aAnxieties Regarding Family Return to Latvia: Does the Imagined Turn Out to Be Reality?0 aAnxieties Regarding Family Return to Latvia Does the Imagined Tu  a155-1710 v113 a<p>For a migrant, returning to his or her homeland after living abroad can be much anticipated, yet also daunting, especially if return includes other family members who may have little insight into the cultural traditions and life approaches of the homeland. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative evidence from interviews and a survey of both Latvian nationals living abroad and returnees to Latvia, the anxieties concerning first-generation family return with (mostly) second-generation children are unravelled &ndash; particularly the challenges faced by the children. The paper explores the difference between an imagined family return to the homeland and the lived experience. Anxieties especially concern children&rsquo;s readiness for school &ndash; lack of home-country language skills, curriculum disparities and the often unsympathetic attitude of teaching staff towards returnee pupils. Preparation in advance, a resilient mindset and an avoidance of comparisons with the host country are found to reduce return anxiety for both parents and children and to ease (re)integration into the homeland setting. Home-country government initiatives offering support measures to returnees also help to mitigate the challenges of return.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>10aeducation10afamily return migration10aimagination10aLatvia10areturn culture shock10areturnee children1 aGrosa, Daina  uhttp://www.ceemr.uw.edu.pl/content/anxieties-regarding-family-return-latvia-does-imagined-turn-out-be-reality