The Transition Curve - And Why Every Globally Mobile Parent Should Know It
Are you familiar with the "Transition Curve"?
If you are a globally mobile working parent who recently moved countries, jobs, schools - you should be.
And I don't say that lightly.
My family and I have lived this curve three times so far: Germany to South Africa, South Africa back to Germany, and then Germany to Dubai. And I didn't know any of this the first time we moved.
Knowing this curve will help you and your whole family to better manage the emotional ups and downs of this transition and simply everybody's wellbeing. And it will also set the tone for your professional and your children's academic journey.
The Good-Byes
Let's start with the good-byes. You have to say a clear goodbye to say a clear hello.
I'm sure you were busy organising the physical move and the admin. But did you take the time for proper "lasts" and proper good-byes? Football training, work, school, family and friends, important places, even things?
The Honeymoon
And suddenly, there is departure day. You set foot on unfamiliar territory. Everything is new and exciting and wants to be explored. No time to miss anything. It feels like a "honeymoon".
At some point though, the newness fades. And you start spotting the differences. Between what you've left behind and what you have now. You might miss the familiarity of the known. Your old job and its familiar processes. Your old community and a reliable safety net, built over years. You might even resent the move. Strongly.
Culture Shock
You realise the job market is very different. Not as easy to conquer as you thought.
The school calendar feels like a jump 'n run video game where you constantly need to be alert of dress up days, swim terms, apps for different sign ups, class WhatsApp groups etc.
This period is called CULTURE SHOCK. And it's very normal to experience that. Some feel it more. Some feel it less.
Feeling at Home
And then, one day, it shifts. Not because someone says it's over. But because you've made it through the messy middle.
You just notice you know the swimming term without checking the app. You wave at someone in the carpark and mean it. The person at the till finally recognises you. You head for a network meetup for globally mobile working parents reinventing their careers.
That's Feeling at Home. It doesn't announce itself. It just quietly becomes the new normal.
Why This Curve Is Worth Knowing
It won't make the dip disappear. But it means you — and your kids — can see it coming. It's a stage. A completely normal one, with an end point.
If your school, company or team could use a refresher on this — reach out. I run workshops on transition, online and in person in Dubai.
Where are you on the curve right now?
Warmly, Viviane
Viviane is an Integral® Career Transition and Leadership Coach and SPAN-trained Transitions Care Consultant working with globally mobile professionals. With 15+ years in marketing and supply chain leadership and as a mother of three Third Culture Kids, she helps clients navigate change with awareness and self-compassion, personally and professionally. She is currently based in Dubai, UAE.