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New Mexico State University

RETURNED STUDENTS' BASIC CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT TIPS:
Learn About DifferencesPrepare for Reverse Cultural ShockStrategies for AdjustingStrategies for Overcoming Homesickness
PREPARE BEFORE YOU GO:
Read the Culturegrams which the Office of Study Abroad will provide you for the country in which you will study. Compare what you learn with what returned students have perceived from their experience. Remember that evey study abroad experience is individual, and what one student experienced or perceived may not be experienced or perceived by other students. Keep an open mind.
  LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES OF THE SOCIETY AND CULTURE OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH YOU WILL STUDY
• Read as much as possible about culture. • Try to speak to others who have been to your study site. • Be prepared for a lot of poverty in some countries not seen openly in the U.S. • Get used to public transportation (busses everywhere, trains in Europe) and a lot of walking. • Sexuality may be viewed and expressed differently. • Consider taking Dr. Barry Thatcher's "Building Wealth Across Cultures" class.
  PREPARE FOR REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK UPON RETURNING (Back to Top)
• Coming home can be a new cultural adjustment.
TRY THESE STRATEGIES TO ADJUST SUCCESSFULLY IN OTHER CULTURES (Back to Top)
  AVOID STEREOTYPING & COMPARING EVERYTHING WITH THE U.S.
• Don't expect things to be Americanized. • Be very open-minded and take every opportunity you can. • Be accepting of the culture, humble yourself, don't be ethnocentric, try to understand the culture and not judge it or compare it to the U.S • Remember you're not in the states anymore. There are positive and negative aspects of any program. • If you refuse to experience the culture,and remain closed mined, then don't go. • You can’t appreciate and grow in a new culture unless you try, give the differences the most chances you can. • Don't constantly think "this is better in the states." Judge it on its own merits. " When you see an aspect of their culture that does not seem to make sense, think about all the strange things we Americans do, otherwise it is easy to look down on people of other cultures and think them foolish."
  BE PREPARED FOR ANTIAMERICANISM OR POLITICIZED ATMOSPHERE
• As a representative of the U.S., it is important to verse the bad image the U.S. has abroad by being friendly and open minded. "A lot of emotionalism accompanies discussion of political issues, and may get yelled at even if you agree."
  GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL PEOPLE & LEARN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE
• Participate in everything you can. • Don't stay in your room thinking about what you would be doing if you were at home in the U.S.A. "Avoid American stuff because it just makes you miss home more and it's lame anyway...." "Try to be one of the people don’t be an American in Mexico, be a Mexican in Mexico."
  BE A NICE PERSON AND GOOD GUEST
• Keep in mind that you are the guest. • Remember that you are studying in "their" country. You must adjust to get the full experience and not expect people to cater to you. • Just be friendly and be yourself. "Be nice and polite when they offer you to try something new." "Eat the food the family eats and try not to be too picky."
TRY THESE STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME FEELINGS OF HOMESICKNESS AND ISOLATION (Back to Top)
  GET INVOLVED WITH OTHER STUDENTS, HOST FAMILIES, SCHOOL STAFF, AND ENGAGE IN OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES
• Don’t isolate yourself and it’s a little easier. • Don't sit in your room even if you don't have friends at first. Explore on your own, since sitting in your room and calling home all the time will make it worse. • If feeling home sick, talk to the other students and or play some games or something. • Involve yourself in a lot of activities. Make friends with locals and not other Americans. • Walk around your city a lot and go into stores and talk to people. Talk and share and before you know it your experiences will become funny. • Get to know your neighbors and build a social network; people are the key to living happily. •• Make friends. More than likely most other students feel the same way you do. "Interact with host family as much as possible so you will feel at home." "Don’t just sit at home all the time. Go out and experience the culture and sites." " Do not be afraid to talk to people. If you do not make the first step to make friends right away, you will have trouble the whole exchange. I saw this in many cases with other exchange students." "Make Spanish friends rather than friends from school. • Get out and beat the culture shock." "I met some American students in France who never went out and they really didn't experience an exchange program.""Having a support group helps to become accustomed to Japan, and gives one the opportunity to have fun.""...if you get depressed, talk to your teachers."
  BRING COMFORT ITEMS TO REMIND YOU OF HOME
• If away at Christmas, take a present for youself so you can upwrap it while you are there.  • Take a few comfort items (pictures, etc.) with you to look at when bouts of home-sickness strike.  "Watch American DVDs--my South Park episodes saved my sanity at times." "Bring plenty of stuff to do at night to keep you occupied in your room on school nights."
  RELAX AND ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE
• When you are comfortable with the idea of feeling uncomfortable, you will have the time of your life. • Once you leave home everything is going to be different but you can always learn from that experience. • Accept that it’s a different culture and you’re going to have to adjust no matter what. Just take in the culture, enjoy and appreciate it for what it is. • Everything is different but not wrong. • Don't be afraid to try new foods, or take trips on weekends to experience different activities. • Go with the flow-don't get angry or annoyed that things aren't as they are at home-enjoy the differences. "Go prepared for differences and embrace what the trip is, not what you hoped it would be."
  COMMUNICATE WITH HOME IN MODERATION
• Don't forget to call home, but don't call home too often--it may make thing worse. • Call home as little as possible--it makes it seem less distant.

 

Last Updated: Thursday, 18-Oct-2007 14:36:56 MDT