Lessons from the Study Abroad Cycle

According to the an IES Alumni Survey, 95 percent of respondents stated that study abroad has had a lasting impact on their world view. In addition to personal development, alumni responded that study abroad increased academic attainment, cultural development and career impact.

As noted by a reader of this blog, “Once a person travels abroad they are a changed person. They can’t avoid being broadened.” I couldn’t agree with this more. After spending two weeks in Spain, I came home changed. Some of the changes were noticeable such as fashion choices inspired by European style, casual references to sangria or adorning my dorm room with Spanish memorabilia. Other things were not so obvious. As part of my program, I was required to write a reflection paper upon return to school. After completing this paper, I had realized some things about myself: I was comfortable navigating a foreign country by myself, I was capable of overcoming language barriers and I really developed an appreciation for European culture.

There seems to be a cycle to study abroad. I am in the post study abroad infatuation phase. An article in The Massachusetts Daily Collegian describes this cycle of excitement, homesickness, invigoration and longing to return upon arrival home.

“Something not often discussed is the affection that one often develops for the country in which they study. Superficially, students fill their rooms with memorabilia and the country becomes the focal point of many conversations after they return. However this all points to the fact that the country has become a part of their identity.”

This article chronicles a former study abroad student’s journey back to his study abroad destination, Buenos Aires, by planning a volunteer program to make a positive difference in a place he had grown to love. “Buenos Aires felt demystified, and its warts stood out more prominently than before. I anticipated a series of epiphanies, but I found food that didn’t taste as fresh as the first time I had it, winding streets that didn’t hold any more mysteries, and volunteer work that felt futile.”

This reality is sad. I choose to take his experience as a lesson. With so many places in the world, revisiting my study abroad location should not be my priority. By exploring more corners of the globe, I will be further broadened – an exciting prospect! For now I will hold on lovingly to my fond memories of Spain, and if I choose to return someday, I will have the opportunity to form new opinions that hopefully will not put a damper on my study abroad experience.