Ex expat now in the UK

Welcome and Introductions
1
Hi folks,

I have just found your forum and wish that I had known about it years ago. I am sure it would have been invaluable.

I went to Zurich in 1999 on a one year contract that got extended and renewed. After a few years I was taken on as an "Interne Mitarbeiter".

I love Switzerland: the towns, the lakes, the mountains, the distinct seasons, the food and the lifestyle in general. My wife loved it too but she could not embrace the culture quite as readily as I did. It is different if you are working and have a fair grasp of the language. Eventually the pull to return "home" to the UK was too strong, so in March of this year I took (very) early retirement and returned to the UK after nine years in the land of Heidi.

Having said that, I also love England, so it is great to be back. There is a lot that I miss but there is a lot here that I can now enjoy again.

I am looking forward to participating here.

Steve

2
Your wife may want to contribute with the benefit of hindsight to the "Tips for Trailing Spouses" thread...

dave

3
Hi Dave,

Thanks I'll show her the forum when I get home. See what she thinks.

4
An Ex Expat ... is this a "RePat" ?

5
maybe a ReP(e)at?

6
if only one partner wants to go. It's more of a third-party rendition...

dave

7
Don't get me wrong, we both wanted to come back it's just that I was more torn over the decision.

Love the XXpat discussion.

How about unexpat?

8
I vote for "tapxe"....

9
A former colleague from Australia used the phrase Repat when he returned there.

And there's even a website which uses the term Repat:- www.expat-repat.com

Disclaimer: I have no connection with this site, haven't looked beyond the first page etc.

10
It seems pretty obvious really: Repatriation - 'To return someone to his homeland'. Repat must therefore be correct.

Rod

11
I always thought ex-pats in Switzerland would be cow-pats