Reverse Culture Shock & Readjustment
After returning home from a study abroad program, students often undergo what many call “reverse culture shock,” a period of transition and readjustment as they attempt to reconcile their experiences abroad with their reality back home. Student’s adjustment period can range drastically, often influenced by the amount of time abroad, the degree of difference in the host country, and the student’s individual experience while abroad.
In this time of adjustment, it is important to know that it is normal to feel challenged. Realize that study abroad changes a person, reorienting his or her reality in ways that are often unknown or unrecognized until s/he returns to find what once was familiar is no longer. It is, however, the return and the consequent reflection, where students often undergo the greatest transformation, finding meaning and relevance in their experience.
Here are some resources that may be useful in coping with your readjustment: