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Students experience culture shock in reverse after returning home

Jan. 24, 2008

By Lynn Ngo
Reporter

Each semester many students who studied abroad return home with reverse culture shock.

Reverse culture shock can be compared to the culture shock that one may experience as a foreigner in another country. Except this time the culture shock applies to one's home country.

Reverse culture shock can affect anyone who has lived for an extended period of time in another culture and has adapted to that cultural environment, such as study abroad students.

Phoenix, Ariz., junior Cassidy Ford knows what it's like to experience reverse culture shock. In the summer of 2007, Ford studied abroad in Argentina. After returning, she found herself having to try hard to re-adjust to life back home.

"It took me a few weeks to stop thinking in Spanish," Ford said. "Speaking Spanish all the time was just so natural."

It also became natural for Ford to search for a cup of tea when she wasn't feeling well. While in Argentina, Ford's host mother would make her drink hot tea with lemon instead of orange juice when she was ill. To this day, Ford drinks tea with lemon instead of orange juice.

Two months after returning from Argentina, Ford also studied abroad with the Baylor in Maastricht program.

Traveling through Europe for three months, she said she gained an independence that was hard to let go after coming home. Ford said she had been traversing Europe solo and was responsible for her own basic survival and safety.

"At home, my parents wanted to take care of everything. As much as I appreciated their help, they didn't really understand that I was perfectly capable of doing things on my own," she said.

Katy junior Christopher Dunn studied abroad in France. He said that culture shock is a true phenomenon and occurs both ways.

Dunn studied French while abroad and said he loved the challenges that came with speaking a foreign language. He said there were always new problems to solve or obstacles to overcome.

"I was in a language school, so I was speaking French day in and day out. The weirdest thing for me was speaking English again in public," Dunn said.

Gentry, Ark., junior Keri Bowman studied abroad in Maastricht and noticed herself judging everything in America by European standards. For example, she said it was difficult to re-adjust to the idea that she needed a car to go everywhere.

"I couldn't really walk anywhere. It was so strange for the first few weeks trying to adjust to never walking anymore. We used to walk like 10 miles a day," she said.

She attributes her reverse culture shock to having adjusted to life in Europe. She said initially she compared everything in Europe to home, but then Europe became familiar.

"When back home, your standards of what seems normal as to dress, convenience and transportation all seem foreign and strange," Bowman said.

Reverse culture shock can be stressful, but there are steps students can take to alleviate such feelings.

Maastricht program coordinator Karen Connors said one way to deal with the culture shock students may experience is to talk about their experience abroad. Students can volunteer to speak at study abroad information sessions to other students who are interested in attending the same program.

She also suggested that students get involved with Baylor's international programs.

"We love having students come man our tables at the study abroad fair," Connors said.

Connors said that getting involved with international programs provides students with an outlet to talk about their experiences abroad with other students who are eager to listen.

The People Around the World Sharing Program, or PAWS, pairs an international student with a Baylor student who has studied abroad.

Connors said the PAWS program gives Baylor students an opportunity to help international students adjust to life abroad. They can share their experiences since they've been in a similar situation.

"Studying abroad increases awareness of other cultures. Students become more independent," she said.

She added that being immersed in another culture enables students to take a closer look at their own beliefs and goals for the future.

"Students come to understand that the learning process is global and not restricted to the Baylor experience, which helps them when they return as a motivation to experience everything available to them." Connors said.

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