For expats, repatriation can be harder than relocation

According to the saying, all good things come to an end, but repatriation can be difficult for many expats.

For many long-term expatriate professionals, returning to the home country can be even more difficult than the original relocation process. Memories of life in the home country may have been coloured by a wish to return, or may have been rejected in the hope the expatriation would be permanent. Either way, readjusting to a changed country can be as stressful as was leaving, even if contact with family and close friends via the internet and phone has been carefully maintained, It’s not just countries which move on, it’s people as well.

The reverse culture shock which takes over when long-term expats return home can be even more disturbing than its counterpart in unfamiliar lands, especially for families. Young people identify with immediate experiences and often don’t relate to their memories of life in the home country. Care needs to be taken in helping them adjust, as youth cultures change faster than those experienced by adults. Preparing and planning for repatriation in the same way as you planned for emigration is essential, especially if finding another job is a priority, with the same holding true for trailing spouses who’ve put their own careers on hold.

Relocation overseas for work purposes changes all those who accept its challenges, with developing into a different version of the person who left home to further a career the usual result. If this isn’t recognised, repatriating expats can feel as isolated back in the home country as they first did in their temporary countries of residence. If the time overseas has included benefits such as home help, a driver, luxury accommodation and suchlike, adjusting to the previous lifestyle can be very difficult. Many feel like foreigners in their countries of birth, unable to accept changes which have taken place since they relocated, and some realise they’ll never feel the same again however hard they try.