Culture is fascinating!  Did you know the best time to address the eventual return of an expatriate employee to the home country is the day that the employee agrees to the terms of the new assignment?  At that time when plans for the assignment are implemented, an integral part of that plan should be a focus on the future inevitability of the repatriation, and a provision for Repatriation Orientation upon return.  Many expats say that “reverse culture shock” was much more significant than their expected adjustment to the new culture.  That is because most people are convinced that coming home will be easy.  They are familiar with the country, the town, the office, the people, the language, the way of life, but they forget that their international experience changes them.  Suddenly home looks and feels different, life has gone on here without them and this can be unsettling.  Norms and values are viewed from a fresh perspective and the expat and family see things in a new light.  The pace of life in the foreign country might have been slower, allowing for more intimacy in the family, the world opened up and former concerns took on a less significant role.  Friends are not familiar with nor are they interested in hearing about the fascinating places and events the expats might have experienced.  The employee who most likely had an autonomous, prestigious position on foreign assignment now returns as someone who has no defined role and no place to use his newfound knowledge of the foreign enterprise.  There is confusion, doubt and a sense of grief for the loss of the expatriate life.  This, like culture shock, is a process.  The cycle, which differs for each individual, comes with eventual adjustment.  Repatriation Training completes the expatriate assignment and benefits the expat and the corporation.    Global LT’s Cultural Training Programs - Repatriation