Life Of Expatriates-In Search Of Prosperous Destinations

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There was a time when traveling across the sea or moving other regions were considered a sin or a violation of social rules. But today, the globe has shrunk into computer monitors and the world is considered as a small village. The global village concept has opened wider opportunities to human beings to move around this planet and settle down anywhere one likes to live. People migrate to different countries in search of better job opportunities and better living conditions.

The life of expatriates is not always as smooth as we think often. Culture, lifestyle, climate, food, social orientations... everything and everything raise barriers of differences between an expatriate and the region he/she migrated into. Coping up with the new situation and becoming one among the new society is not an easy task. Asides this struggles the nostalgic thoughts of the left away land and dear ones may add fuel to the trauma.

When one migrates from one place to another he/she passes through different stages;

Honeymoon stage: At first stage everything in the surroundings may feel profoundly exciting and interesting. The new life will look like a dream finally coming true and being in the middle of a great adventure. The bliss of beginning a new life can be rose-colored, happy, and hopeful for most expatriates. Thus this stage of expatriates lives is called the honeymoon stage.

Culture Shock: The stage or phase of life followed the honeymoon stage is called the cultural shock. After six to eight weeks of migration one may move into the culture shock stage. It"s typical at this stage to physically feel that something is not right. People may feel their freedom curtailed and may struggle with the changed living conditions.

It is natural for people to feel headaches or stomach upsets. They often feel tired and find it difficult to concentrate on work. These are the symptoms of homesickness and culture shock.

Adjustments & Mental Isolation: After the culture shock period there is a stage of adjustments. One has to reorder his/her life to get acquainted with the new land. And one may feel mentally isolated as everything in the new land may look and feel new to him/her. Far away from the home land, with no dear one near by, they may sink into the sea of desperation and isolation at these initial stages.
For an expatriate to feel one with the new land and the people there, he/she may possibly pass through these stages of life. One the initial troubles are overcome, then the sky and land will no more look like some thing new and one may never feel like an alien thrown into a strange planet.
Problems in Expatriate life

The life of people migrated to different countries for various reasons may look very colourful when looked into from outside. But in fact their life is not always as jovial as we think. Isolated from family, and homeland, what ever be the advantages of living abroad, the life may be filled with all sort of nostalgic thoughts. Basically life is to be enjoyed. But in the lives of expatriates, to a great extent life becomes just a mechanical process. People, most of the times, are compelled to lead a life in exile for the wellbeing of their family members. Foreign land may offer all sort of riches, most lavish life style or best career opportunities. But the motherly care, the feeling of own-ness and safety is unique to homeland.

It is high time for us to salute our expatriate fellow beings for the struggles they undertake and for the pain they suffer for the wellbeing and economic stability of our country.