Repat Diaries

This autoethnographic case study examines my professional repatriation experience as an American returning to the USA after two decades of international career experience. Drawing on established frameworks including the W-curve adjustment theory, cultural dimensions theory, and cultural intelligence research, I provide a detailed first-person account of workplace reintegration challenges and adaptation strategies. My research reveals three primary adjustment areas: structural workplace adaptation, interpersonal dynamics navigation, and technological/procedural catch-up. My findings suggest that repatriation adjustment timelines significantly exceed initial expatriation periods, requiring years for comprehensive reintegration. I contribute to repatriation literature by demonstrating how international experience creates valuable organizational assets including enhanced cultural intelligence, adaptability, and problem-solving capabilities, while simultaneously presenting unique readjustment challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic context, and a relocation undertaken independent of corporate support, adds a layer of complexity to my exploration of redefining professional identity and career transition in globalized work environments.