Why does this happen?
I. Realities vs. expectations
While abroad, many students combat homesickness and culture shock with thoughts of how terrific things will be once they return home. When the return home doesn’t meet those expectations, it can make adjustment harder.
II. Personal changes and growth
Most students returning from an overseas experience feel that they have learned a lot, grown as a person, acquired new attitudes and knowledge, etc. When many students return home, they may find that their family, friends, and classmates do not recognize you or appreciate “the new you.”
III. Becoming ordinary
As international students, many returnees got used to being automatically considered interesting, asked for their opinion as the American, or invited to interesting events, simply because of their status as a foreigner. Students also typically spent their free time doing exciting things (taking weekend trips to other countries, going to festivals and other cultural events, etc.) Coming back to the U.S. and returning to ordinary life and no longer being considered unusual can contribute to feelings of isolation and depression.
IV. Changes at home
While you are excited about and want to share your experiences from abroad, people here may not seem very interested or are more interested in sharing with you what you missed while while your were away.
How You Might Feel
There is no standard reaction to a life-changing experience—your experience, whatever it is, is normal. You may experience disruptions in sleeping or eating habits, fatigue, irritation, problems with concentration (mentally wandering abroad), feelings of isolation, and depression.
Ways to Combat It
First, do not expect to come back to “home” as you left it; many changes could have taken place while you were away. If this is the case, think about all of the changes you have gone through during your time abroad and realize that your family and friends may have also gone through changes during your time away. Learning to expect a period of adjustment is the first step to settling in back home.
There are many ways to integrate your experience abroad with your life here. Think about some of the ways that you overcame culture shock while you were abroad: becoming involved with activities, forming a routine, trying to interact with host-country, international, and other U.S. students. These strategies can also be very helpful ways to re-adjust once you are home.
