You are most likely reading this page because you have recently returned or are preparing to return to the United States and Randolph-Macon College from your semester or year abroad. Let us be the first to say, congratulations on completing your program!
Just as you went through a period of adjustment when you arrived in your host country, you will likely also experience a period of adjustment after returning to the U.S.— this process is called re-entry. Re-entry can be defined as the often unexpected and sometimes difficult experience of re-adjusting to life in one’s home culture after living abroad. Some study abroad returnees do not find re-entry to be difficult; however, most returnees experience some degree of stress upon returning home. In fact, for many students the process of re-adapting to home after study abroad is even more difficult than adjusting to the host culture!
Imagine the process of moving overseas and returning home as the process of transplanting a flowering potted plant into a new pot. To re-pot a plant, the soil around the roots should be loosened gently until they are exposed. Once in the new pot, the roots must become accustomed to different soil. Some plants are very sensitive to this process and wilt or drop leaves. It may take weeks before the plant begins to flourish and grow in its new domicile.
Imagine how difficult it would be to transplant the same plant a second time by trying to fit it back into its original pot. The roots, now longer and looser, resist being compressed back into the original pot. In fact, they simply don’t fit. The same is true for those who have moved overseas and adjusted to the new environment, lifestyle, and values of a different culture. Once an individual grows, it may be difficult to fit back completely into the same niche from which they came.
The Office of International Education has compiled resources to help you through the re-entry process after your semester abroad and continue to flourish with the nutrients you received from your time abroad. The resources provided here are not exhaustive and you can certainly find many more online, but we hope you find these useful. Although it may feel difficult to find others who have gone through similar experiences, remember that you can always reach out to the OIE staff and other returned study abroad students who have all gone through a similar experience to what you are going through.
Welcome back and let’s navigate this transition together!
