Overcoming Reverse Culture Shock

Reverse culture shock is the feelings you may experience from returning from your trip abroad. Not everyone will experience this phenomenon, but it's important to understand the 'symptoms' and be able to recognize them in yourself.

You may have found that it was not difficult at all adapting to the culture of your host country. However, upon returning to the US, you may see things differently and examine our culture through the lens that you acquired abroad. You may start to re-examine priorities and values, and be more critical of the US and our customs and policies. The better integrated you have become to your host country’s culture and lifestyle, the harder it is to readjust during re-entry.

The Center for Global Education describes 2 key elements that characterize re-entry for a study abroad student:
1) Idealized view of home
2) Expectation of total familiarity (the idea that nothing has changed since you

've been gone)


Stages of Reverse Culture Shock
Reverse culture shock is usually described in four stages: (from The Center for Global Education)
1. Disengagement
2. Initial euphoria
3. Irritability and hostility
4. Readjustment and adaptation

Stage 1 begins before you leave your host country. You begin thinking about re-entry and making your preparations for your return home. You also begin to realize that it's time to say good-bye to your friends abroad and to the place you've come to call home. The hustle and bustle of finals, good-bye parties, and packing can intensify your feelings of sadness and frustration. You already miss the friends you've made, a

nd you are reluctant to leave. Or, you may make your last few days fly by so fast that you don't have time to reflect on your emotions and experiences.

Stage 2 usually begins shortly before departure, and it is characterized by feelings of excitement and anticipation - even euphoria - about returning home. This is very similar to the initial feelings of fascination and excitement you may have when you first entered your host country. You may be very happy to see your family and friends again, and they are also happy to see you. The length of this stage varies, and often ends with the realization that most people are not as interested in your experiences abroad as you had hoped. They will politely listen to your stories for a while, but you may find that soon they are ready to move on to the next topic of conversation.

This is often one of the transitions to Stage 3. You may experience feelings of frustration, anger, alienation, loneliness, disorientation, and helplessness and not understand exactly why. You might quickly become irritated or critical of others and of U.S. culture. Depression, feeling like a stranger at home, and the longing to go back abroad are also not uncommon reactions. You may also feel less independent than you were while abroad.

Most people are then able to move onto Stage 4, which is a gradual readjustment to life at home. Things will start to seem a little more normal again, and you will probably fall back into some old routines, but things won't be exactly the same as how you left them. You have most likely developed new attitudes, beliefs, habits, as well as personal and professional goals, and you will see things differently now. The important thing is to try to incorporate the positive aspects of your international experience while abroad with the positive aspects of your life at home in the United States.

http://www.studentsabroad.com/reentrycultureshock.html