Five Reasons for & Five Reasons against Becoming an Expatriate
____________(Name)_______________
___________(Institution)_____________
Main Reasons Why Expatriates Fail
Aside from spouse and family issues, expatriates’ main causes of failures could be attributed to his/her own challenges personally and professionally. Adapting to the host country’s culture could be a very daunting task due to difficulties in adjusting to existing and totally different and opposing views. Hence, failure to adapt the culture could cause distress leading to poor job performance. Next, the emotional shocks brought about by a sudden change in the level of maturity required to perform the new job would contribute to poor performance as well. Other major reasons to consider as causes of expat failures could also be the distressful bigger tasks and responsibilities compared to what is normally worked on at home country, insufficiency in training and orientation about the host country and new role to be carried out, and health issues caused by fatigue due to working too hard to succeed and impress the superiors in the headquarters (“Main Reasons for Expatriate Failure,” 2013; Yashwanth, n.d.).
Hardest Part about Moving to a Foreign Country
Personally, the hardest part about moving to a foreign country is the fact that I would have to leave everything behind in my home country and start a new and different way of life in a totally unfamiliar place. Leaving everything behind means as though I would lose some of the most important things in life that I so enjoy at home for the entire time I would be away only to replace those things with what I do not even have any idea about. Starting a new and different lifestyle poses a lot of challenges even more in a place where its people live a different way of life and speak an unfamiliar language. Further, the need to blend and harmoniously live with the people in the local community would call for adaptation to unusual customs, mores and folkways to which I am not even sure if it is up to my ethical standards.
The Opportunity to Become an Expatriate
I totally agree with the author that globalization is indeed the current trend and would be so for perpetuity. With the technologies that we have now, it is very apparent that we are already living in a virtually borderless society with national barriers slowly being eliminated. People are becoming global citizens moving the need to be culturally flexible with an open mind to accept differences amongst nations. Hence, the prospect to become an expatriate would be such a splendid opportunity that I would never let go of. The mere thought of becoming an expat gives me both a frightening and an exciting feeling to blend in with the local people of the new community I would have to call my new “locale.” With a positive attitude towards the idea of expanding my horizons in a different culture, my excitement about learning new things and ways overcomes my fears about intermingling with diverse nationalities.
Pros and Cons that Expatriates May Face
Affirmatively, becoming an expatriate presents a lot of perks and privileges on top of what were mentioned by the author in the article. If the opportunity is to be sent to a country where the cost of living is relatively lower compared to my home country, then it only means I could afford more with what I make. Perhaps, because costs are easier on the pocket, the prospects of giving more time to relax and spend it with my family would definitely make the opportunity to become an expatriate a very attractive one.
Unfavorably, by being sent to a place with a different lifestyle, there are some cravings that can only be fulfilled at home. Hence, the thought of being unable to satisfy such cravings could already be discomforting. Next, the fact that the host country could be as far as the opposite of the globe, going home even for just a few days would already be very discouraging given the exhausting long travel and expensive airfares to be incurred.
References:
Main reasons for expatriate failure. (2013). Retrieved on July 18, 2013, from http://www.chalre.com/hiring_managers/reasons_expat_failure.htm
Yashwanth, H.S. (n.d.). Reasons for expatriate failure. Retrieved on July 18, 2013, from http://www.citehr.com/92994-reasons-expatriate-failure.html
