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The situation can be equally complicated for ‘trailing spouses’,
who often struggle to find a job upon return and might well confront a sense of displacement. And there can be financial worries, too: research by Hoxton Capital, UAE-based financial consultant, found that as many as two-thirds of expats working in the region returned home less wealthy than when they arrived. “Many expats find themselves in an awkward position after
a number of years abroad where they have essentially outspent what they have earned. This could be down to inadvisable investments or leading a more extravagant lifestyle than they would at home. Individuals who find themselves in this position might be forced to repatriate and, in most cases, such an upheaval isn’t desirable,” reports Hoxton.
REFLECTIVE EXPERIENCES And even students returning from studying abroad for just one term can experience reverse culture shock, according to a report in February by Lasell College in Massachusetts. Sarah Driscoll, the college’s director of international services, says that between 20-25 per cent of each class at Lasell studies abroad and that students often experience emotions of euphoria, shock and adjustment when they return. Driscoll believes that it is important for these students to
reflect on their experiences abroad through writing, talking about it and joining a group of like-minded people. “You might have experiences that your friends that didn’t study abroad can’t relate to and maybe don’t want to hear your stories as often,” she says. “I think when you have had such a transformative experience, being able to talk about it and reflect on it is so important.” Too often, such an approach is simply not adopted by companies
when it comes to repatriating staff after foreign assignments, according to Craig Storti, director of Communicating Across Cultures and author of The Art of Coming Home. Invariably, Storti says managers do not appreciate the value of a repat’s experience abroad, let alone take advantage of his or her new skills. Additionally, he says: “When you’re an expat, you generally have much more independence and responsibility than when you get back home and there’s a whole floor of people that you have to report to. The position they go back to can feel diminished and lead to a lot of frustration. At the same time, other companies might love to hire someone with that experience.” It seems F. Scott Fitzgerald was right: coming home can,
indeed, be a “funny thing”. It is just that, for many, it is no laughing matter.
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