Re-Entry Challenges
The Top 10 Immediate Challenges:
It's important to be aware of the immediate emotional obstacles that might arise during the first few weeks to months after arriving back home. When you are able to identify what might make the re-entry process challenging it is easier to find the right coping strategies to address those issues and more effectively benefit from your experience overseas.
1. Boredom
During your time abroad you are constantly experiencing new things (i.e. cultural events, food) and exploring new places (i.e. campus, sight-seeing, etc). Also, learning to interact with the host culture as well as communicating in another language (if that was part of your experience) is a constant new stimulation that will suddenly be gone. Returning to old routines once at home, even though they are familiar and comfortable, can seem boring in comparison.
2. "No One Wants to Hear"
It's not that your friends and family are attempting to minimize your experience or achievements, however, it's unlikely they will want to hear every detail, especially if you've been gone for more than a year. Be realistic in your expectations of how interesting the retelling of your journey might be for everyone else and perhaps stick to only the major highlights.
3. You Can't Explain
Even if your friends and family give you plenty of attention to hear all about your travels abroad, you might find it difficult to express your thoughts and feelings about your experience satisfactorily. You might start to feel as though no one really "gets it". Try to remember that this is normal and can be expected since it is difficult for others who haven't had a similar experience to fully relate.
4. Reverse "Homesickness"
After some time back home, it's natural to start to miss the people, places and routines you became familiar with while studying abroad. This “reverse homesickness” is much like the initial homesickness you experienced leaving home the first time. To ease these feelings of grief try to stay connected to the people abroad by communicating with them through social media or using other methods to keep in touch.
5. Relationships Have Changed
You can expect that some things may have changed at home, whether they changes are perceived as positive or negative, change will have happened. It is only natural that your relationships with family and friends may be a little different. Your experience as an international student may have changed some of your ideas and attitudes. You may also expect that some of your family and friends may have changed during your time abroad too. It's best to remain flexible, open, and accepting of these changes in everyone.
6. People See "Wrong" Changes
You may notice within the first few weeks of your return that some people are critical of your behavior or ideas. They may think that these "bad traits" are due to the influence of your study abroad experience. You should be aware of these reactions and know that this should pass quickly, especially if you don't confirm their stereotyping.
7. People Misunderstand
Be careful of how you may look and appear to others. They may interpret your behavior differently since your return. For example your sense of humor or new clothing styles may appear inappropriate. The way you express affection or start a conversation may appear aggressive or negative. Just remember to be aware of how your behavior may appear to others.
8. Feelings of Alienation
Sometimes the image you had of "home" while you were away may not be the reality you experience upon your return. It is natural to experience some alienation or even detect faults in society which you didn't notice before. This is the same experience as when you first arrived abroad. Be patient until you regain your cultural balance and perspective.
9. Inability to Apply New Knowledge and Skills
Upon your return you may not be able to immediately use all the new skills that you learned abroad. You may feel that your new skills are not practical or not applicable at home. You'll need to adjust, be patient and try to use the cross-cultural skills you gained to establish new routines.
10. Loss/Compartmentalization of Experience
Once back at home you may feel as though you will lose everything you gained through your experience overseas. It may appear as though your experiences are becoming just distant memories. It is important to keep in touch with people that you meet and those that have similar experiences at home. To overcome these feelings don't forget your wonderful achievements, skills, and the relationships you developed while studying abroad.
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- As adapted from Dr. Bruce La Brack, School of International Studies, University of the Pacific, Training Design for International Transitions, La Brack and Pusch, SIIC. Ten Top Immediate Reentry Challenges: As Rated by University Students. Retrieved from http://www2.cortland.edu/dotAsset/298940.pdf
It's important to be aware of the immediate emotional obstacles that might arise during the first few weeks to months after arriving back home. When you are able to identify what might make the re-entry process challenging it is easier to find the right coping strategies to address those issues and more effectively benefit from your experience overseas.
1. Boredom
During your time abroad you are constantly experiencing new things (i.e. cultural events, food) and exploring new places (i.e. campus, sight-seeing, etc). Also, learning to interact with the host culture as well as communicating in another language (if that was part of your experience) is a constant new stimulation that will suddenly be gone. Returning to old routines once at home, even though they are familiar and comfortable, can seem boring in comparison.
2. "No One Wants to Hear"
It's not that your friends and family are attempting to minimize your experience or achievements, however, it's unlikely they will want to hear every detail, especially if you've been gone for more than a year. Be realistic in your expectations of how interesting the retelling of your journey might be for everyone else and perhaps stick to only the major highlights.
3. You Can't Explain
Even if your friends and family give you plenty of attention to hear all about your travels abroad, you might find it difficult to express your thoughts and feelings about your experience satisfactorily. You might start to feel as though no one really "gets it". Try to remember that this is normal and can be expected since it is difficult for others who haven't had a similar experience to fully relate.
4. Reverse "Homesickness"
After some time back home, it's natural to start to miss the people, places and routines you became familiar with while studying abroad. This “reverse homesickness” is much like the initial homesickness you experienced leaving home the first time. To ease these feelings of grief try to stay connected to the people abroad by communicating with them through social media or using other methods to keep in touch.
5. Relationships Have Changed
You can expect that some things may have changed at home, whether they changes are perceived as positive or negative, change will have happened. It is only natural that your relationships with family and friends may be a little different. Your experience as an international student may have changed some of your ideas and attitudes. You may also expect that some of your family and friends may have changed during your time abroad too. It's best to remain flexible, open, and accepting of these changes in everyone.
6. People See "Wrong" Changes
You may notice within the first few weeks of your return that some people are critical of your behavior or ideas. They may think that these "bad traits" are due to the influence of your study abroad experience. You should be aware of these reactions and know that this should pass quickly, especially if you don't confirm their stereotyping.
7. People Misunderstand
Be careful of how you may look and appear to others. They may interpret your behavior differently since your return. For example your sense of humor or new clothing styles may appear inappropriate. The way you express affection or start a conversation may appear aggressive or negative. Just remember to be aware of how your behavior may appear to others.
8. Feelings of Alienation
Sometimes the image you had of "home" while you were away may not be the reality you experience upon your return. It is natural to experience some alienation or even detect faults in society which you didn't notice before. This is the same experience as when you first arrived abroad. Be patient until you regain your cultural balance and perspective.
9. Inability to Apply New Knowledge and Skills
Upon your return you may not be able to immediately use all the new skills that you learned abroad. You may feel that your new skills are not practical or not applicable at home. You'll need to adjust, be patient and try to use the cross-cultural skills you gained to establish new routines.
10. Loss/Compartmentalization of Experience
Once back at home you may feel as though you will lose everything you gained through your experience overseas. It may appear as though your experiences are becoming just distant memories. It is important to keep in touch with people that you meet and those that have similar experiences at home. To overcome these feelings don't forget your wonderful achievements, skills, and the relationships you developed while studying abroad.
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- As adapted from Dr. Bruce La Brack, School of International Studies, University of the Pacific, Training Design for International Transitions, La Brack and Pusch, SIIC. Ten Top Immediate Reentry Challenges: As Rated by University Students. Retrieved from http://www2.cortland.edu/dotAsset/298940.pdf