Repatriation

Many expatriates find that moving back to their own country is not as easy as they expected. Things may have changed since the last time they lived there. Also, as they now have experience from living in other countries, they are more able to compare the school system, health care, bureaucracy, level of service, availability of goods and services, price levels, culture and entertainment, etc. to what they became used to abroad.
Returning expatriates may find that they are more critical of their own country than they used to be, and that they might even go through a phase of being angry and depressed and disappointed, until you realize that repatriation can be at least as challenging as moving to a completely new country.
Many times you might even feel you have more in common with foreigners moving to your country for the first time, than with those who have always lived there. Old friends from home do not necessary understand you or agree with your opinions, and they might not even be interested in your experiences as an expatriate.
It might be wise to keep a low profile.

Returning "home" with Children

When being in a process of repatriation it could be a good idea to keep in touch with the international expatriate community present locally (if any) and get involved in their activities. This will also be of help for the children, who are more likely to find friends in the international community.
Continuing in an international school might also be an advantage, as they will find friends there who have similar experiences. Your children may not speak your mother tongue or they might speak it with a "foreign" accent, and they might have other interests and skills than local children.
This could be enough to make them feel left out and picked on. Making local friends may take time, and it is important to be aware of the challenge this could represent for the children.
If or when you decide to have your children in a local school or kindergarten, make sure you inform the teachers and other parents about your background as an expatriate - with the handicaps and advantages this involves.
The teachers need to take this into consideration when integrating your children in the school community and adjusting to the curriculum.

Repatriation tips

Ironically, repatriating back to a place you know well can bring more anguish than actually transferring to a new location. Keep in mind that after the initial excitement of moving has worn off, you might go through a down period. Repatriating might be exciting for you, but to those in your neighborhood, you are just a new neighbor. This attitude might make you feel alienated and uncomfortable.

Don't be surprised if people aren't interested in your experiences abroad. They might have a hard time envisioning what you went through, and will most likely be very involved in their own lives and community. Don't overwhelm them with all the fascinating details of your experiences in other countries. Your friends may have never gone further than the next biggest town and your globetrotting lifestyle might make them feel embarrassed. Put your memories aside for awhile; let them tell you about their lives.

Ask all you dare about where to buy clothes, cookware, appliances, and books; ask how to get around town, although it may have not changed much, if at all! These small gestures will make old friends feel appreciated and important. They will embrace you back home and readily show and tell you all you have missed while you were away. This is definitely a very effective way of integrating back into your hometown.

If you choose not to work, try and involve yourself in local events, this will increase your sense of belonging in the community.

Try and keep in touch with the friends you made overseas. It's important to be able to share your thoughts about overseas living with someone. 

Work

Are you following your partner on a move overseas and it is only temporary?
It is worthwhile then to think ahead and plan your sabbatical period. Here are few basic tips on how to keep up the prospects of getting back in the work place after your stint abroad.
If you are planning on re-entering in the same industry or career you had prior to moving overseas:

• Stay as involved as possible with former colleagues.
• Remain informed on changes or new industry trends.
• Keep network alive.
• Keep resume updated.
• Increase skill level or education while abroad; even if it is not in the same line of business, do something to illustrate your dedication to improving skill levels. Learning a new language for example, is always a useful addition to your curriculum and it is an easy things to do overseas.
• If possible, continue working in some capacity, whether voluntary or mentoring, while living overseas.

On the other end, if you are planning to make a career move in conjunction with your transfer overseas, then consider enrolling in classes that will bring you closer to your objective. Do not be daunted by the fact that you will be in a foreign country, in fact there are many opportunity available to you as on-line courses or mail classes which allow you to overcome the language barrier. Check also if there is any availability of courses of some interest to you in the country you are moving to and in a language you feel comfortable with.

In the past few years, many books have been written about repatriation, an important subject that is often ignored.

Here a quick list of situations to keep in mind before you repatriate:

- Be aware that repatriating back to a place you know well, can prove tougher than transferring to a new location. Repatriating might be exciting for you, but to those in your neighborhood, you are just a new neighbor, which may make you feel alienated and uncomfortable.

- After the initial excitement of moving back you might go through a down period. Avoid this by setting goals for yourself every few months. If you choose not to work, involve yourself in local events to develop a sense of belonging to the community.

- Don't be surprised if people aren't interested in your experiences abroad. They might have a hard time envisioning what you went through, and will most likely be very involved in their own lives and community.

- Before you move, take a good look at your furniture and belongings, what might look great in the Far East, might not look so good in Houston.

- Keep in touch with the friends you made overseas. It's important to be able to share your thoughts about overseas living with someone who has experienced it too!

An excerpt from a Paguro member's experience repatriating.

After you’ve lived overseas or been away for a long period of time, returning home and readjusting to your old life can cause unforeseen problems.

While walking through my home town those first few days, I felt out of place and stared at. You might start to question yourself "Do I look like an alien'", "Is my hair standing on end'", "Is there a stain on my shirt'". This strange sensation is hard to understand. Maybe you just look different or perhaps you've changed while you were away and didn't even notice.

People that I used to know felt jaded when I failed to recognize them instantly. Probably these old acquaintances are thinking “There she is, back after having left our city so long ago and look, she doesn’t even recognize us anymore! She is no longer one of us."

When you finally rekindle old contacts, don’t overwhelm them with all the fascinating details of your experiences in other countries. Your friends may have never gone further than the next biggest town and your globe-trotting lifestyle might make them feel embarrassed. Put your memories aside for awhile; let them tell you about their lives - about their marriages, children and families. These stories are very important, they are the focus of their lives.