Reintegration
Three and a half years after I started my assignment in Thailand, it was time to leave the factory and return to R&D (that is Germany).
Out of curiosity, I read what other people wrote about reintegration. It sounded like something very serious, something to be planned properly. My first idea was: "No big deal for ME, I am German, I've grown up in Germany, been living there for many years, had Internet contact with Germany throughout my expatriation. Reintegration should be very smooth.
Well, there were a number of reasons that I initially accepted to leave Germany, means I was not utterly unhappy to go to Thailand. Though I came to hate a number of things in Thailand, there were many I came to like and enjoy, so my return would not be perfectly pain-free.
So I returned to Germany, spent a few days with my parents, then drove a rental car to Black Forest where my new workplace was. The company had reserved a hotel room.
Now I quickly needed to rent an appartment and furnish it, so that I could receive my shipment of personal effects which was on the way from Bangkok.
In order to get above sorted out, I quickly needed to buy a used car.
To accomplish this, I quickly needed a telephone number, fastest to be had by buying a mobile phone. This mobile phone turned out to become a key item for my repatriation.
A good deal on a used car was found relatively fast through the Internet, which I could luckily access at the office. Meantime, I got around with my bicycle and an occassional rental car.
The rented accommodation turned out more difficult. It's always possible to find an undesirable place at a high price, but the good places at reasonable prices were few, applicants were many, landlords were very choosy. Luckily, I had good references. When I eventually signed a contract, 2 months had passed and I could not move in before another month went by.
During these 3 months I was living in hotels, moved around often (confusing various offices), I was not able to accept my shipment of personal effects from Bangkok, I had to eat outside most of the time, I could not practice my hobbies, I was spending a lot of time sorting out things at offices, searching for and looking at flats. I had no other way than doing a lot of personal stuff during office hours, felt bad for it but my boss luckily didn't complain.
Eventually, I moved into the chosen flat, already nicely renovated but there was still some work to do: Select and install lights, switches, water taps, order a kitchen, find all sorts of furniture. I took 1 week off to get the most crucial things done. Then I continued living in a mostly unfurnished flat, going to the office during the day and setting up a home in the evening and on weekends. My parents and friends came around and helped. Nevertheless, I saw the last few sunny days of the year pass away and winter came. This start wasn't much fun.
Money is an important matter when moving to a new country or reintegrating: In contrary to normal life, a major move involves high spending in a short time. Rented accommodation requires securities to be paid upfront. Car. Insurances and licenses. Air tickets. Shipping of goods and import taxes. Telephone installation. Furniture and electrical appliances. Too often it is not possible to use electrical items from one country in another country.
A new environment often means that existing clothing cannot be worn any longer and existing sports equipment becomes useless. If one delays the necessary purchases, the reintegration process is slowed down and feelings of discomfort arise.
Bottom line, I needed €16000 to restart life in Germany. This includes a used car and mostly used furniture. Had I not found the time to look for used furniture, another €8000 would have gone easily.
My expatriation contract covered some of these costs. I could claim limited support for setting up a home in Germany. The shipping of personal effects, air tickets and one month of hotel accommodation was paid, too.
Beyond money, repatriation requires time. Actually more then I expected. In my case, a major part was finding and moving into rented accommodation. Then there's a lot of paperwork at different offices to be done. At first glance it's not a big deal and pretty much straightforward, but in the end it comes down to a lot of small details that have to be taken care of. On top of that, not everything works as planned and there is some running around and putting things straight.
A new job requires learning, and more learning has to be done after work: What language do these locals speak ? Where to buy what ? Where to get services or how to get along without these services ? Where to park the car in this new city ? Which rules are commonly broken and which must be obeyed ? What shall I do for recreation ?
While one is exploring a new world, efficiency is lost. Basic things take longer or even go wrong so that they have to be fixed. Days become shorter. Time.
To fully establish a stable life with basic needs fulfilled, job satisfaction, friends, hobbies, a feel-of-home, requires around 1 year. Places that have summer and winter may require more than 1 year, as life in summer is much unlike life in winter.
If working hard / overtime during this period, personal adaption is slowed down which makes a person mentally more vulnerable.
For me, the period of reintegration is a time of reduced fun, many speed tickets, fines for wrong parking, in general losses from wrong decisions.
When too many things went wrong at the same time, it happened that I cried and wanted to go back to my previous place where everything was smooth. Same happened to my spouse.
In my particular case of repatriation, I was returning to the same city and plant where I had started out from. Most of my friends and colleagues were still there. The older ones (30 years up) had not changed during the 3.5 years of my absence while they considered that I had not changed, too.
Younger ones I found had changed and grown more mature, while they expected that I had changed. I found these easier to get along with.
Later, and very much to my surprise, I found myself somewhat changing back to the man I had been 3.5 years earlier. Surely not in full, but in certain areas where my adaption to Thai circumstances was not well-matched to the German environment which then caused pain. Not only was this a change in the way I behave, it was a change in they way I think. Maybe, because the targets I had in Thailand were not the targets I have in Germany.
Would I want to expatriate / repatriate again ?
Yes, and my wife agrees. However, I will be much more aggressive to establish a stable, enjoyable life in the new location very quickly.
Moving to a country like Thailand is relatively convenient as services are easily available, things happen fast, mishaps are more affordable.
I would want to work with a relocation agent who sorts out everything from shipping of personal items down to the maid who cleans my flat. I want to be there 4 weeks ahead of my assignment to choose the place I want to live. I then select furniture and appliances, should it not already be furnished. Above agent will support me with a local guy who takes me to all places where I have to go.
Moving to a country like Germany where labour is expensive and the system is inflexible:
I would want to select a flat half a year ahead of the move. Because newspaper ads come out only once or twice a week, this may take several weeks or even months until I find what I'm looking for. I will do my best to avoid real estate agents, as with their service, I end up paying high rent in the long run. I must choose the flat very well, as rental contracts are done for several years in advance.
During this time, I will have a rental car and stay at a hotel where I have my own telephone and Internet access. A mobile phone I will use as well. I will follow-up with my current job through the Internet. At the same time, I will find a used car, have it insured and registered. I will also take out policies for personal liability and legal matters, health if applicable.
Above taking a longer time, I must respect my evenings and weekends. In the evenings I would want to go out, 1 day a week I want to explore the new area, 1 day remains for sports.
Having found a flat, renovation might be necessary. I will try to let the owner coordinate the various craftsmen who do the job. I will apply for a telephone line and TV-cable.
Furniture, kitchen, appliances, I'd like to select from a reputable shop. The owner of the flat shall take care that the goods can be delivered and set up correctly while I have returned to my current residence.
2 weeks ahead of the new assignment, I would want to move, having personal belongings sent so that they get delivered early during the first week. Once everything has been set up, I will have a cleaning company go through my new home, from attic to garage.
During office time, I will ring up / visit various offices to inform them of my address change.
Eventually, I will be able to start my new assignment with a peacful mind.
If I spend my very first weekend at the new location on my favourite leasure time activity and not on renovation, cleaning or paperwork, the move was a success.
Smooth expatriation / repatriation requires some effort but this is nothing that can't be mastered. Of course there's a price to pay for it, the expensive part being the return home to a country where the standard of living is high. If I find that the overall deal* pays, I will be happy to expatriate / repatriate again.
*go there, work there, return home, re-establish a standard of living that matches the one I would have had if I had stayed in my home country.
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