There is no doubt; a relocation or expatriate assignment to a new country is often exciting, an adventure of sorts. However, it does not affect all involved equally. When the thrill or adrenaline of planning, arriving and settling has worn off, a stark reality can overwhelm even the most intrepid of adventurers. Some will thrive on asking questions, being curious, and discovering new things. Others may flounder when having to always ask – even about the most basic of things – resulting in an undermining of their confidence of feelings of being overwhelmed. The excitement of starting a new phase – in a career or otherwise – may not be immediately rewarded or rewarding, which can also contribute to the feelings mentioned above. As a result, the expats’ continued journey into becoming settled in a new location is at risk, as well as their mental well-being and their feelings of ‘we can do this’.
Which is why we at ACCESS believe that, despite the proliferation of services and information available in English, there is still a need for what we do. We anticipate and respond to the questions people most frequently have and, most importantly, are the voice, the person behind the answer who empathetically understands there may be more to the question, than just the question itself.
The full version of this article is available in the online issue
