When the opportunity to live and work abroad presents itself,   individuals tend to focus their attention on the expatriation process as well as the benefits of residing outside the home country. They discuss the impact of an overseas assignment on their career and relationships, identify personal and professional challenges,   speculate about the types of skills and knowledge that will be gained overseas, anticipate career development and personal growth.  Once a decision is made to relocate overseas, practical arrangements follow with concerns mingled with excited anticipation.   

Living in a foreign country brings both advantages and challenges.  Individuals typically will go through different stages defined as the honeymoon, culture shock, recovery, and adjustment phase (Oberg model) prior to successfully adapting to their new life.  Individuals may experience the duration of each phase differently but eventually will accustom to the new environment and become fully integrated into their host country.  Some people plan to remain overseas for only a few years (i.e. transferees, students; others entertain the idea of living in a foreign country for an extended period of time(would-be emigrants).  

After embracing the expatriate life, it is quite common to defer planning the return home or not giving much thought to what will happen after the completion of the international assignment or stay abroad. In fact,  a majority of expatriates, whether they plan to return to their country of origin in the near or distant future,  assume their repatriation to be an easy affair, a simple move that can be summarized as relocating “home”, an environment that is not only familiar but also well-known and understood. However, empirical evidence and anecdotal observations that depict the realities of repatriation reveal quite a number of challenges and difficulties individuals should acknowledge and plan for. Repatriation is not as simple as it seems. As expats, we learn about our host country’s culture and practices, and as we accept and practice new customs and behaviors, we begin to see the world from different angles. These new perspectives not only change our beliefs but also our behavior.  As we go through these phases and evolve, our country of origin, family and friends back home also undergo many changes in our absence.  Internet, Skype, social media are indeed great tools to stay connected to people and organizations we care about but we shouldn’t forget that “being connected “ does not necessarily mean  “being involved” .  

Repatriating is not an easy process because the environment we considered as our home is no longer familiar and understood.   This is called reverse culture shock. It is felt more intensely because contrary to an expatriation, these emotions and thoughts are unexpected.  This may create a lot of frustration. Numerous surveys indicate that about a quarter of expatriate employees resign from their job within a year of the return to the country of origin. A sizable number of returning expatriates report considering new assignments or opportunities abroad.  So if you are planning to return “home” after residing abroad for a number of years, here are some tips to facilitate the transition:

1. Do NOT make assumptions about your repatriation.  
2. Be inquisitive, ask questions about issues to consider (i.e.  social-economic environment in the home country, business and cultural practices, career development, financial planning, education, administrative process, reverse culture shock, cost of living, to name a few).
3. Prepare and plan
4. Seek assistance as needed (i.e. coaching, counseling, professional services).
5. Keep your expectations realistic.  3. Create a support system (i.e. mentors)  
6. Be open.  
7. Accept changes.
8. Use and share your newly acquired skills and knowledge. Repatriation can be as successful and enriching as your expatriation!

Written by Anouchka Eichman, X-Expats

Repatriation is a subject that is getting covered more and more, especially in the past year as the economy has forced many Expats to return home. Of course, other issues could force a return home – from divorce, to family illnesses and beyond.

The return “home” can often be harder than the original move. This is because Repatriates assume they are “returning home to the familiar” and are therefore unexpectedly surprised and dismayed to learn that they no longer feel at home in the place they may have spent most of their lives. Adapting to a new culture implies that you will shift perceptions and ideals in the process. So, what you once thought was familiar, will now feel foreign. And if you went from, say, living in the countryside, or on the beach and loved the outdoors and openness, and return to a big city full of tall buildings, the scenery itself could be an immediate source of disappointment every day.

If you are one of these people and decide that “home is no longer home” and you want to try and find another city that fits you better, here are a few tips, fresh from a coaching session I had recently, that can help you in the process:

1. As you think about places you might prefer to live, try not to focus on the cities themselves.  In other words, if you decide that based on your needs, you think Austin, Texas or Sedona, Arizona would be a better place for you to live than your hometown of Washington, DC, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.  Why?  Because after you visit Austin and Sedona, if you decide you don’t like either, you can jump right into depression, and feel there is noplace for you to live.
2. Instead of making a list of cities, make a list of qualities you need.  For example, open space, within 20 miles of the beach, easy access to transportation, friendly people that greet passerby, etc.  The more you can be in touch with the qualities that now make you happy, the more likely you will find what your seeking.  The other benefit of this technique is that if you visit, say Austin and Sedona, and find you don’t like them as much as you thought, you can look at your list and better understand what’s missing – this, in turn, will keep you focusing on the future, and coming up with alternate cities to consider living in.  Continuing to focus on your quality list will be very helpful in avoiding potential depression.
3. Try vision boarding – this is such a powerful tool.  Use images to help you get in touch with your needs.  You can share your vision board with your life coach, or with a good friend, and they can give you additional insights on what your images reflect.

* Interested in setting up a complimentary coaching session to work on your biggest repatriation or expatriation challenges?  Click here!  *

In the current economy, some Expats may find themselves unwillingly having to return home due to losing a job. Relocating when you don’t want to adds additional burden to the experience. But sometimes, the return home can be unexpectedly difficult, even when it’s a desired move. I found that once I adapted to another culture, I felt like a fish out of water when I returned home. I had somehow changed, and my friends had not. There was a certain gap created, and it was something I noticed for a very long time.

What are your thoughts on repatriation?