What is Re-entry?

Ciao!

I have decided to take a break from studying for my Italian final and address a question I have been asked a lot recently.  A lot of my family and friends hear me throw around the word 're-entry' a lot either on Skype or in e-mails and I have realized that many people don't realize what study abroad students go through when they come home.  Granted, I have yet to come home and experience these things but I have been told by our staff members here at Umbra that it will hit us as soon as we get off the plane.

When we went to our re-entry meeting about 2 weeks ago we received a handbook to help us readjust to life at home in the United States.  And in the handbook there were the top 10 re-entry challenges experienced by many students.  Here are the top 10 challenges as explained in our handbook....

1. Boredom - After all the newness and stimulation of your time abroad, a return to family, friends, and old routines (however nice and comforting) can seem very dull. It is natural to miss the excitement and challenges that characterize study in a foreign country, but it is up to you to find ways to overcome such negative reactions.

2. "No one wants to hear" - One thing you can count on upon your return: many people will be uninterested in hearing about your adventures and triumphs when you try to share those experiences.This is not a rejection of you or your achievements, but simply the fact that once they have heard the highlights, any further interest on your audiences' part is probably unlikely. Be realistic in your expectations of how fascinating your journey is going to be for everyone else.

3. You can't explain - Even when given a chance to explain all the sights you saw and feelings you had while studying abroad, it is likely to be at least a bit frustrating to relay them coherently. It is very difficult to convey this kind of experience to people who do not have similar frames of reference or travel backgrounds, no matter how sympathetic they are as listeners. You can tell people about your trip, but you may fail to make them understand exactly how or why you felt a particular way.

4. Reverse Homesickness - Just as you probably missed home for a time after arriving in Italy, it is just as natural to experience some "reverse" homesickness for the people, places, and things that you grew accustomed to in Perugia. To an extent it can be reduced by writing letters or emails to generally keep in contact, but feelings of loss are an integral part of international sojourns and must be anticipated and accepted
as a natural result of study abroad

5. Relationships have changed - It is inevitable that when you return you will notice that some relationships with friends and family will have changed. Just as you have altered some of your ideas and attitudes while
abroad, the people at home are likely to have experienced some changes. These changes may be positive or negative, but expecting that no change will have occurred is unrealistic. The best preparation is flexibility, openness, minimal preconceptions, and tempered optimism.

6. People see "wrong" changes - Sometimes people may concentrate on small alterations in your behavior or ideas and seem threatened or upset by them. Others may attribute any 'bad" traits to the influence of your
time abroad. These incidents with family or friends may be motivated by jealousy, fear, or feelings of superiority or inferiority. To avoid or minimize them it is necessary to monitor yourself and be aware of the reactions of those around you, especially in the first few weeks following your return. This phase normally passes quickly if you do nothing to confirm their stereotypes.

7. People misunderstand - A few people will misinterpret your words or actions in such a way that communication is difficult. Offers to help in the kitchen can be seen as criticism of food preparation; new
clothing styles as provocative or inappropriate, references to Italy or speaking Italian as boasting. Be aware of how you may look to others and how your behavior is likely to be interpreted.

8. Feelings of alienation/critical eyes - Sometimes the reality of being back 'home" is not as natural or enjoyable as the place you had constructed as your mental image. When real daily life is less enjoyable or more demanding than you remembered, it is natural to feel some alienation, see faults in the society you never noticed before, or even become quite critical of everyone and everything for a time. This is no different than when you first left home. Mental comparisons are fine, but keep them to yourself until you regain both your cultural balance and a balanced perspective. 

9. Inability to apply new knowledge and skills - Many returnees are frustrated by the lack of opportunity to apply newly gained social, linguistic, and practical coping skill that appear to be unnecessary or irrelevant. To avoid ongoing annoyance: adjust to reality as necessary, change what is possible, be creative and patient, and above all use all the cross-cultural adjustment skills you acquired abroad to assist your own re-entry. For example, during your stay in Italy you have mastered public transportation and train travel in general. It is common to feel “land locked" and unable to use your travel skills in daily life as with your adventures that were such a part of your life abroad.

10. Loss or compartmentalization - Being home, coupled with the pressures of job, families, and friends, often combine to make returnees worried that somehow they will “lose" the experience. You may feel that somehow the experience will become compartmentalized like souvenirs or photo albums kept in a box to be admired only once in awhile. You do not have to let that happen. Maintain your contacts. Talk to people who have experiences similar to yours. Practice your skills. Remember and honor both your hard work and the fun you had while studying abroad.

After looking over the list I became very nervous and even a little bit scared about going home.  It's crazy to think that I will have to be readjusted to a place I have lived for 20 years of my life.  But all of my new friends here will be going through the same feelings and we have all agreed to help each other by writing letters, skyping, and keeping in touch via e-mail and Facebook.  And who knows?  Maybe we will have a big reunion years down the road :)

I guess I should get back to studying my Italian now.  I hope everyone has a fantastic rest of the week and I look forward to seeing you all in only 8 days!

Italian word of the post:
    Buon Natale - Merry Christmas

Morgan :)