Are you an expat returning home after living abroad? Not sure what to expect? Read advice and get tips from previous expats who have gone returned home!
1. You think you’re going to save Africa. News flash: they did not wait for you oh *insert Ivorian accent here*! The train has already left the station. Africa’s economy is growing – it has a projected GDP growth of 3.4 % in 2021. Women’s role in governance has increased. They hold more […]
Struggling with reverse culture shock? Here are 5 suggestions from an expat therapist on how to adjust to life back at home after living abroad.
Nigeria has successfully repatriated over 300 of its citizens who had previously sought refuge in Jordan following pilgrimage in Israel.
Travel healthcare has just become easier: the possibility of receiving quality treatment regardless of the country. International trips are always enjoyable, but imagine if you or your family membe…
Reverse culture shock can be a challenging time for a repatriate. After living overseas as an expatriate, you're back in your home country yet it feels foreign to you. You've grown accustomed to different values, customs and everyday life while living life abroad. I share ways reverse culture shock
Which is harder: moving abroad or coming home? What kind of things do people find most difficult about repatriation?
As the UK government's plan to declare Rwanda safe for asylum seekers approaches legislative approval, charities that aid asylum seekers are preparing for
The National Museum of African Art identified 16 objects from its collection with direct links to the British army’s 1897 punitive raid on the Kingdom of Benin.
Cuban Migrants aboard a rustic vessel near Alligator Reef Lighthouse, Florida, July 27, 2022. U.S. Coast Guard Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton's crew repatriated 83 Cubans to Cuba, July 30, 2022, following several interdictions off the Florida Keys. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
An interdicted migrant vessel about 23 miles south of Marathon, Florida, July 4, 2022. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo's crew repatriated 32 Cubans to Cuba, July 6, 2022, following three interdictions off the coasts of Mexico and the Florida Keys. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
A slightly belated Happy New Year. I gave myself a little extended break to start the year, so I could spend time with the family properly without staring at a screen too much… Everything festive in our household was delayed somewhat anyway thanks to the most god awful bug that started working its way through […]
Parallel to today's protest at the RISD Museum, organizers from Decolonize This Place gathered at the Brooklyn Museum to decry stolen objects in the Brooklyn Museum's collection.
In Duke Riley's newest solo exhibition titled The Repatriation of King Skellig Mör, the artist explores this curious relationship between animals and nature, institutional power, and ownership.
Share Tweet Like -KATHMANDU; ANN The Government of Russia conducted its first repatriation flight today to evacuate 143…
Even in a solidly blue state where voters were demanding relief from the high cost of health care, the idea of a government-run public option for health insurance faced a "steam train of opposition."
About a month ago, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed when a photo of a familiar street in Madrid popped up. Out of curiosity, I clicked on the blogger's profile, and I was immediately inundated with images of the stunning city I had just departed. This girl was frolicking through my favorite streets, sipping on tinto de verano at my favorite rooftop bars, and even brunching in my old neighborhood. At first, I started tearing up. Then suddenly, envy began to pulse through my veins. "Who is this b*#@%?", I seethed with spite. "Why is SHE in Madrid? That's MY city. It should be ME that's there." I had never even heard of this random girl's blog, and in reality I'm sure she is a great person. (And given that she was visiting all of my favorite spots in Madrid, we can assume she has good taste.) My childish, unwarranted rage made me feel like a jealous ex-girlfriend. And that's precisely when I realized that Spain broke up with me. During my first month home, all I felt was heartbreak. My heart literally hurt. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, and the throbbing aches in my chest stubbornly overpowered the jet lag I was so desperately clinging onto. I thought I had run out of tears when I cried all the way to Iceland, but apparently I was mistaken. I had a lot of valid reasons for leaving Madrid. But now, blinded by the nostalgia of the past three years, I can't really seem to remember them. Something to do with sustainability, finances, and pursuing the next step in my career. Or whatever. I suppose since I left Madrid voluntarily, it was actually me who broke up with Spain. Either way, break ups suck. The fact that it was my decision to "end the relationship" doesn't make it hurt any less. When you leave a place you love, you feel like you've left a chunk of your soul behind with you. The process gets exponentially more complicated when you transition between cultures. When I first came to Madrid, I was worried about adapting to a new culture, functioning in an entirely different language, and essentially starting a new life from scratch. But after spending three years immersed in the language, culture, and quirks of another country, I've adopted countless Spanish customs as my own. I've been stretched and challenged, I've expanded my world view, and ultimately, I've become a little bit more madrileña along the way. Coming home and being expected to feel like a star-spangled American again is like forcing a puzzle piece into a space that doesn't quite fit. But this time around, it's more than just reverse culture shock. The rug has been ripped out from under me, and gone are the days of two-hour lunch breaks, three-day weekends, and 30€ Ryanair flights whisking me off to my next destination. Since coming home, I've been forced to come to terms with the bitter realities of job hunting, buying a car, saving for grad school, and planning for the future. Everyone in the USA is probably rolling their eyes and thinking, "Welcome to adulthood, Courtney. It's about time." And it's not my intention to sound entitled or pretentious. But it's a lot to digest at once, especially combined with changes in friendships and the social sphere, as well as those nagging reminders of how leaving Spain absolutely shattered my heart. I want to be wandering the streets of Malasaña, sipping on vino tinto in Plaza de las Comendadoras, and going on last-minute getaways with my fellow expat friends. I want to be sinking my teeth into a gooey pincho de tortilla at Bodega de la Ardosa. I want to savor vermouth before lunch, tapas crawl in La Latina, and sobremesa for hours afterwards. I miss the way Spanish words roll off my tongue and dance languidly in the warm air. I miss watching the street lamps ignite at dusk, making you feel as if the day’s adventures are only just beginning. I miss the feeling that anything is possible, and that seeing the world is a tangible reality. Madrid helped me become the best version of myself, and right now, I’m not sure how I'll be able to preserve that. I might not sound very original, considering countless other ex-expats have already shared this quote, but it's a frighteningly accurate portrayal of how I'm feeling right now: "You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place."- Miriam Adeney It's been about seven weeks since I returned to the States, and I'm pleased to report that I'm doing a lot better than when I first moved back. Since this feels like a breakup, my natural instinct is to lie on the couch, eat guacamole and binge-watch Seinfeld. However, I've been keeping up a crazy schedule of job hunting, interviewing, reconnecting with friends and family, stepping up my exercise regime, and conquering my irrational fear of driving. (But in full disclosure, I still watch Seinfeld.) And I'm thrilled to announce that I've just accepted a full-time job that feels like the perfect fit for me! (I promise to divulge more details soon!) The Madrid-shaped hole in my heart has yet to heal, and I doubt anything will ever completely fill it. But I'll continue to try to embrace this new chapter, plan more adventures, and be present in Seattle. Closing the door on my life in Spain has shaken me to my core, but my gut is telling me that this is where I need to be right now. Fellow ex-expats, what has helped you cope with repatriation?
In early May 2016, Andy Fuller, a groundsman from Royal Air Force Honington, England, swept his metal detector over the soil of what used to be known as RAF Knettishall. Once designated as U.S. Army
US and Panama have signed a new agreement over the immigration issues vowing to close down the Darién Gap. A passage used by illegal migrants travelling north to the United States, under a deal with Central America new president José Raúl Mulino, on Monday. Under the agreement, the US will cover the costs of repatriating […]
"For us is a brother; but for them it is a souvenir or an attraction,” said a member of the Easter Island development commission, Anakena Manutomatoma.
A reference for BC Indigenous communities and museums, created by and for Indigenous people working in repatriation.“Our late friend and brother Rod Naknakim said, ‘Reconciliation and repatriation cannot and should not be separated. The two must anchor our conversation and guide our efforts as we move forward collectively with common purpose and understanding.’”—Dan Smith, BCMA Indigenous Advisory Chair, Nuyumbalees Cultural CentreWe are in a new era of reconciliation that involves repatriation—the return of Indigenous objects and Ancestral remains to their home communities—and the creation of meaningful relationships between museums and Indigenous communities. This handbook, the first to be created by and for Indigenous people, provides practical information that will enable each of the 34 unique Indigenous language and cultural groups in BC to carry out the process of repatriation in ways that align with the cultural traditions of each respective community. It also provides information that will be helpful to museums, and to Indigenous communities across Canada.
The repatriation blues sometimes start before you have left your expat life! Read what challenges I have had in preparing to leave Qatar.
E. Tammy Kim writes on the Passamaquoddy tribe’s history with its cultural property, and also the growing sensitivity of research institutions across the country toward Native materials.
The expat life is an amazing gift we give our children but returning home has its share of hurdles. The challenges will differ for each person but the level of support that's needed upon the return home remains the same.
Tribes and museums are grappling with the dilemma of sacred Indigenous objects and remains contaminated by toxic pesticides and preservatives.
