Are You Searching for a Repatriation Program?

Anouchka Eichmann is originally from France but currently live in the United States. She has worked in a number of industries and traveled extensively over the years, learning about foreign cultures and practices and collaborating or bonding with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Anouchka founded x-expats.com with the help and support of family, friends and acquaintances who believe as well that global exposure and knowledge enrich lives and contribute to our personal and professional development.

Anouchka's home is mobile and although she has lived and enjoyed residing in North America for a number of years, she is looking forward to returning to Europe in the future.

Expats Guide: Please tell us a little about x-expats.com and how did you come up with the idea?

Anouchka: The main aim of x-expats.com is to bring together "global talents"; men and women who have lived abroad and choose to return to their "home country". Through a platform supporting the sharing of knowledge and resources, x-expats.com enables members to communicate with like-minded people, share experiences, get advice, locate information in order to facilitate the process of re-assimilation into their country of origin. As you know, life abroad not only changes an individual's expectations, visions, and aspirations but also blurs the perception and realities of living in a country that used to be called "home".

The idea was born out of necessity for repatriation program. Like many people who return home for an extended period of time after living in a foreign country, I have experienced and witnessed the repatriation blues, or what is called reverse culture shock. I, like too many repats, was caught unaware of the changes and challenges that awaited back home. Statistics show that a sizeable number of repats ends up leaving again. This is unfortunate. Repats may benefit their home country, and community, by transferring their knowledge, providing international market information, cultural practices, and work ethics. Too often though, there is a lack of structures and processes to harvest these skills and seize on their knowledge to stimulate economic and cultural development.

Expats Guide: What are the main challenges that repats face?

Anouchka: The main challenges repats face relate to administrative practices and processes (i.e. education, health, insurance, unemployment, retirement, immigration, etc.), reverse culture shock and lack of recognition of their experience and skills.

Expats Guide: How can x-expats.com assist repats to come up with a repatriation program? And in what areas?

Anouchka: Our mission is to facilitate the re-assimilation process on personal and professional levels, to entice repats to be active, to share and disseminate their knowledge, and to be involved in the recommendation of organizations (public and private) that have been helpful during and after the repatriation process.

The site includes resources such as a directory of worldwide organizations providing relevant information pertaining to administrative issues, culture, education, employment finance, real estate, or relocation to name a few categories; articles covering a wide range of topics (reverse culture shock, family, etc.), and a community section. Members can join or create groups, participate in discussions to answer or ask questions.

Expats Guide: Do you assist repats from all around the world or only from certain countries?

Anouchka: X-expats.com was launched earlier this month. We only cover selected countries in North America and Europe at this time but plan to expand our geographic coverage in the future. We wish to assist repats from all around the world and welcome communications/suggestions from repats or partnerships with organizations from any country helping repats to achieve this objective.

Expats Guide:Thanks Anouchka for a great interview. You are providing an essential service for repats who are searching for repatriation program. For more information you can visit X-expats.com