ExpatRepat Services
by Robert E. "", President
ExpatRepat Services
Ever talk with others about the challenge expats face when coming home? What you hear will depend upon at least four factors:
Whether or not the person has gone through the repatriation experience.
The person's view of self.
Whether or not the person perceives reality accurately.
Whether or not he or she is truthful.
A man may be a father many times, but he could never report on the experience of childbirth with the credibility of his wife. Similarly, some express strong points of view on how there are no problems in repatriation, by saying, "Be real! That's no challenge, those folks are coming home." Often, such comments are the short sighted words of sending officials who have never adjusted to a host culture or readjusted to his or her culture of origin.
There also are those, generally male repatriates, whose self-concept prevents them from admitting they were, or are being, challenged. After all, "it would be a sign of weakness for a man to admit he couldn't cope immediately with any challenge." Over time, far more women have reported being ill at ease, or being depressed, after returning to that strange place they thought was home. Even when effective expatriate managers and executives have honestly told colleagues they were depressed or not able to function well, they were cut no slack. "Oh, you're just experiencing jet lag. Take a few days off and then get back to work."
Those who adjusted well as expats and completed the assignment effectively often have more difficulty in readjustment at coming home than at cultural adjustment in the host country. Frequently, those who sent employee families on international assignments, and the repatriating families, both misperceive the reality of re-entry. The price paid in the misperception is high. Repatriating employees and their family members generally are in need of special assistance to lessen the trauma and shorten the process through which they pass when re-entering the culture of origin. There are documented cases where one or more members of a repatriated family may suffer significantly for more than one year. It also has been observed that these unmet needs can and do contribute to a reported 25% of repatriated employees leaving the company to work for a competitor within 24 months.
Among those who truthfully report their challenges in coming home, there are instructive responses. We regularly tell repatriates there are persons who adjusted well to a host culture and served there in an effective manner who report significant difficulty when coming home. Their responses can be profoundly moving.
One man who had returned with his family from a multiyear assignment reported, "we've been back two years and we are about to die." He yearned for help we were able to provide, much as we would give food to a hungry person or water to one who is dehydrated.
An intellectually bright repatriate wife bared her feelings after multiple expatriate assignments. When told, "I've heard your story before from wives who were as intelligent and mentally well balanced as you are," she replied softly: "you mean I'm not crazy!"
On a hopeful note, we now get requests from major companies to provide appropriate repatriation resources for their valued repatriating families. We await your inquiry on how much-needed resources can be given your repatriates as they re-adjust to the culture of origin, in the same manner most now believe help is needed in adjusting to a host culture.
For more information, contact us.
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