Cover not available
Article published In:
Study Abroad Research in Second Language Acquisition and International Education
Vol. 8:1 (2023) ► pp.50–75

Returning to a new normal

Social and mental adaptation of study abroad returnees during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

| University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
| St. Gallen University of Teacher Education
| St. Gallen University of Teacher Education
| St. Gallen University of Teacher Education

This article presents a comparative case study analysis of two mobility students who, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, had to terminate their stay abroad early and return home after seven and eleven weeks, respectively. The study aims to shed light on the impact of the outbreak of the pandemic on students’ social contacts and their re-adaptation back home, drawing on interview and questionnaire data. The interview data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and suggest that, while the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic was a stressful experience for both students, which impacted the social contacts they entertained and their re-adaptation at home, the two students’ experiences also differed in many ways. We argue that these differences may be attributable to the social contacts the students maintained prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, the goals associated with the stay abroad, and the students’ coping strategies.

Keywords: social integration, language use, re-adaptation, COVID-19, interview study, higher education
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Social networks during SA
    • 2.2Re-entry experiences – Positive and negative perspectives
    • 2.3The effects of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic on SA
    • 2.4Research questions
  • 3.Method
    • 3.1Case 1: Lea
    • 3.2Case 2: Anna
    • 3.3Instruments
      • 3.3.1Post-stay interview
      • 3.3.2While 1 questionnaire
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Social contacts and language use during SA (RQ 1)
    • 4.2Returning home (RQ 2)
    • 4.3Connections between social contacts and return experience (RQ 3)
  • 5.Discussion and conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Published online: 30 March 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/sar.21037.hei
References
Allen, H.
(2010) Interactive contact as linguistic affordance during short-term study abroad: Myth or reality? Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 19 (1), 1–26. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Allison, P., Davis-Berman, J., & Berman, D.
(2012) Changes in latitude, changes in attitude: Analysis of the effects of reverse culture shock – A study of students returning from youth expeditions. Leisure Studies, 31 (4), 487–503. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bandura, A.
(2001) Social cognitive theory: An agentic perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52 (1), 1–26. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Barnett, R.
(2007) A will to learn: Being a student in an age of uncertainty. McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Bochner, S., McLeod, B. M., & Lin, A.
(1977) Friendship patterns of overseas students: A functional model. International Journal of Psychology, 12 (4), 277–294. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Borràs, J., & Llanes, À.
(2021) Re-examining the impact of study abroad on L2 development: A critical overview. The Language Learning Journal, 49 (5), 527–540. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bracke, A., & Aguerre, S.
(2015) Erasmus students: Joining communities of practice to learn French. In R. Mitchell, N. Tracy-Ventura, & K. McManus (Eds.), Social interaction, identity and language learning during residence abroad (pp. 139–168). The European Second Language Association.Google Scholar
Brown, L., & Graham, I.
(2009) The discovery of the self through the academic sojourn. Existential Analysis: Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis, 20 (1), 79–93.Google Scholar
Butcher, A.
(2002) A grief observed: Grief experiences of East Asian international students returning to their countries of origin. Journal of Studies in International Education, 6 (4), 354–368. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Campbell, R.
(2015) Life post-study abroad for the Japanese language learner: Social networks, interaction and language usage. In R. Mitchell, N. Tracy-Ventura, & K. McManus (Eds.), Social interaction, identity and language learning during residence abroad (4 ed., pp. 241–262). The European Second Language Association.Google Scholar
Chamove, A. S., & Soeterik, S. M.
(2006) Grief in returning sojourners. Journal of Social Sciences, 13 (3), 215–220. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Coleman, J.
(2015) Social circles during residence abroad: What students do, and who with. In R. Mitchell, N. Tracy-Ventura, & K. McManus (Eds.), Social interaction, identity and language learning during residence abroad (pp. 33–52). The European Second Language Association.Google Scholar
Council of Europe
(2001) Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
De Federico de la Rua, A.
(2008) How do Erasmus students make friends? In S. Ehrenreich, G. Woodman, & M. Perrefort (Eds.), Auslandsaufenthalte in Schule und Studium (pp. 89–104). Waxmann.Google Scholar
Dewey, D. P., Belnap, R. K., & Hillstrom, R.
(2013) Social network development, language use, and language acquisition during study abroad: Arabic language learners’ perspectives. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 22 1, 84–110. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dewey, D. P., Bown, J., & Eggett, D.
(2012) Japanese language proficiency, social networking, and language use during study abroad: Learners’ perspectives. Canadian Modern Language Review, 68 (2), 111–137. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ehrenreich, S.
(2008) Sprachlernsituation Ausland: Sprachbad-Mythen und Lingua-Franca-Realitäten. In S. Ehrenreich, G. Woodman, & M. Perrefort (Eds.), Auslandsaufenthalte in Schule und Studium (pp. 105–121). Waxmann.Google Scholar
Ehrenreich, S., Woodman, G., & Perrefort, M.
(Eds.) (2008) Auslandsaufenthalte in Schule und Studium. Waxmann.Google Scholar
Elmer, T., Mepham, K., & Stadtfeld, C.
(2020) Students under lockdown: Comparisons of students’ social networks and mental health before and during the COVID-19 crisis in Switzerland. PLOS ONE, 15 (7), 1–22. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Feyen, B., & Krzaklewska, E.
(Eds.) (2013) The ERASMUS phenomenon – Symbol of a new European generation? Peter Lang. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Freed, B. F., Dewey, D. P., Segalowitz, N., & Halter, R.
(2004) The Language Contact Profile. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26 (2), 349–356. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Gabriels, W., & Benke-Åberg, R.
(2020) Student exchanges in times of crisis: Research report on the impact of COVID-19 on student exchanges in Europe. Erasmus Student Network AISBL.Google Scholar
Geeraert, N., Demoulin, S., & Demes, K. A.
(2014) Choose your (international) contacts wisely: A multilevel analysis on the impact of intergroup contact while living abroad. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 38 1, 86–96. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Gill, S.
(2010) The homecoming: An investigation into the effect that studying overseas had on Chinese postgraduates’ life and work on their return to China. Compare, 40 (3), 359–376. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Gomes, C.
(2020) Living in a parallel society: International students and their friendship circles. Journal of International Students, 10 (1), xiii–xv. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Gomes, C., Hendry, N. A., De Souza, R., Hjorth, L., Richardson, I., Harris, D., & Coombs, G.
(2021) Higher degree students (HDR) during COVID-19: Disrupted routines, uncertain futures, and active strategies of resilience and belonging. Journal of International Students, 11 (S2), 19–37. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hendrickson, B., Rosen, D., & Aune, R. K.
(2011) An analysis of friendship networks, social connectedness, homesickness, and satisfaction levels of international students. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 35 (3), 281–295. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Humphrey, A., & Forbes-Mewett, H.
(2021) Social value systems and the mental health of international students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of International Students, 11 (S2), 58–76. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kartoshkina, Y.
(2015) Bitter-sweet reentry after studying abroad. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 44 1, 35–45. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kinginger, C.
(Ed.) (2013) Social and cultural aspects of language learning in study abroad. John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2015) Student mobility and identity-related language learning. Intercultural Education, 26 (1), 6–15. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2019) Four questions for the next generation of study abroad researchers. In M. Howard (Ed.), Study abroad, second language acquisition and interculturality (pp. 263–278). Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Klemenčič, M.
(2015) What is student agency? An ontological exploration in the context of research on student engagement. In M. Klemenčič, S. Bergan, & R. Primožič (Eds.), Student engagement in Europe: Society, higher education and student governance (20 ed., pp. 11–29). Council of Europe Publishing.Google Scholar
Kuckartz, U.
(2018) Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse: Methoden, Praxis, Computerunterstützung (4 ed.). Beltz Juventa.Google Scholar
Landon, A. C., Tarrant, M. A., Rubin, D. L., & Stoner, L.
(2017) Beyond “Just Do It”: Fostering higher-order learning outcomes in short-term study abroad. AERA Open, 3 1, 1–7. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Lexander, K. V., & Androutsopoulos, J.
(2021) Working with mediagrams: A methodology for collaborative research on mediational repertoires in multilingual families. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 42 (1), 1–18. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Llanes, A.
(2011) The many faces of study abroad: An update on the research on L2 gains emerged during a study abroad experience. International Journal of Multilingualism, 8 (3), 189–215. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Magnan, S. S., & Back, M.
(2007) Social interaction and linguistic gain during study abroad. Foreign Language Annals, 40 (1), 43–61. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Marinoni, G., van’t Land, H., & Jensen, T.
(2020) The impact of Covid-19 on higher education around the world: IAU global survey report. International Association of Universities.Google Scholar
Mas-Alcolea, S., & Torres-Purroy, H.
(2021) Study abroad and students’ (lack of) social integration: The case of Spanish ghettos in Italy. In R. Mitchell & H. Tyne (Eds.), Language, mobility and study abroad in the contemporary European context (pp. 47–63). Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2022) Discourses of foreign language development in study abroad: Social networks and other intervening factors. Foreign Language Annals, 2022, 1–23. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mayring, P.
(2015) Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse: Grundlagen und Techniken (12th ed.). Beltz Juventa.Google Scholar
Mitchell, R.
(2015) The development of social relations during residence abroad. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 9 (1), 22–33. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, R., Tracy-Ventura, N., & McManus, K.
(2017) Anglophone students abroad: Identity, social relationships and language learning. Routledge. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Moglen, D.
(2017) International graduate students: Social networks and language use. Journal of International Students, 7 (1), 22–37. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Papatsiba, V.
(2006) Study abroad and experiences of cultural distance and proximity: French Erasmus students. In M. Byram & A. Feng (Eds.), Living and studying abroad: Research and practice (pp. 108–133). Multilingual Matters. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pritchard, R.
(2011) Re-entry trauma: Asian re-integration after study in the West. Journal of Studies in International Education, 15 (1), 93–111. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Rienties, B., & Nolan, E.-M.
(2014) Understanding friendship and learning networks of international and host students using longitudinal Social Network Analysis. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 41 1, 165–180. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Roy, A., Newman, A., Ellenberger, T., & Pyman, A.
(2019) Outcomes of international student mobility programs: a systematic review and agenda for future research. Studies in Higher Education, 44 (9), 1630–1644. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L.
(2002) Overview of self-determination theory: An organismic dialectical perspective. In R. M. Ryan & E. L. Deci (Eds.), Handbook of self-determination research (pp. 3–33). University of Rochester Press.Google Scholar
Sauer, L., & Ellis, R.
(2019) The social lives of adolescent study abroad learners and their L2 development. The Modern Language Journal, 103 (4), 739–762. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Schartner, A.
(2015) ‘You cannot talk with all of the strangers in a pub’: A longitudinal case study of international postgraduate students’ social ties at a British university. Higher Education, 69 (2), 225–241. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Schreier, M.
(2012) Qualitative content analysis in practice. Sage.Google Scholar
Trentman, E.
(2013) Imagined communities and language learning during study abroad: Arabic learners in Egypt. Foreign Language Annals, 46 (4), 545–564. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Walling, S. M., Eriksson, C. B., Meese, K. J., Ciovica, A., Gorton, D., & Foy, D. W.
(2006) Cultural identity and reentry in short-term student missionaries. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 34 (2), 153–164. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Zimbardo, P. G.
(1985) Psychology and life (11th ed.). Scott Foresman.Google Scholar