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- THIS SITE IS OUT OF DATE - FOR REFERENCE ONLY RELOCATION & EXPATRIATION SUPPORT: Relocation involves a very complex and stressful process which needs to be managed properly. For a family this can mean finding suitable accommodation, location, schools, the physical move itself and all the trials and tribulations of settling in a totally new and often culturally alien environment. Relocation specialists are there to support in every aspect of such a move. Taking part in cross-cultural and language training is an invaluable step in helping people settle as quickly as possible into a new country. In fact we believe it is an essential, not just an optional, ingredient for a successful international assignment and an astute investment. The type of training can consist of a number of elements.
Culture Shock and Repatriation Counseling Moving to another country can sometimes be akin to the experiences of 'Alice in Wonderland' - suddenly people are interacting and playing to a different set of rules. Whereas most people accept this as part of the international experience in the early days of a foreign sojourn, after a while, and once the novelty of settling in has passed, this Alice in Wonderland effect can become quite traumatic and exasperating, and can have quite extreme effects on the individual. It hits right on the essence of people, their belief system and framework, and this can in turn affect their self image, confidence and relationships. This is a phenomenon known as 'culture shock'. It is extremely important for expatriates to have access to culture shock counseling to help them deal with these issues - and it is even more important that any accompanying spouse or partner have the same access, as they are often hit far more strongly. Ironically expatriates who have been on a prolonged stint abroad (e.g. 2 years) often experience a far more traumatic 'reverse culture shock' when they are repatriated to their home country. This is because they will have become accustomed to different views and ways of doing things, and more importantly because they think they are returning to somewhere they already "know". Consequently, they do not expect any difficulties. Yet all of a sudden, looking through different glasses, their 'familiar world' looks quite different. This happens because what one "knows" is often based on good memories of the past rather than a complete objective picture, i.e. an idealised version of reality. The worst part about reverse culture shock is that it can completely distort one's view of things without one noticing it. One has constant frustrations and irritations, but one ascribes these to problems with others or with oneself, either way destructively. One does not realise it is 'reverse culture shock' and deal with it that way. Reframing techniques in counseling, such as those in NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), can be effective in helping returnees come to terms with reverse culture shock. It goes without saying that it is even more important to 'send' returnees for regular counseling, the more so as the concerned individuals themselves will often not recognise this necessity. Training Pre-training is tailored to your individual requirements. Sessions can be either business or family focused - or both! The location and length of these training programmes will depend on your individual requirements - many of our clients opt for training to be held at their own offices in order to be more time and cost effective. A detailed pre-course analysis of your recent and current experiences and future needs will enable the programme to be tailored specifically to your requirements. Two further points should be noted:
Courses consist of some short presentations, case studies, discussions and some role plays and simulations. In other words they are active and interactive, and will draw on your own professional and personal experience. WE HELP YOUR PEOPLE MOVE AND SETTLE IN UNFAMILIEAR PLACES EFFECTIVELY First Meeting FREE - Take Action NOW: Call Us Email Us InForm Us
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