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Study Abroad Guide
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Selecting the Right Study Abroad Program
Study Abroad Pre-Departure Guide
During the Study Abroad Program
Returning Home from Study Abroad
Reverse Culture Shock
Readjustment Period
Study Abroad Resources
Student Testimonials


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Readjustment Period

The length of time that the re-adjustment phase lasts will, of course, vary from person to person, but it will also depend on how intense your study abroad experience was. If you experience a very high level of intensity your adjustment will most likely take longer than if you experience a very low level of intensity. One returning student said: "I have been back 4 months and I still find it very hard to communicate about my experiences and often I feel I must hide many of the new attitudes or knowledge I may have gained that seems at odds with my old life." In addition, the length of time the re-adjustment lasts depends on you and how you cope with the situations that occur.

The good news is this phase of readjustment to life in the United States does not last forever! Here are some suggestions of ways to make this phase a bit easier on you and your family/friends.

Acknowledge your adjustment

First, and foremost, acknowledge the re-entry phase as part of the overseas experience. Just as you had to give yourself time while going through the culture shock phase (if you did experience culture shock) you must also give yourself time to go through the re-entry phase. Acknowledging that reverse cultural adjustment is real will help you avoid feelings of guilt that might occur if you are feeling depressed or unhappy about being home. As one returnee stated in the survey, "Don't blame yourself, give yourself time. I'd have felt less guilty and peculiar if I'd realized it was a common phenomenon."

Share your adjustment

Educate your family and friends about this phase of adjustment. Many people have never heard of reverse cultural adjustment and are not aware of its existence. If the people around you know a little about what you experiencing, then, hopefully, they will be a bit more patient and understanding towards you and help you to re-adjust. If you have difficulty communicating your feelings then share this manual with your family and possibly your friends. Remind those around you that you cannot unlearn what you have learned, but that you need time to re-integrate those often conflicting components within yourself.

Stay in contact with your host culture

Keep in contact through letters (and, if possible, through telephone calls and email) with the friends you made in your host country. It will help you feel that what you experienced was real and not one big dream. Some returnees have the feeling of never having been overseas after their return to the home country. Also, if some of your friends are returning to the United States they will possibly be experiencing similar adjustment problems. You are an obvious support system for each other because you each know how the other is feeling and what the other is missing.

Seek others and get involved

If possible seek out other returnees that live nearby. You should not have a problem finding other returnees who have been overseas where you lived or studied. The fact that they have gone through (or are going through) re-entry and can offer support and advice about how to cope will be helpful. Other returnees often want to hear of the overseas adventures because they have a multicultural and international perspective. Becoming active in events sponsored by your study abroad office offers you an outlet to share your concerns and also your experiences. If you want to keep using your foreign language skills there are a couple of things you can do.
  • take an advanced level course in the foreign language that interests you
  • organize a reunion for students returning from study abroad in your host country to exchange photos and converse in the language
  • start a "language table," where a group of students interested in improving foreign language skills in a specific language, can meet 1-3 times a week during either lunch or dinner and only speak that specific language
  • seek out other "captive" audiences who would have a natural interest in your overseas experience. Part of re-adjusting is being able to tell your story and describe the experiences that you have lived through. Such audiences include cultural organizations (you may want to consider becoming a member) or civic groups that have an interest in the part of the world where you lived, school groups studying the part of the world where you lived and prospective study abroad students.
Set goals for your future

Now is the time for you to look towards your future. You have finished one phase of your life and are ready to move ahead. Think about your next challenge or goal. Begin to make plans and put those plans into action. Even when you return to your home campus to finish a year or two of a degree, you can develop goals for that period of time so that you will feel you are moving ahead rather than regressing. It is common for students who do return to university to feel they have gone "10 steps forward (their overseas experience), and now are going 11 steps backward (the return to university)." It is up to you to get the most out of that time by giving yourself new goals and challenges. Take the influence of your overseas experience and use it positively to help plan this next phase of your life.

Here is some advice from other returnees:

"I think one of the best steps to take is to give yourself and your friends and family time. It was good to visit with people and catch up on their news and listen to them. Listening is important."

"Try and reflect on the positive aspects of your stay away and the positive aspects of your here and now and how they compare and contrast."

"Don't be surprised â?? it will take time to re-adjust, but you'll feel at home again in time. Don't expect to view/see people or things as you did when you left. Try to look for the positive things in returning home, not the negative."

"Realize it is very natural to experience such feelings. Secondly, try not to take yourself too seriously (if possible). Keep up your ties with your friends in the 'foreignâ?? country by letters and phone calls and email."

"Be patient with yourself and your mood swings. Keep in touch with friends you've met, but don't forget to build new bridges at home."