September 10, 2024
Have you ever moved to another country full of expectations, only to find yourself wishing to return home? Have you ever felt frustrated, anxious and disoriented in a foreign culture? This phenomenon is very common among expats, international students or anyone visiting another country and it has its own name: culture shock. While the name may suggest a difficult challenge, there is no need to be concerned.- it can be overcome!
A definition of culture shock
Culture shock refers to the ‘‘feeling of confusion, doubt or nervousness caused by being in a place (such as a foreign country) that is very different from what you are used to’’. Even though each person experiences it in a different way, common symptoms of culture shock include boredom, homesickness, changes in eating and sleeping habits or mood swings.
The stages of culture shock
An anthropologist, Kalervo Oberg, was the first one to identify the four stages of culture shock in 1954:
- The Honeymoon Stage: is the first stage in which you are excited to be in a new place and you see everything in a positive light.
- The Negotiation Stage: after the initial euphoria and excitement, differences of the new culture become more evident and challenging. This stage does not necessarily occur suddenly but may gradually affect your mood over time. In fact, it may lead to feelings of disorientation, frustration and anxiety, even to the rejection of the new culture.
- The Adjustment Stage: after some time, you start to feel at home, adapt to a new routine and you are more familiar with the local customs and way of living.
- The Acceptance and Adaptation Stage: you feel more at ease and better integrated in the new environment and usually adopt manners of the host country. You may also start to idealize the host culture.
Personal experience and examples
This description resonates with many people living abroad, myself included. When I first arrived in Poland, I had trouble adjusting to the weather and eating habits. However, the most difficult part was the language barrier, as for the first time I was living in a place where I didn’t understand the language. Other people may have trouble with various elements of the new surroundings. For example, for an European studying in the US, it may be difficult to adjust to roads built mainly for cars where it is impossible to just ‘‘go for a walk’’. On the other hand, a smiley and talkative American may experience culture shock in Japan, where strangers rarely look each other in the eyes.
How to deal with culture shock?
Nevertheless, the possibility of these difficulties does not have to discourage you from moving abroad, because fortunately, there are ways to deal with culture shock. Here are some examples:
- Accept that what you are going through is normal.
- Keep an open mind: try to understand and learn as much as possible about the new country (including the local language and cultural norms).
- Get involved in the local community and participate in group activities in order to meet new people.
- Do not constantly compare the new culture with the familiar one of your home country.
- Write down things you love about the new country or culture and look at them when you are feeling low.
- Practise positive thinking and maintain a positive outlook.
- Set realistic goals about your stay.
- Take care of yourself; eat healthy food, exercise and maintain a regular sleep schedule.
Does culture shock seem less scary now?
Author: Francesca Pengo
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