The view you get of Lewisburg while driving over the Susquehanna on Market Street isn’t quiet the same as the view of the Eiffel Tower when you fly into Paris. Often times, the experience students have while abroad is an unforgettable one; one that will shape the way they live the rest of their life. The return back to Lewisburg following four months in a foreign country can often times provide anxiety and stress. A river float down the Susquehanna doesn’t quiet compare with sky-diving in Switzerland. The Freeze isn’t the same as gelato from a family owned gelateria in Italy.
Coming back from abroad takes some mental and sometimes physical preparation and many times, it’s easier to get used to life in a foreign country than to life back home. The culture shock that students experience can be a debilitating one so it’s important to remember there are plenty of other students who are in the same situation as you! Forty-five percent of students at Bucknell take part in off-campus experiences in University-approved programs around the world or in “Bucknell in” semester and summer programs.
While some level of culture shock is inevitable when returning home from abroad, there are steps to ensuring your transition is as smooth as possible. Here at Bucknell, the Office of Off Campus & Global Education offers a dinner within the first week back at school for students to share their abroad stories with each other. This gives people the opportunity to talk to others who are just as excited to share their amazing experiences. Here are some more tips for making the transition a bit easier:
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Keep in touch: You’ll never find someone who understands how amazing your time abroad was as much as the friends who were right there with you. They’re probably struggling with being back home, too and might have some good tips.
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Bring a bit of foreign culture back with you: Cook a meal for your friends, show them all your pictures, or teach them something you learned while abroad. Sharing those experiences with your home friends will make the two worlds seem a bit more similar.
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If possible, make future plans to go back some day: Viewing your study abroad experience as ongoing makes it feel more permanent and more a part of who you are now.