Newsletter #2 – During Your Semester Abroad
How This Newsletter Works: Each section of the newsletter email you received has a small blurb that leads to more information on this webpage. We recommend reading through all of this extremely important information and completing the “Action Items” listed in some of the sections.
In our pre-departure newsletter, we asked you to sit down and set reasonable goals that you could achieve during your semester abroad. Now, with about half of your semester abroad under your belt, is a great time to check in on these goals! Have you achieved some? Have you forgotten about others? Make your goals happen before it’s time to come back to the United States!
Action Item
- Review your goals (or make up some new ones after reading GoAbroad’s How to Establish Your Own Study Abroad Goals webpage).
The classes you take abroad are not Pass/Fail! When the CGE receives your transcript, they will convert your study abroad grades into U.S. grades (the CGE has conversion charts). These grades will appear on your final transcript upon completion of your degree program at Butler alongside the courses that you took. Your study abroad grades will not be factored into your GPA here at Butler.
Your study abroad credits will be converted into U.S. credits – you must maintain your full-time student status while abroad by taking at least 12 U.S. credits while abroad.
A common form of credits is the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). 1 ECTS = .5 U.S. credits.
Check out these great safety tips from the FBI for students who are traveling abroad.
Are you doing all that you can to stay safe in your host country? Are there any tips that you would add?
In addition, make sure that you are checking the CDC and State Department websites for country-specific updates on what is going on in your host country.
Action Item
- Review the above safety tips from the FBI.
When we were at PDO (pre-departure orientation), we mentioned the different stages of culture shock that you would be going through during your time abroad. How are you handling them?
Here is a reminder of what these stages of culture shock are. You may have already gone through some, while others you may have yet to go through.
Okay, so you understand what culture shock is and how to recognize it. How can you actually deal with culture shock?
- Learn as much about your host country as possible: Read through travel forums, guidebooks, news reports, or novels. Talk to other people who have been there or—better yet—are from there. Dig deeper into your experience – are you still not sure what’s considered polite or rude (for example, did you know it’s rude to step over someone’s bag in Madagascar?) or don’t understand why the locals do something that way (do Londoners always have to queue?)? You should have spent some time researching your host country before you got there, but it’s not too late to do some research on-site about cultural differences that you may or may not have expected.
- Ask on-site coordinators or resident directors for advice: Specifically, ask them what other students have had a hard time adapting to and what they’ve done to cope. Each country has its own nuances, so you’re going to face a different situation in France as you would in Thailand. Ask those who know best!
- Look back at your semester goals: Did you set your goals for your study abroad trip and make sure they include learning about your host culture. Do you love food? Make it a goal to learn how to cook a local dish. It’s not too late to set goals for your experience!
- Write down what you love when you first arrive, and look back later: Think back to the honeymoon phase, write down all the things you loved (and maybe still love) about your new host country. (Later, when you’re feeling frustrated or irritated, use this list to remind yourself of all the good things about your host country, instead of the things that annoy you.)
- Find a healthy distraction: Especially during the “Culture Shock” stage when you may have negative feelings towards your host culture, find a healthy distraction. Take some time for yourself, watch an episode of your favorite TV show, cook a meal from home, or have a solo dance party in your house. Study abroad is a challenge, an introduction to a new culture, and an emotional roller coaster at times. It’s OK to feel overwhelmed and need a break from your host country — just make sure it’s a healthy distraction and you don’t spend your whole time locked up in your house!
- Talk to other students about how you feel: You’ll likely know other students who are studying abroad with you. Talk to them about how they feel about your host culture. Ask them about how they feel, strategies they’ve used to cope with cultural differences. Also, learn from them. They may have figured out something you’re still confused about — like why everyone keeps saying a particular phrase or how to politely say “no” when your host mom insists you finish everything on your plate.
- Push yourself to make local friends: Of course, you’ll learn even more if you make local friends. They’re experts in their own culture and will be able to explain all the crazy little questions you have. And if they’re a truly good friend, they’ll pull you aside and tell you if you’re unwittingly doing something offensive or weird. *Phew*!
- Try to see things through your host culture’s eyes: Put on your anthropology hat, kiddos. Throughout every stage of culture shock, try to put your own worldview in your pocket and try to understand the world the way your host culture does. Maybe you don’t agree with some philosophies, and maybe it doesn’t make sense within your own cultural context, and it doesn’t have to. Just try to understand where they’re coming from. Ask questions, be non-judgemental, be an anthropologist!
- Get involved with the local community: Part of your feelings of culture shock may be because you feel like too much of an outsider, so get involved in your local community as much as possible. If you went to church at home, go to church there. If you volunteered at home, find a volunteer project in your host city. Join a sports team, go to major festivals, and make this new home a home!
- Make an effort to learn the local language: Even if your program is in English, make an effort to learn a few basic phrases (or more!) in the local language. It’s not just a way to understand more of the culture (language and culture are linked), but also to make friends, feel more included, and hey — it’s just fun!
Culture shock is not an easy thing to go through. We promise it gets better!
Read tips from GoAbroad’s How to Deal with Culture Shock while Studying Abroad article.
Did you end up taking a course or two abroad that you did not get pre-approved before you left campus? That’s okay – we understand that sometimes things can change on-site.
Before you seek a new approval, ask yourself: Do I need this course to count towards major, minor, elective, or Core requirements?
- If the answer is YES: You must submit new electronic approval requests. If you have questions, review this video: Electronic Approvals: New Course Approval Request (10:10).
- If the answer is NO: You do not need to seek an approval for this course! All study abroad courses are automatically approved as General Elective Credits (credits towards your total credit count, but not counting towards your major, minor, elective, or Core requirements).
If you plan to seek approval upon your return to Butler (not recommended), please hold on to your syllabus and coursework, as you will likely need to submit the course description and other materials to the department head for his/her use when considering approval. The department head is not required to approve your course without appropriate documentation.
Action Item
- Double-check that all the courses you’re currently taken were approved through your CGE application. If they were all approved, then great! If not, and you would like them to count as major, minor, elective, or Core classes, complete the electronic course approval process above.
Even though you are abroad and, most likely, in a different time zone, all Butler deadlines are still applicable to you in Eastern Time (ET). If the deadline for choosing your classes is 5:00 PM on a Friday, make sure that you complete that in Butler’s time zone, not your current one!
You have advising holds on your account to schedule courses for next semester. You should have talked to your Academic Advisor about courses you wanted to take during your semester abroad, as well as the courses you need to take when you come back to campus. Check your Butler email and make sure to send your Academic Advisor an email to confirm which classes you will be taking next semester and to have that advising hold lifted.
Action Item
- Complete academic advising with your advisor (via email or Zoom).
Just like you want to be enrolled in classes for next semester by the deadline, you also want to make sure you have somewhere to live! Be sure to keep an eye out for housing deadlines. Details on the housing lottery and updated housing policies can be found on the Residence Life website. When in doubt, you can always contact the Department of Residence Life.
Several weeks before your return home, you may wish to start preparing for reentry, or the return to the U.S. culture.
- Have friends or parents send you local or school newspapers, or clippings about local happenings. Catching up on local issues will speed up your adjustment to life at home.
- Take time to properly say goodbye to your friends. Spend time with your friends and enjoy your final weeks/days abroad.
- Don’t wait until the last morning to take pictures—especially of your neighborhood and your friends.
- Aside from preparing yourself mentally, you should also begin to consider re-packing and how you intend to bring home all of your belongings that you have accumulated. Excess baggage fees are often expensive, sometimes $150 U.S. per extra piece of luggage (up to 70 lbs.). You may wish to ship items home.
- Request a final official transcript to be sent to Calie Dickey in the Center for Global Education at the following address:
Butler University CGE
Attn: Calie Dickey
4600 Sunset Ave., Jordan Hall 133
Indianapolis, IN 46208
USA
If the university sends you your transcript directly (instead of to the CGE), you can submit the unopened transcript to JH 133 to have your courses applied to your Butler transcript. If you would like a copy of your transcript for your own use, please request a second transcript. - Keep all coursework, syllabi and related documents to complete any outstanding course approvals when you return to campus.