Barbara Pilling: Pilli003umn'edu

1
Re-entry Theres No Place Like Home, but, Who
Am I?

• Barbara Pilling Pilli003_at_umn.edu
• Duane Rohovit Rohov002_at_umn.edu
• Grace Machoki Mach0114_at_umn.edu

Website isss.umn.edu (Return to Your Home
Country)
2
Agenda

• Overview What is re-entry?
• W Curve
• Common issues
• Stories/Examples
• Grace in Kenya
• Hitomi in Japan
• Question/answer
• Factors that affect Re-entry
• Gender, GLBT, Age
• Gap of differences cultural, economic, family
  expectations
• Amount of time in US, Amount of travel
  experience, Amount gone native
• Bi-cultural/national relationships
• Coping Strategies
• Offer list from website
• Constructive marginality

3

• Culture Shock is the expected confrontation with
  the unfamiliar re-entry culture shock is the
  unexpected confrontation with the familiar.
• -Michael Paige, PhD

4
This is a graph depicting study abroad adjustment
also known as culture shock. The highs and lows
are common experiences felt by those who study
abroad. Source www.isep.org
5
Common Feelings about Returning Home

• Why doesnt anyone understand me?
• Why do I feel so bad about being home?
• Everyone at home has changed.
• Ive changed.
• I miss the freedom and independence I felt while
  I was in the U.S.
• Why dont they believe me that this transition is
  hard?
• How will I tell them what Ive learned without
  being insulting?
• Who can I talk to that understands me?
• Will this ever get easier?

6
Factors that affect re-entry

• Gender, GLBT, Age
• Gap of differences cultural, economic, family
  expectations
• Amount of time in US, Amt of travel experience,
  Amt gone native
• Bi-cultural/national relationships

7
GLBT Re-entry Issues

• Safety -some countries tolerate or even encourage
  the persecution of GLBT citizens
• REOURCES
• Amnesty International GLBT website
• U N International GLBT Rights Commission
• Home country GLBT Organizations

8

• New GLBT Identity
• Differences in private spaces
• Family expectations
• Cultural norms
• Existence of home country resources

• Isolation
• Return to the closet
• Locating GLBT resources
• Relocation to more liberal metro areas
• Distance from family and village contacts
• Career adjustments

9
Coping Strategies

• One of the best ways to cope successfully with
  the re-entry process is to prepare yourself
  before returning home. It is helpful to have
  realistic expectations and to have thought
  through the re-entry process before experiencing
  it.

10
Coping Strategies Personally

• Make sure to take time to ask your family and
  friends what has happened in their lives while
  you were gone.
• Befriend other people who have had an
  intercultural/international experience.
• Keep in touch with your friends, professors,
  co-workers, advisor(s) and supervisor(s) in
  Minnesota.
• Be patient with yourself and others.
• Be careful about generalizing about how Americans
  think and feel, and be clear about speaking from
  your own point of view.

11

• Understand that it is ok and only natural to
  compare cultures, but try not to be too negative
  or boastful. Rather, focus on adopting positive
  aspects of both cultures for yourself.
• Find creative ways to keep up with your English
  skills, such as watching American movies, and
  reading books, magazines or newspapers in
  English.
• Use your English skills in a helpful way with
  others.
• Meet with a career counselor to go over your
  resume and career options to include your
  international experience and your newly acquired
  skills in a culturally appropriate manner.
• Begin job hunting in your home country before you
  return home. You can try to find a job with a
  multinational company or a company that has
  opportunities for bilinguals.

12
Coping Strategies In your Community

• Volunteer to give a presentation about your
  experience in the U.S. to a local school in your
  home country.
• Check with local study abroad recruitment
  services and/or universities to see how you can
  help recruit students to study overseas.
• Volunteer to help a local university with an
  orientation for international students.
• Join an English club and/or befriend other
  English speakers.
• Volunteer to help teach English to a school or to
  family members and friends.

13

• Organize a gathering of fellow University of
  Minnesota alumni.
• Volunteer to become a host family or language
  partner for an international student.
• Join a professional organization in your field.
• Join a local organization that advocates for a
  political or social cause that you support.

14
Constructive marginality Janet Bennett

• realities that are complementary and constantly
  in interaction.
• the concept that home is inside yourself, that
  there is always a choice which set of cultural
  values you will use in any given situation

15
To what extent have I adopted new (American)
values and behaviors (i.e., personal
independence)? How do I expect this change to
affect my interactions with my family and friends?
Reflective Questions

16
Values Behaviors

• The following is a list of possible new values
  and behaviors that you may have picked-up during
  your time in the United States.
• New sense of autonomy.
• Feel more self confidence.
• Feel more responsible about my lifestyle choices
  and their global impact.
• Feel more concern for international politics.
• Greater awareness of other behavior patterns.

17

• Greater awareness of different male/female
  relationships.
• Feel less consumer-oriented.
• Feel more interested in social, justice and/or
  political issues.
• New ability to think more critically about
  current issues.
• Higher tolerance for ambiguity in situations.
• New ability to suspend judgment on others and
  their actions.

Source Paige, R.M., Cohen, A.D., Kappler, B.,
Chi, J.C., Lassegard, J.P. (2006). Maximizing
study abroad A students guide to strategies for
language and culture learning and use. 2nd
Edition. Minneapolis, MN Center for Advanced
Research on Language Acquisition, University of
Minnesota
18
Skills Qualities

• The following is a list of possible new skills or
  personal qualities that you may have acquired
  during your time in the United States.
• Skills
• Understand cultural differences and similarities
• Adapt to new environments
• Learn through listening and observing
• Establish rapport quickly
• Function with a high level of ambiguity
• Take initiative and risks
• Utilize time management skills

19

• Skills continued
• Identify problems and utilize available resources
  to solve the problems
• Accept responsibility
• Communicate despite barriers
• Learn quickly
• Handle difficult situations
• Handle Stress
• Manage and organize
• Lead others in formal and/or informal groups
• Conduct research despite language and cultural
  differences
• Cope with rejection

20

• Qualities
• Self-reliance
• High energy level and enthusiasm
• Appreciation of diversity
• Perseverance
• Flexibility
• Open-mindedness
• Assertiveness
• Inquisitiveness
• Self-confidence
• Self-knowledge
• Independence

Source Paige, R.M., Cohen, A.D., Kappler, B.,
Chi, J.C., Lassegard, J.P. (2006). Maximizing
study abroad A students guide to strategies for
language and culture learning and use. 2nd
Edition. Minneapolis, MN Center for Advanced
Research on Language Acquisition, University of
Minnesota
21
Additional Resources

• LaBrack, B. (2003). Whats up with Culture from
  http//www.pacific.edu/sis/culture.
• Paige, R.M., Cohen, A.D., Kappler, B., Chi, J.C.,
  Lassegard, J.P. (2006). Maximizing study
  abroad A students guide to strategies for
  language and culture learning and use. 2nd
  Edition. Minneapolis, MN Center for Advanced
  Research on Language Acquisition, University of
  Minnesota.
• Paige, R.M. (Ed.), (1993) Education for the
  intercultural experience. Yarmouth, ME
  Intercultural Press.
• Pollock, D.C., Van Reken, R.E. (2001). Third
  culture kids The experience of growing up among
  worlds. Boston, Massachusetts Nicholas Brealey.
• Strorti, C. (2003). The art of coming home.
  Yarmouth, MA Intercultural Press.