Here is What Happens to Students After Studying Abroad

There are lots of reasons to look forward to going home, but there are also a number of psychological, social and cultural aspects which can prove difficult often because they are unanticipated. The following list was generated by interviewing students like you who have been through the experience and survived nicely. However, they say you should take the process seriously by being realistic and thinking about it and your possible reactions. They offer the following thoughts on reentry for your consideration in the hope they will make your return both more enjoyable and more productive.  

1. Boredom

 After all the newness and excitement of your time overseas returning to family, friends, and old routines (however nice and relaxing) can seem very boring. It is natural to miss the excitement, challenges and environment which you observe during your study in a foreign country, but it is up to you to find ways to remove such negative reactions - remember a bored person is also boring.  

2. “No One Wants to Hear” 

One thing you can be assured off is that on your return no one will be as interested and eager in hearing about your adventures and success stories as you will be in sharing those experiences. This is not a rejection of you or your success, but simply the fact that once they have heard the highlights, any further interest on your audiences’ part is probably unlikeable. Be realistic in your expectations of how people will react to your journey. It is going to be just a story for everyone else. Be brief.  

3. You Can't Explain 

Even when given a chance to elaborate all the places you saw and feelings you had while studying in the other country, it is likely to be at least a bit boring to relay them coherently. It is very difficult to convey this kind of experience and excitement to people who do not have similar kind of reference or travel backgrounds, no matter how interested and eager they are as listeners. You can tell people about your trip, but you may fail to make them understand exactly how or why you felt a particular way. It’s okay.  

4. Reverse "Homesickness" 

As you probably miss home for a time after arriving abroad, it is just as natural to experience some reverse homesickness for the people, family, friends, places, and things that you grew being used to as a student abroad. To an extent it can be removed by writing letters, telephonic conversations, internet and generally keeping in contact, but feelings of loss are an integral part of international sojourns and must be anticipated and accepted as a natural result of studying overseas.  

5. Relationships Have Changed 

It is a fact that cannot be denied that when you reach back home you will notice that some relationships with friends and family have changed. Just as you have sacrificed some of your ideas, habits and attitudes while abroad, the people at home are likely to have experienced some changes. These changes may be positive or negative, but expecting that no change will have occurred is unrealistic. The best thing to do is preparing in flexibility, openness, minimal preconceptions, and tempered optimism.  

6. People See "Wrong" Changes 

Sometimes people may think on small changes in your behavior or ideas and seem threatened or upset by them. Others may describe “bad” traits to the influence of your time abroad. These incidents may come in their mind by jealousy, fear, or feelings of superiority or inferiority. To overcome this or minimize them it is necessary to prepare yourself and be aware of the reactions of those around you.

7. People Misunderstand 

A few people will misunderstand your words or actions in such a way that communication is difficult. For example, what you may have come to think of as humor or a good joke and ways to show affection or establish conversation may not be seen as wit, but anger or “showing off.” Similarly, a silence that was seen as simply polite overseas might be misunderstood at home, incorrectly, as signaling agreement or opposition. Be aware of how you may look to others and how your behavior is likely to be interpreted by your family, friends and society.  

8. Feelings of Alienation 

Sometimes the reality of being back “home” is not as obvious or enjoyable as the place you had fantasized as your mind image. When real daily life is less enjoyable, less interesting or more demanding than you thought, it is natural to feel some alienation or loneliness. Many students coming back develop “critical eyes”, a tendency to see faults and mistakes in the society they never noticed before. Some even become quite critical of everyone and everything for a time. The place is similar when you first left home. Difference of opinion is fine but keep it to yourself till you find the right kind of balance in your current values and the values you observed abroad.

9. Inability to Apply New Knowledge and Skills 

Many returnees are frustrated and give up by the lack of opportunity to apply newly gained social, technical, linguistic, and practical coping skills that appear to be unnecessary, unrealistic or irrelevant at home. To avoid ongoing disappointment, adjust to the current environment be passionate, be creative be patient and work hard to make positive changes in your country from the lessons learnt from abroad.

10. Lack of Experience 

Being at home, comes the pressures of job, family, and friends, often combine to make home coming student worried that somehow they will “lose” the experience. Many fear that it will somehow become compartmentalized like memories or photo albums kept in a box and only occasionally taken out and looked at. You do not have to let that happen maintain your contacts abroad seek out and talk to people who have had experiences similar to yours practice your cross-cultural skills continue language learning. Remember and be proud both your hard work and the fun you had while abroad.