How to Adjust Coming Back from a Semester Abroad
Dealing with Return Culture Shock Back Home
Feb 4, 2009
Studying abroad can be a life changing experience for many students, and it can sometimes be hard coming back. Getting into the routine that was once left behind can be even trickier than leaving home in the first place. Here are some suggestions in transitioning upon return.
Keep in Contact
Many students find that keeping in touch with friends that they made through study abroad can help make the change easier to deal with. Although many miss their friends that they made, it's a nice feeling to still be able to talk with them and catch up occasionally. Although time differences can sometimes make it a little more difficult, programs such as skype, AIM, facebook and so on, can help to keep in touch with those individuals. Planning a certain time of the week or month, when both people are free is a great opportunity to take advantage of. By doing this, the student is slowly getting back into his or her normal schedule, but doesn't have to completely leave behind the friends and life they made during their time abroad.
Talk with Fellow Study Abroad Students
Upon returning home, students may find that talking to other people that spent a semester abroad can help. There's almost a special understanding that all study abroaders get - it doesn't really matter what time, country or school it was. Chances are, they probably had a similar experience and the same culture shock feeling coming home, too. If they've been back for a while now, they might be able to give some useful advice and tell how they learned to adjust being back.
Not only that, those fellow study abroad students will at least be there to listen and understand – maybe grabbing lunch with that person every so often and taking a trip down memory lane can be something fun to do, and a way to reminisce about one another's experience.
Tell Others about Study Abroad
Many students enjoy talking and telling people about their stories. This can definitely be a positive thing, and a way for the student to still stay actively involved with study abroad and to share their enthusiasm with others. There's no doubt that students could influence their own friends to study in another country, or even persuade an acquaintance who was on the fence about doing it. Some returning students have even talked with their school's study abroad advisor so that they could speak with perspective students during information meetings, or even one-on-one sessions.
Ask the Study Abroad Advisor or Program Coordinator for Advice
This is part of their job. The person in charge of the study abroad department within the university should have some great suggestions in transitioning back home. Most likely, he or she has lived in another country and should personally know what it feels like to be in a similar situation. Setting up a short meeting just to talk could be beneficial, and there might be something to gain from it in the end. They might even be able to provide a name of someone else who is having the same dilemma.
Even though every student has his or her own coping methods, returning home for the first time from a semester abroad can be a challenge. However, there are a number of ways to fix that problem, whether it's convincing others to do it or just sharing stories with fellow study abroad students.
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