Study Abroad: Surviving Reverse Culture Shock

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One of the best ways to get through reverse culture shock is to anticipate it. Don't think "it will never happen to me." You're going to go through a process of making your new life mesh with your old life. Maintain your perspective here. Every country has a different approach to life, and adjusting can be difficult if you're used to a different set of social norms. Integrate the best aspects of your abroad culture with your old culture. College libraries were not open on the weekends while I was in Dublin; when I returned home, I decided that I would continue to stay out of the libraries on the weekend. I had adopted the Irish sentiment that visiting a library on a weekend was a ridiculous idea!

You may have internalized some of your abroad country's philosophies, which could conflict with U.S. ways of life. When I returned from abroad, I had the hardest time being on time for anything! I was always five, ten, or fifteen minutes late. In Ireland, this was never a problem. In fact, it was expected. I was slightly puzzled as to why my American friends were upset with my lateness. I had forgotten that in the U.S. being on time is highly important. Americans are obsessed with their wristwatches.

While anticipating reverse culture shock gets you well on your way to conquering it, I give you a few other ways that can help you win this battle.

Avoid the "grass is always greener" syndrome

Don't become a victim of the "grass is always greener" syndrome. Everything is better over there. Nothing is good here. Remember that every country has its flaws and its strengths. It is easy to dramatize how wonderful your return home will be. It is similarly easy, when you've returned home, to over-romanticize your experience abroad. Be careful not to make a habit of scapegoating: blaming others for your readjustment problems. Neither life here nor there is ever perfect. So if home isn't quite the paradise you remember, know that life would probably not be perfect in your abroad country either.

Revive relationships

You've been away for a semester or a year. Realize that the friends you were close with when you left, even if you kept in touch with them, will seem different when you return. You and your friends have had unique experiences during the time you were apart. Maybe she was studying abroad, too. Or maybe he met the love of his life in the university library while you were gone. You have all changed, and you may need to adjust to interacting in different ways. The distance you feel from your friends isn't permanent. And your new experiences can make for some very interesting conversations.

If parents, siblings, or friends express bewilderment or annoyance with your behavior after you've returned home, this could be a signal that you're either experiencing reverse culture shock or that your personality has changed as a result of being abroad. The best thing you can do is explain what reverse culture shock is and tell them this is what you're experiencing. If they know what is happening to you and that you're simply in the middle of the readjustment process, they can be more supportive and understanding of what you're going through. Good communication with family and friends reduces reverse culture shock.