While many students work to get back in the swing of a new semester, many students returning to campus from three months abroad work to combat reverse culture shock as well.
As a part of the study abroad program, Oklahoma Christian University partnered with Lipscomb University to send 43 students to Europe for three months this past fall semester. Dr. Jeff McCormack and his wife, Tina, served as first-time sponsors for the trip. McCormack is the dean of the College of Natural and Health Sciences on Oklahoma Christian’s campus.
“One of the challenges we faced while in Vienna was integrating students and getting them comfortable with each other,” Tina said. “They all got along really well and it was fun to see them make new friends.”
Tina said the students learned a few basic life skills while on the trip, such as how to cook meals for a large group, how to problem solve if they missed their train connections and how to deal with other unexpected challenges.
“They gained an awareness and understanding of cultural values, as well as the differences of political and church systems in various countries, while also getting to travel,” Jeff said.
According to Jeff, students were given a global cultural awareness assessment before leaving and upon return, to help them write about the impact of the trip on their lives. The group attended an event before leaving Vienna to prepare themselves for the reverse culture shock they might experience upon return to the United States.
“It’s striking the relationships we have with the group on this trip,” Jeff said. “They truly became a family.”
The McCormack’s relationships with the group allows them to be a resource for students’ upon their returns to campus.
“As far as reverse culture shock, they’ve had a month at home with families to go through some of those challenges,” Tina said. “The biggest challenge is for them trying to convey to other people what a wonderful experience it was. I don’t think they’re going to have a hard time adjusting with the ability to keep in touch being simplified through cell phones, Facebook and Skype.”
Jeff said being more globally aware and connected eases the cultural adjustment. According to Jeff, this softens the culture shock.
Senior Kennedy McAlister spent 12 of her 14 weekends on the trip traveling to a over a dozen countries in Europe. McAlister said she enjoyed riding bikes along the Mediterranean Sea as well as visiting the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam and the Picasso museum in Barcelona.
Although McAlister said she enjoyed studying abroad, McAlister said she often found herself homesick.
“While I was in Vienna, I found myself missing — strangely enough — missing the academics here [at Oklahoma Christian],” McAlister said. “Not that classes over there aren’t difficult, but they’re difficult to a different level because you’re learning outside of the classroom too.”
McAlister said she missed a full course load at Oklahoma Christian. On the first day back in classes, she said she felt overwhelmed by the schedule and routine.
“I love routine, so it’s really weird to say that,” McAlister said. “Vienna taught me how to live a quieter, more laid back life. I’m keeping those lessons with me but it’s been hard coming back and having expectations of being everywhere. It’s weird I use to not mind the busyness.”
McAlister said before the trip she pushed herself almost to the point of exhaustion with loads of extracurricular activities, and while on the trip she realized how important it is take care of herself.
“Study abroad is crazy,” McAlister said. “It changes your life but probably not in the ways you think it will. You go over there with all these expectations. Some of them are met, some exceeded and others you’ll find should have been nonexistent.”
McAlister said everyone deals with the challenges of coming back differently. She said she finds comfort in being able to talk to people such as Mendy Kooi, the study abroad coordinator, and bonding with other people who have shared similar experiences of studying abroad.
Junior Carson Brown said studying abroad gave her the opportunity to build new friendships and find a group of roommates for the spring semester. Brown said the trip also allowed her to travel more than she ever had before.
“I was able to go to more countries than I thought possible,” Brown said. “It was the best experience I’ve ever had. I went into studying abroad not knowing anyone, and all the girls I’m living with now are from the trip.”
Brown said after returning to the United States, she realized she didn’t feel homesick while she was abroad but instead she found herself homesick for Vienna.
“It’s been harder being back to a schedule,” Brown said. “I do miss the freedom and all the times I could go explore the city. Now I have homework again. I got to travel the world with my roommates and now we’re back experiencing spring rush together.”
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