:: Faculty Handbook ::
Orientation and Reentry
Orientations help students prepare for the experience of going abroad and prepare them to reap the greatest benefits from the study abroad program. They improves the odds of a successful cross-cultural experience by creating realistic expectations and by reducing the multitude of unknown, unpredictable factors involved in studying in a foreign country. During orientation sessions students are given the tools for a safe study abroad experience. It is important to integrate the pre-departure and on-site orientations, with a re-entry program once the group returns to campus, in order to provide a more holistic approach to cross-cultural learning.
Pre-departure orientation is designed to help students prepare for the experience and to ease the adjustment process, avoid serious culture shock, and take full advantage of their time abroad. Attendance at the orientation program should be mandatory; at a minimum, students should be required to sign a statement saying that they have read the orientation materials and are aware of the precautions to take and risks involved in the study abroad program.
Some topics that should be covered are:
- Contact information: how to contact the Resident Director immediately upon arrival at the program site and throughout the program. Also, parents should be provided with phone, e-mail, and fax information for contacting the group lodging and/or host site.
- Currency and exchange rate
- Group itinerary and group flight arrangements
- What services are / are not provided
- Costs of what is / is not provided
- Passport and visa information (as applicable)
- Cultural adjustment
- Cultural and legal differences
- Introduction to faculty and course
- Student conduct and responsibilities
- Known health and safety risks in the area
- Precautions, prevention, and assumption of risk
The on-site orientation should be mandatory, given the important information that students must receive regarding program details, health and safety information, and cultural adjustment topics. This orientation will assist students in developing strategies for coping with the new culture. Some topics that should be covered include:
- Program rules and regulations
- Proper conduct
- Information on the host country and its laws
- Cross-cultural insights and coping skills
- Overview of the Resident Director’s role and the role of students
- Availability and office hours of Resident Director
- Health and medical care
- Grading policy and program evaluation
- How students should voice complaints and concerns
- Plan for trip accidents and other incidents
Usually, study abroad programs concentrate on preparing students to leave for overseas programs and for cultural adjustment on arrival, but give very little attention to re-entry or “reverse culture shock.” Most people assume that the students will be able to step right in and resume their lives as Cal Poly students after their sojourn. Often times it is just as much of an adjustment on returning as it was when they arrived in their host country. Re-entry is a continuing adjustment process, as returnees find they are never quite able to become part of the home culture in a way that they were before departure. Some students have an easier readjustment than others, and oddly enough, those who adjust more easily to another culture will be the ones who have the most difficult time readjusting to the home culture.
The goal of a re-entry program is to provide a smooth transition back to the U.S. and home campus. A successful reintegration program may include resources and events that will assist returning students to minimize reverse culture shock, and opportunities for the students to contribute to the campus community by utilizing their new international perspective and cross-cultural skills.
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