 The anxiety produced when a person moves to a new environment  The “ways” of a different country – your new normality  The stress of meeting new people – lots of them, including your room-mate...  Being separated from important people in your life back home  And the sheer intensity of an experience like the exchange – one thing after another

 The honeymoon stage  Stimulating, exciting, different  The distress stage  The impact of differences, worry, passivity, loneliness  The re-integration stage  Activity, even complaint  The autonomy stage  Emergence, return to equilibrium  The independence stage  Relaxed, at ease with situation

 The US is a foreign country  English-speaking but not England  Human – the attitudes of the pe0ple, their behaviour and habits = different  Physical - the landscape and townscape, the distances, the plants and animals = different  And university – character and practices = different  Be ready for it to be... different

So not but instead

 Any time - even before you go! The leap into the unknown (“I don’t want to do this”)  Travelling alone (“What, I have to change planes?”)  A sense of anticlimax at finally arriving after preparing for so long (“This is it???”)  The first week or so... try to stick it out  In the Distress stage of culture shock (“I hate it here!!”)  Or there could be other triggers

 Different ways to do the same – take a class, do assignments, act in class  Can be more formal – “Professor”  The habits of the UK student – to come to some of the classes, do some of the reading, buy some of the books, and write the essay the night before  Fatal in America...  The assignments – little and often

 Don’t fail classes – DON’T FAIL CLASSES  Attend, do the reading, study for ALL the assignments, pass them ALL  Take classes at the right level – normally 300/0 and one at 200/0 if needed  If you change them, you MUST tell us – if you d0n’t, you risk the credit not being accepted if at the wrong level or in the wrong subject  If you have problems, let them, let us know

 Check out your new university and surroundings before you leave  Be ready for negative feelings and anxiety and try them into positive, constructive ones  Distract yourself from negative thoughts  Join clubs and societies, explore the area  Focus on things that relax you and have familiar things around you (bring them with you)  Stay in touch with us and with home  Eat healthily, take exercise and sleep well

 Can be difficult when in a strange setting  Go to their Orientation Sessions  Know who to contact at the US university if you have problems with assignments, classes, housing, room-mates, paying bills  Be polite – an English accent goes a long way  Contact us too – we have influence  Don’t rely too much on your parents long distance

 You need to budget and probably budget differently from home - different costs, new costs – the exchange rate  Some things cost more, others don’t  Anticipate the total cost – signing the application and visa forms is taken as acceptance that you will have the money they indicate you will need – so no excuse for not  Your financial status re the Access Fund  Check the exchange rate regularly (today?)  If you have problems, let Winchester know

 Homesickness and worry is experienced by almost everyone  It’s okay to feel sad sometimes  But don’t feel guilty if you are enjoying yourself – you are not being disloyal to those you are missing  Take your time to adjust  If things are not improving, seek help from support services at the US university and us

 Often a sense of alienation on return  Glad to be back, but you find you are missing people, places, the thrill of being away  Home andjust doesn’t seem enough  = Reverse culture shock  Period of decompression required (like a deep sea diver coming to the surface) – be prepared  But... stay friends, you can stay in touch, you can visit again and without having to ever write an essay

 Remember you MUST fill out forms for Winchester – including Personal Details. HEREHERE  Everyone is insured by us for property, travel and medical, but some locations insist you buy their medical cover too  Our cover gives you three days either side of the semester dates at the partner – for more, buy your own insurance  ALWAYS know the emergency contact details (whichever applies)