1. Psychological effects of living abroad Bridging the Gap Erasmus Project International School of Budapest

2. When living or being in a country that is not your own you may experience…. HOMESICKNESS CULTURE SHOCK LANGUAGE BARRIERS

3. Homesickness About Homesickness… When you're homesick, you might miss familiar things like your family, friends, pets, house, or neighborhood. You can miss something as simple as your bed or the tree outside your window. Why Do I Feel This Way? Familiar surroundings, people, and routines help us feel secure and relaxed. A new place feels unfamiliar at first, and you're not sure what to expect. You may find yourself missing the comforts of home and loved ones. Those homesick feelings are completely normal. You might feel a little lonely, sad, or stressed. Once the new surroundings and people become more familiar, feelings of homesickness go away. http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/emotions/homesickness.html Ways to deal with homesickness. keep in touch, Skype but not too much…it could make you miss home more. Meet people, engage with those in your program Watch or listen to something on you tube from home. Eat foods that remind you of home. Bring something from home with you! Keep a journal and write about your experiences and feelings, it can help release the stress and loneliness you may be feeling. Remember why you are there. Know that it is just a week a two and you have a purpose for being there and keep that goal in mind. http://blog.peertransfer.com/2013/08/02/how-to-deal-with-leaving-your-home-country-and- culture-shock/

4. Culture Shock What Is culture shock? Culture shock isn't a clinical term or medical condition. It's simply a common way to describe the confusing and nervous feelings a person may have after leaving a familiar culture to live in a new and different culture. When you move to a new place, you're bound to face a lot of changes. That can be exciting and stimulating, but it can also be overwhelming. You may feel sad, anxious, frustrated, and want to go home. It's natural to have difficulty adjusting to a new culture. People from other cultures (whom you'll be hanging out with and doing the program with) may have grown up with values and beliefs that differ from yours. Because of these differences, the things they talk about, the ways they express themselves, and the importance of various ideas may be very different from what you are used to. But the good news is that culture shock is temporary. http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/emotions/culture_shock.html

5. Culture Shock Dealing with culture shock Keep an open mind and a positive attitude. Try withholding judgment as it will allow you to be an objective observer and facilitate the cross-cultural understanding. Give yourself time to adapt to the cultural differences. Make an effort and study the language daily to enhance your communication skills, as this will help you integrate with others better. Make friends with others in your program who can help you explain different customs and show you how things are done. Make yourself like something about the new culture every day. Celebrate a meal (that you wouldn’t otherwise eat in your home country), an activity, or anything that you’re probably going to miss once you’re back in your home country. Most importantly: Keep your sense of humor! Keep in mind that studying/learning abroad is an incredible experience that will expand your horizons and add the wealth of another culture to your experience and knowledge – and it’s up to you to make the most of it. Preparing for culture shock It is always a good idea to prepare yourself for a little culture shock, here are a few ways: Read as much as possible about where you’re going, including the particular area (the South is very different from the North). You can read some travel books, local newspapers online, and stay up to date on political happenings. Reach out and talk to fellow international colleagues who are from or have been to the place you’re going. http://www.culturosity.com/pdfs/10%20Stra tegies%20for%20Overcoming%20Language% 20Barriers.pdf

6. Language Barrier Language barrier is a figurative phrase used primarily to indicate the difficulties faced when people who have no language in common attempt to communicate with each other. Overcoming the Language Barrier Speak slowly and clearly, it prevents miscommunication and misunderstanding. Ask for clarification, make sure you understand! Check for understanding often. Repeat what you think others have said…”what you are saying is…” Try not to use idioms. It can make you difficult for others to understand. Be carful if you use jargon…abbreviations and special language others may not understand. ISB, what is that exactly?? Be patient, cross-cultural communication takes more time. You cannot expect to communicate as fast as you would with someone from your own culture. http://www.culturosity.com/pdfs/10%20Strategies%20for%20O vercoming%20Language%20Barriers.pdf

7. Stages of your adventure! Preparing to go- the idea, it seems somewhat unreal, the packing, and for some stress. There is a fear to living/being in a new country, and though it is more acute at first, it never completely evaporates as time goes on. It simply changes. Leaving home-if you have never been abroad it can be a scary thought. Friends, colleagues and family will help and support you, but you alone leave. Leaving behind your support network in your home country can be very difficult. Not only will you be going far away from the people you are used to seeing on a regular basis, but at least at first, you will probably not know many people in your new city. By putting yourself in an uncomfortable new situation it could force you to into a new phase of your life. It is an opportunity! Arriving-Getting to your destination and settling in, meeting roommates or homestay families. Getting use to the surroundings http://www.studyabroad.com/articles/the-study-abroad-rollercoaster-of-emotions.aspx First days-exciting, but after a couple of days you may experience homesickness. Since most of the programs are not longer than 2 weeks there is comfort in knowing that it won’t be long before it is over. Knowing this though you should try to use some techniques to overcome it so you will be able to enjoy the time you are there. Settling In-Near the end of the time you may feel settled in, but the time was too short and it is time to go back home! Leaving again-leaving a new home you have come to know that is not easy. You may wish the program was longer etc. but it is time to say goodbye. Arriving again back home. You may now have reverse culture shock. You will miss the place you have been and want to talk about it endlessly while others tire of the topic. Talk to your fellow Erasmus friends, create a journal..!

8. Biculturalism How well you can adapt to the environment will have a direct effect on how well everything goes for you. If you are tolerant, accepting, and can assimilate into a new place easily and are willing to learn the cultural “dos” and “don’ts” and learn the language you will more likely have a better experience abroad. You can’t change the environment around you. It is what it is and if you can accept it and submerge into it your experience will be a better one. The way someone approaches the experience will have an effect on him or her psychologically, whether it is positive or negative depends on the person. The word biculturalism comes to mind. It is the ability to simultaneously identify with both home and host cultures. This ability helps people make sense of the world and can help people be able to perform better in the creative and professional aspects of their lives. Good Luck and STAY POSITIVE!!! http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/ 11/121106125610.htm

9. Personal Story I have been abroad for vacation, work, and to live. Each is a bit different. The shorter the time somewhere should be easier but sometimes it is more difficult because you really want to stay longer, you feel you need to learn and experience more. When you live abroad or study for a longer period of time (or marry someone form another country!) you come to a deeper understanding of the other culture. You start to think of it as home. You understand this place in a way a tourist wouldn’t. I feel now that I am almost two people. The American Lisa and the Hungarian Lisa. I have lives and people I love in both places. But I can’t be in both places at once so something is always missing. But this is who I chose to be so I just deal with it. I feel the benefits out way the difficulties of it! Lisa : )

10. Thanks for watching! -Lisa & Julia-