International Student Reentry Process:We came, we saw, now what?Izabela Kaczynska

In the numbers

Reasons to come to the United States

Better educational opportunities

Better funding opportunities

More academic freedom

Expectations that U.S. degree would improve job opportunities in home country

Desire to experience a new culture

Came with other family members who were motivated to move to the U.S.

The culture shock

Culture shock is triggered by the anxiety that results from losing all familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse. These signs are the thousand and one ways in which we orient ourselves to the situations of daily life: when to shake hands and what to say when we meet people, when and how to give tips, how to make purchases, when to accept and when to refuse invitations, when to take statements seriously and when not.

Motivation to stay in the U.S.

Better job/career opportunities

Academic freedom

Higher economic standard of living

Higher “quality of life”

Ties to friends/family

Unwillingness of partner to leave US

Opportunities for children

Political situation

Disincentives to stay in the US

Feeling alienation from US culture

Different understanding of friendships in US

Different priorities in US (family vs. career)

Racist attitudes encountered in US (long hours, few vacation days)

Poorer economic standard of living/low wages

Poorer “quality of life” in US

Motivations to return to home country

Friends and family in home country

Family members in US who want to return

Better professional opportunities

Feeling more comfortable

Higher economic standard of living

Better “quality of life”

Political situation in home country

Re-adjustment & Reverse Culture Shock

Reverse homesickness

Relationships have changed

You can’t explain

People misunderstand

Feeling of alienation

Boredom