It may be strange to think about returning home before you leave. But returning from an AFS experience can be a challenge itself. The experience doesn’t stop just because you’ve left your host country. Upon your return, you’ll represent...
Reverse Culture Shock
Upon your return, you may feel like a different person and have a tough time relating to your U.S. peers and family members. You may see your home culture differently and find yourself incorporating elements of your host culture into your life in the U.S., which may make you stand out. Your family members and friends may not perceive some of these differences as acutely as you do. Others may not understand the purpose of your exchange or the lessons you learned; they also may not listen when you try to explain, which can be very frustrating.
In the meantime, you will be readjusting to changing back to your home diet, language, sleeping patterns and more. You may struggle to find a way to incorporate your newly acquired skills and knowledge into your previous environment. This process is to be expected because you come back from your exchange with a new perspective. Remember the AFS motto during your readjustment process: It’s not right or wrong, it’s just different.