Don't Get SHOCKED!

Mikaela's Minute:

Getting Past Your Culture Shock

 



If your reading our Blog chances are your looking to study abroad some place interesting and fun. Maybe your going some where exotic, like The Gambia, or some where a little more like home, like England or Australia. Regardless of where you are going for your next (or first ever) adventure abroad your are going to have a lot of fun, but your also going to hit a solid, but permeable, wall known as culture shock.

 

 If you are scratching your head and have to as the question, "what is culture shock?" that's alright. Many travelers fail to learn about culture shock and it ends up hitting them like a ton of bricks. Don't worry, this won't happen to you (well I mean it will, but you'll bounce back quicker than most) because I am going to tell you all about it.

 

Culture shock is a reaction to entering a new culture which is slightly or significantly different from your own. As you venture into the culture of the country of your choice you will begin to notice things really are different from what you are used to. This causes your mind to react - usually in a negative manner - to your new surroundings. Now, don't get me wrong, you will experience emotion, but it will come in phases.

PHASE 1: Exhilaration Stage  

The Exhilaration Phase generally occurs right before you leave to go to your destination and continues a few days/weeks into your arrival. You just feel so excited about ACTUALLY being where you've wanted to go and you are open to the new culture. You'll feel like a kid in a candy shop; you want to do everything and see everything that's out there.

 

PHASE 2: Disenchantment Stage

The Disenchantment Phase is what you are going to have to push through. This is, essentially, when reality sets in. You begin to realize how much you don't understand the language or cultural innuendo and you get a little depressed. You might feel like you just want to go home and you close yourself off from the culture. Don't leave though, it gets better!

 

PHASE 3: Adjustment Stage

The Adjustment Phase is when you gradually begin to understand the culture and the language of your host country. You now know how to make changes to your situation that will help you to have a better experience. You will begin to de-stress and life becomes more and more predictable.

 

PHASE 4: Effective Functioning Stage 

When you reach the final stage of culture shock, called the Effective Functioning Phase, you are essentially one with the culture of your host country. You can speak the language, understand the nuances of the culture, and function in a manner like you would in your home environment.   

 

Culture shock really isn't that bad if you know that it is coming. Just knowing about it in general helps you to overcome it. I do have a couple tips for beating culture shock that should help you.

1. Learn the language, or at least a few key phrases, of the country you are going to. Language will help you get around, socialize, and take care of your needs.
2. Be open to new ideas and ways of thinking. I can almost guarantee that no culture will be exactly like your own and if you think that only your way of life is the best, you will run into problems. Practice being objective (look at the opposing point of view in a logical manner, don't discount it, and leave your own personal opinions aside).    
3. Learn about the country that you are going to. Knowing a little bit of history, how to be culturally sensitive, and not talking about taboos will get you a long way.
4. Keep in mind that you have your own culture, language, and way of thought. Going to a new country doesn't mean that you have to give these things up to survive.

Thanks for reading. If you would like to learn more about culture shock and techniques for adjustment check out the 8th Edition of Communication between cultures by Larry A. Samovar and constituents or visit www.worldwide.edu/travel_planner/culture_shock.html .