Studying abroad has always been a part of the quintessential college experience. Being abroad myself I’ve seen countless articles or social media posts about how to prepare before going abroad, but never seen any about coming back. You may spend months preparing yourself for your new country and living situation, but don’t prepare for the process of moving back home.
Colleges routinely tell students how to prepare, but often leave you on your own when it comes to re-entry. The W-curve is a model you may experience when studying abroad. It starts with the honeymoon phase of endless new and exciting adventures in your new host country. Exploring the city, trying new foods and endless shopping. After about two weeks, culture shock begins to set in when serious chores like groceries and going to school start to become more difficult. Things like Google Translate and language barriers can make you feel insecure or ashamed if you don’t know the language.
After this first bump in the road, you have an initial adjustment period as you settle into your host country and your way of life. This period can last a while or even for the rest of your time abroad. You reach the point where you are comfortable with your life and the people around you until you return to your home country. You’re able to overcome obstacles which leaves you much more comfortable than when you arrived.
The second dip in the W-curve refers to the re-entry shock returning from your study abroad. After having such an extreme life change and a different cultural experience, it can be very difficult to transition back to university and everyday life. At first, it can be very exciting to see family and friends, but you may feel out of place or uncomfortable in your own home.
Returning home can be difficult because it isn’t exactly how you left it. It may be different from what you remember or expect. Your country hasn’t exactly changed, but you might have changed enough for familiar things to become unfamiliar. Your friends can have new experiences that you’ve missed which creates even more distance between you.
Signs of reverse culture shock can include feeling bored with your old routine, missing your host country like how you initially missed home, and comparing everything at home to where you studied abroad. You can feel guilty about being unhappy after returning home, which often causes psychological turmoil. There are countless jokes about people returning from studying abroad in college and not shutting up about it even though no one is interested. Everyone has returned to business as usual except for you.
Being abroad and living alone can help you grow exponentially in such a short amount of time. By the time you return home, you have a different level of confidence and maturity than when you left. This often makes you feel like a new version of yourself when you return home. Instead of trying to revert back to your “old self” , trying to keep these new qualities and attitudes can make it much more comfortable for re-entry.
Support from friends and family is always beneficial, and understanding reverse culture shock can help when you return from studying abroad. Staying connected with the close friends you’ve met abroad can help with the initial shock. Being positive about your experiences and accepting the new life you’ve made for yourself is so important before returning home.
Taking time to readjust and giving yourself grace when needed can make the process so much easier. After having such a new and incredible experience, it’s important to remember that life can continue back home!