What are the main challenges for repatriate professional expatriates?
Robin: They have been out of the loop and things may have changed at their organization…or indeed, they may repatriate without a job altogether and that’s challenging. Often, new co-workers think an expat has been living the high life overseas and now that they are home, should be brought down to earth. Some expats have felt too that their overseas experience did not translate into a better job (with higher pay) even though they were told in the first instance that the overseas job would be good for their careers! Expats Guide: What are the main challenges for repatriate accompanying spouses? Robin: Probably too many to mention! But primarily it’s feeling isolated and having great friends who unfortunately live very far away. If their partners’ organizations do take advantage of the overseas experience, they may ask them to do more travel from home base and so the family (the mother!) may become what I used to call “a single parent without dating privileges!” Re-starting their own ca
