Alumni

Welcome Back! Resources for Thoughtfully Processing Your Time Abroad and Your Return

It’s common to have a period of adjustment when you return to from studying abroad. Similar to the culture shock you may have experienced in your host country you now have to re-acclimate yourself to your home surroundings. Often you have changed greatly during your time abroad and encountered things with which your friends and family have no point of reference and have provide a resource below for them to help you during this time.

The readjustment period for any study abroad student can be complex, and this is especially true for spring 2020 participants. We imagine you are feeling a wide range of emotions both at your return and the uncertainty of the global pandemic we are all navigating. The entire AIFS community is working hard to continue supporting students through this difficult time. We encourage you to download the “Navigating Uncertainty” guide and the “Marketing Your International Experience” workbook below to continue reflecting on your time abroad and help to make meaning from your interrupted experience.

We will be offering opportunities to come together as a study abroad community and continue processing this experience. Your program’s Resident Director will be in touch with additional details on these offerings.

You are also welcome to connect with us at alumni@aifs.com if would like to talk about your individual experiences, provide suggestions for how we can better support you through this process, and the lessons you learned from your time abroad. Below are some additional resources and tips to help you get started.

AIFS Study Abroad: Navigating Uncertainty Webinar Video

Navigating Uncertainty: Resources for Thoughtfully Processing Your Time Abroad and Your Return

• 1.

  Unpack
  Navigating Uncertainty: Resources for Thoughtfully Processing Your Time Abroad and Your Return (PDF)
  Marketing Your International Experience (PDF) 
  Reverse Culture Shock: Coping with Coming Home
  A Resource for Parents: Supporting Your Student Through Their COVID-19 Study Abroad Returnee Experience

• 2.

  Reflect
  Life After Study Abroad: How My Experience Impacts Me Every Day
  Reflections of an AIFS Alumni Ambassador: How Staying Connected to my Study Abroad Experience Opened Doors
  The Path I Never Imagined: Top 5 Study Abroad Lessons for Leadership
  How to Market Your Study Abroad Experience to Future Employers
  Center for Global Education’s Global Scholar Program (course 3 is for returnees)

• 3.

  Act
  Explore career resources
  Explore post-college internship, teaching, and volunteer programs
  Provide a quote on your time abroad
  Join our Ask Alumni program and share your time abroad with interested students via email
  Help at your campus study abroad fair
  Encourage others to study abroad as your schedule permits through our Alumni Advocate program
  Develop skills for your career – Apply to be an Alumni Ambassador