Bringing together case studies and theory, this book is the first in-depth qualitative study of student migration within Europe. Drawing on the theory of 'the stranger' as a sociological type, the author suggests that the travelling European students can be seen as a new migratory elite. The book presents the narratives of travelling students, explains their motivations, the effects of movement into a new social and cultural context, the problems of adaptation, and describes the construction of social networks, and the process of adaptation to new cultures.

Contents:
1. The Stranger's Template
2. Narratives of Student Travellers
3. Mobility Capital: A Taste for Living Abroad
4. An Adventure into Another Time - Space
5. The Arrival: a Rite of Passage
6. Redefining Culture Shock in a European Context
7. New Spaces, New Places
8. The New Social Setting
9. The Creation of a New Social Fabric
10. Adaptation: Chameleon or Clams