RE-ENTRY AFTER STUDYING ABROAD

Reverse culture shock can be brutal. It can even be more upsetting than the intial shock you experienced when you arrived in France, because it is usually unexpected. After all, you are returning home to your « own culture »…

Here are a few suggestions for overcoming reverse culture shock:

1. Stay in touch with your fellow AUCP program participants, and share your re-entry experience with them. You will all be facing the same challenges, so join them on Facebook
2. Join groups or activities that have an international focus. You now possess a certain experience in living abroad and will most likely have a lot to contribute.
3. Continue a new interest you acquired in France and find ways to continue speaking French on a regular basis.
4. Keep a journal, as you did in your Cultural Patterns class, and express your feelings in dealing with situations you may no longer understand about your own culture.
5. Start thinking about how you will use your experience abroad, both in your personal life and in your future career choices.

GRADES & TRANSCRIPTS

Six to ten weeks after completion of the program, your home institution received the AUCP Permanent Academic Record or transcript (listing course titles, recommended credit hours and final grades), along with your official outcomes assessment results in both French language acquisition (TEF) and intercultural sensitivity development (IDI). Within the same time frame, students received an unofficial copy of their transcript and the original TEF and IDI certificates. AUCP Grading Policy

• Understanding your IDI scores
  The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) was created by Milton Bennett and Mitch Hammer, Ph.D.s. This highly reputed certificate attests to cross-cultural competence, for employment in international or culturally diverse settings. Check out our blog post to learn more about the IDI and what your IDI score means.

• Understanding your TEF scores
  Le Test d’évaluation du français (TEF) is organized by the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This internationally recognized certificate attests to French language competence according to European norms, for employment in the Francophone world. Click here to learn more about the TEF and how it is scored, and check out this blog post about Understanding Achievable Progress. 

Requesting Transcripts

To request transcripts (in addition to those mailed directly to you and your home institution upon completion of the program), please complete the on-line AUCP Transcript Request Form.
Please note that any student whose university account is not clear at the time of processing will not be issued a transcript.

Don’t stop now!