Coming Home

So what can you do?

Here are some resources to help:

• Take advantage of the events sponsored by the GEO for returners.
• Make use of the Gordon Center for Student Counseling and Wellness.
• IES ABROAD Re-Entry and Stages of Transition is an informative resource that highlights each stage of study abroad both away and during re-entry.
• Small Planet Studio is a good resource with relatable blogs about re-entry, tips on how to navigate re-entry and resources for if you want to intentionally process your experience abroad and forward launch the "new you."

Know the signs:

Re-entry stress manifests (like culture shock) in many ways. Here are a few examples:

• boredom
• depression
• isolation
• intolerance toward common U.S. behaviors, attitudes and social practices
• idealization of your host country's people, places, customs, etc.
• disengagement

Looks a lot like culture stress going the other way. Don't be daunted! Feeling this way is natural. The initial euphoria of returning home (to what's familiar) is just getting a reality check: you've changed. You see, understand and interpret differently. The question is what to do with what and how you feel.

Here are some resources:

• Reverse Culture Shock: on the stages and relevant questions to ask, as well as a checklist and resources.
• The IES ABROAD link listed in the section above also has explanations of each stage you might experience upon your return home.

Your choices:

Intervarsity has some really helpful terminology. They identify 3 patterns of behavior:

• Assimilators who slide back into their home culture with every appearance of adjusting well. In reality, they're just not integrating the "abroad" and home experiences, to find a third way.
• Alienators who reject the home culture. In their idealization of the "abroad" culture, they shut down any hope of integrating and moving forward constructively.
• Integrators who recognize and seek to understand the changes in themselves. By seeking to make a third way, between the two cultures, they establish new patterns, new choices and allow their experience abroad to truly transform them.

How to do this? Read over the Growthful re-entry section on Intervarsity's site. Even though they're talking about re-entry after short-term missions trips, their re-entry recommendations are exceptionally practical and relevant.

What next?

Aside from the emotional vagaries of re-entry, you want to think about making the most of your semester academically and professionally.

• Meet with your advisor or mentor on campus to discuss opportunities to engage and apply your abroad experience more deliberately in your course of study back at Gordon.
• Meet with Career Services to discuss how you can market your study abroad internship experience. Topics: language proficiency; cross-cultural acumen and sensitivity; tolerance for ambiguity; ability to communicate across cultures; adaptability; problem-solving; newly acquired/developed skills.
• Go to Continuing Benefits of Study Abroad and explore how you can continue to benefit from your international experience and explore new opportunities.