How to make re-entry experience meaningful?

Re-entry is the process of returning home after mobility. Coming home is not easy. For some, the return is more difficult than adjusting to the host culture. How could this be that some of us experience this re-entry shock? Isn’t home what you know best?

     Culture shock is expected confrontation with unfamiliar, re-entry shock  is the unexpected confrontation with the familiar. (M.Paige)

Having seen new parts of the world, you have undoubtedly changed. That means that re-entry should not be a time simply for getting back into swing of things. Instead, re-entry is really the time to maximize study abroad. This chapter and activities are intended to help you make re-entry experience meaningful for the long term.

The re-entry process refers to:

1) dealing with emotional challenges of study abroad,

2) dealing with identity challenges and deciding what to do next,

3) examining what I have learned while abroad.

Re-entry after studying abroad is an opportunity to reflect on the kind of global life that you want to live and to relaunch yourself into the next challenges at home or abroad. Is also a time to redefine who you are, to become aware what have you learned, to identify what and who is important to you.