In the week or two after your student returns, ask about the small details rather than overall impressions. When they first return, students tend to talk most easily about the daily routines they established, the types of food they ate, and the people they met and are now missing. It can be difficult to keep listening when you can't easily envision the experience, but it is important for your student to talk. The University's Global Campus office has a number of suggestions to help students understand and incorporate their study abroad into life at home. Encourage your student to contact Global Campus and continue the learning process with other returning students.
Some students go through a period of depression after they return.
At the same time, however, recognize that your student has undergone a major experience, and he or she is likely to be at least a little different than before. You may be surprised to find that your student's international studies program can have a long-term effect on your own life. Your awareness of the country where your student travels will almost certainly increase significantly. In many cases, a student's international study experience has been the impetus for parents to learn a new language or travel abroad themselves. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.