9 — 
Retaining the improvements

After being abroad, and hopefully having made gains in your language and intercultural skills, it’s important to continue the learning process back in your home country. Sometimes, though, being abroad can seem so perfect a learning environment that it’s difficult to figure how to keep improving to the same extent back home. In this section, we give you some ideas on how to retain what you learned while abroad, as well as continue upon your learning path.

Continue to expand your international social network: just because you’re not abroad, doesn’t mean you can’t meet people from different countries! If your university had outgoing Erasmus students, it’s very likely they also have incoming ones. Have a look for language exchanges or international societies organised by your home university. You may even be able to teach your new friends a thing or two about your experiences abroad.

Stay in contact with those you met while abroad: While it’s great to meet new people, don’t forget to make an effort to stay in touch with those you met abroad. Technology can be a big help, and if possible, why not organise a reunion at some point in the future? Having something to look forward to can make it easier to stay in contact with people.

Evaluate your language goals: Just as you did before going abroad, set yourself new goals for each of your language skills. There are still plenty of things that you can do in your home country to continue to improve your skills. If you’re a language major, see what kind of classes will be available in your university once you get back. Perhaps think about enrolling in a private language class, or finding a language tandem with a native speaker in your area. One great idea is to sign up for a language certification course. This can help ensure you continue to use and improve your language skills even when back in your home country, and what’s more, having the goal of taking the exam can really help you to stay motivated.

Look for international volunteer or employment opportunities: This tip comes from Paige et al (2002), who suggest that you seek out opportunities such as the following that let you utilize your bilingual and bicultural skills:

• Become a homestay family to an international student.
• Volunteer or intern in a study abroad office or an office for international students.
• Become a buddy or tutor for international students
• Seek out volunteer or work positions at international companies in your area.
• Volunteer to work with refugees or immigrants in your community.
• Act as a tour guide for people visiting your home country.
• Look for future opportunities to go abroad again, whether to study, volunteer or work.

Post Study Abroad Activities

Speaking and Listening

Keep an eye out for activities or events taking place in your area, either in the target language, or that are specific to your target language country. It may even be a good way to meet others who are from the country, or who are similarly interested in its culture.
Watch films and listen to music in the target language.

Try to Skype your friends that you made abroad every once and a while, or send voice clips to each other.

Find a language tandem. Even if it’s difficult in your area, there are lots of websites where you can find online language partners.

Reading and Writing

Set up a group chat with your friends that you made abroad, where you can keep each other up to date with what you’re up to.

Sign up to receive daily updates from a newspaper in your target language. Pick an interesting article each day and try to summarise it in a couple of lines.

If there isn’t already something similar in your university or area, start a target language book club, perhaps with other students from your class who were abroad. This way, you can share your reading resources, whether it be books, newspaper or magazine. You could even meet to talk about the books in the target language.

Continue your language journal! At this stage, you may need to start a second volume, but make sure to keep up the motivation and continue the work you started while abroad.

Start a language blog. You could talk about your experiences, and even pass on advice to other students going abroad.