Please ensure you complete any documents requested by your host institution or organisation, as well as those sent to you by Queen Mary. If you have any questions at all about what you should complete upon or prior to returning to Queen Mary please contact the relevant contact for you programme.
We hope that you have had an enjoyable exchange experience abroad and that your return to life at home (in the UK or your home country) goes smoothly. If ever you are having difficulty adapting/adjusting to life back at Queen Mary or experience new feelings you can't quite put your finger on, this is likely reverse culture shock. This link provides a great overview of what reverse culture shock is all about, including some useful suggestions for how you might process your feelings in a positive, fruitful manner.
Just as normal culture shock, this is nothing you should worry about, however, if you have trouble getting past these feelings, we encourage you to seek support from the Advice and Counselling Service.
To allow you to reflect on your experience, we'll be sending you an evaluation form to complete upon your return. We also welcome your feedback via email at goabroad@qmul.ac.uk or in person.
You'll notice that one of the suggestions to positively channel any feelings of reverse culture shock is to share your experience of being abroad with others. We encourage you to get in touch with us if you want to write about your experience, such as through contributing to Queen Mary Global Bloggers, providing content for our social media platforms or even becoming a Global Opportunities Ambassador.
Get in touch with Jess, Global Opportunities Study Abroad Manager (Marketing & Recruitment) to find out more: jessica.tan@qmul.ac.uk.
If you're an incoming/associate student currently studying abroad at Queen Mary and want Returnee Information, we hold Returnee Sessions prior to your departure from Queen Mary. We will send full details of this to you via email, or contact us at study-abroad@qmul.ac.uk for more information. You should also contact your home university to find out the support they provide for returning students.