Re-entry

Returning from abroad may also be overwhelming at first for some participants. Students come back from living overseas with new perspectives on American life and culture. While this perspective will aid them for the rest of their lives, it can be quite an adjustment at first. One way to help them navigate this transitional period is to encourage friends and family to ask them detailed questions about their time overseas. Specific questions enable students to reflect upon the richness of their educational experience while abroad; they also allow both students and their families to better understand the world around them. Avoid asking, “How was Japan?” as this type of question often leaves a student overwhelmed and unable to provide a detailed answer. Ask your student to see pictures and then listen to the explanations and stories that accompany them. The more that they feel you understand about their experiences abroad, the easier the adjustment back home will be.