[author image=”http://hunzanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/1149.jpg” ]Rehmat Amin is a professional banker having international exposure, he has recently completed one year scholarship program in United States of America funded by US state department of education and cultural affairs.[/author]
REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK IN STUDENTS RETURNING FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Today every other student is pursuing various scholarship opportunities abroad especially in United States of America. Every year more than 200 students from Pakistan are awarded scholarships from numerous US supports like USEFP and USAID, students from marginalized and underprivileged areas like Gilgit Baltistan are given priority in such grants. I am also a beneficiary of one the scholarship programs commenced by USEFP, I would like to highlight the consequences and repercussions of reverse culture shock in students returning from abroad after completing a particular program.
Most of the students anticipate culture shock when they arrive to the host country, this phase is very short and temporary as the scholarship covers each and every thing, upon the arrival of students from various countries, and host country organizes several orientations regarding culture shock. In such orientations students are provided with a detail itinerary which covers all the activities from start till the end of the program while a program coordinator is assigned the responsibility of mentoring the students during the whole period which makes the stay in an alien country very comfortable and pleasant.
The most challenging part of such programs is reentry phase which is also called reverse culture shock, upon returning to home you feel detached and reserved from your friends and family, you started to feel like you never belong to this place. Social and political views of people around you will seem like absurd and antiquated, consequently you will not able to focus on your goals, your values and attitude will start to change dramatically. You will start to think negative about your native place and the people around you and the only thing going through your mind will be missing people and places of foreign country.
Another very important and central part of reentry phase is high expectations from your accomplishments, many students after coming back to respective native countries face serious complications in finding a better job. Students must build upon what they learned from abroad rather than being negative towards one’s own culture and society. It’s very challenging to find a job in a least developed country like Pakistan therefore scholars must devise appropriate plan to search a job opportunity and the best way out is to increase your public relations, the only way to find a better career opportunity in Pakistan is to have good relations with people from various disciplines. Exposure in developed countries instils people management thus students must capitalize on the new skills and techniques learned abroad. While studying abroad students must project their activities via social media like Facebook, twitter, and LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the best platform for the students returning from abroad to increase their professional network.
Finally based on my personal experience I would strongly recommend scholars of Gilgit Baltistan to stay connected with people through internet and other mediums of information technology, I would not indorse the idea of staying in our native places because most of the people who stays in Gilgit Baltistan go into the shell and restrict themselves to a certain locality. When you isolate yourself from people and technology you will become unsatisfied with yourself and your surroundings therefore try to indulge yourself in various social activities which will help you to improve your people to people contact and I opine that big cities provides a greater platform for the students coming from foreign countries.
