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About Cimba |
Heading Home |
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Students have breakfast on the train. |
Returning Home
After the program is complete, many students stay in Europe for personal travel. If not departing on the check-out date, students must find alternate lodging. Students catching a plane on check-out day should be sure to book a flight that departs at least three hours after the check-out time noted on the program’s specific calendar. Students will not be allowed to take exams early to accommodate travel plans.
When booking flights to and from Europe, students should consider where to land; cost; and arrival time and date; and departure location, time and date. Students traveling around Europe after the program may find it inconvenient or limiting to return to their original arriving location in order to fly back to the U.S. An open-jaw ticket allows the user to arrive and depart from different locations. The price of the airline ticket may be higher, but could be cost effective compared to the price of returning to the original location. Travel agents and some student travel services offer open-jaw tickets.
Shipping Items Home
Students who travel throughout Europe after the completion of the program may wish to ship some items home instead of carry them while traveling. Items can be shipped through the Italian postal system by ground or air mail. Ground mail rates are reasonable and can take approximately five weeks to arrive in the U.S. There is also a Mail Boxes Etc. located in the nearby town of Bassano del Grappa where students may ship items (even entire suitcases) home.
Customs in the U.S.
When re-entering the U.S., students will be required to pass through customs. On the return flight, airline attendants will hand out declaration cards. Travelers are required to declare any items they are bringing into the country that they did not have with them when departing. Declaration and customs information changes frequently. For the most up-to-date and comprehensive information, visit the Customs and Border Protection Web site. Many students wish to bring back wine as gifts or for personal consumption, therefore it is important to be aware of the laws regarding the transport of alcoholic beverages into the U.S. Only travelers who are 21 or older are allowed to bring back up to 1 liter of alcohol without incurring a duty charge and taxes.
Reverse Culture Shock
Students often report experiencing an adjustment when returning home as they did when first arriving abroad. The length of time spent abroad can affect the amount of reverse culture shock experienced. It has a variety of causes, ranging from a changed diet and exercise patterns, to self-exploration and a different worldview.
Although students change by learning a lot about themselves and other cultures, their trip abroad does not change those who stayed behind. Therefore, problems that were left behind may still exist when students return. Be prepared to face enduring issues or problems in both circumstances and relationships. Combat these feelings by sharing experiences with other people and keeping in touch with friends made abroad. Getting involved with international groups on campus, study abroad offices, cultural events at home institutions, and volunteering to work with potential students helps students stay connected with their international experience and deal with any lingering anxiety. Also, it may be beneficial for students to evaluate how they have changed -- including values, attitudes, and perspectives -- and how their expectations of friends and family have changed as well. |
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