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Michael
Joined: Jun 12, 2004
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Country: United States
Province/State: Ohio
City: Columbus
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Dealing with Culture Shock
June 12, 2004 - 02:58 AM
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Culture Shock
When you leave your home culture, you separate yourself from the people and circumstances that have defined your role in society. It is possible that you may experience a loss of some of your identity. The impact of this change can be disorienting. It is called "culture shock." Culture shock can manifest itself in a number of ways.
Symptoms
Some of the signs of culture shock are:
Fits of anger over minor inconveniences
Irritability
Extreme homesickness
Withdrawal from people who are different from you
A new and intense feeling of loyalty to your own culture
Compulsive eating or a loss of appetite
Boredom
A need for excessive periods of sleep
Headaches
Upset stomach
Excessive concern over minor pains
Depression
Loss of ability to work effectively
Unexplainable fits of crying
Marital stress
Exaggerated cleanliness
Feeling sick much of the time
Difficulty concentrating
This is a long list! You do not need to suffer from every item on the list in order to experience culture shock. Only a few of the items may apply to you -- maybe only a couple of them. Of course, if you have a pre-existing condition (such as headaches or upset stomachs), it's a good idea to have it. checked by a physician before deciding that you're experiencing a symptom of culture shock.
Remedies
We cannot guarantee a cure for culture shock There are several things you can do to ease the symptoms. Trying several of the following suggestions is probably more effective than trying just one. And you may even prevent some of the symptoms of culture shock by following some of these suggestions before you notice any symptoms.
Keep active. Spend time outside of your room or apartment. Observe Americans in their own culture. Go to shopping centers, parks, libraries, and sporting events. Watch. Listen. Learn. This process increases your knowledge of Americans and makes it easier to understand differences in habits, customs, and social practices.
Make American friends. Get acquainted with Americans. Ask questions. Be willing to answer questions about how you do things in your country, so that you and your American friends can make interesting comparisons. It also helps to make friendships with people from your own culture if they are available and compare your impressions with theirs.
Read. . You may also wish to read as a way of understanding American culture. Membership at the local library is usually free, for example, and you can find hundreds of American magazines that you may read at no cost. You may sit in the library and browse as long as you wish.
Exercise. Find some physical activity that you can enjoy. Exercise can be an effective way to lessen worry and depression. Many Americans, you will discover, like to be active. They like to run or walk along pathways in the city parks or on the streets. They also like organized games. You can find facilities for tennis, handball, racquetball soccer, volleyball, badminton, basketball, martial arts, and aerobic classes. Your culture back home may or may not value physical activity very highly, but medical research has shown numerous advantages to a consistent and vigorous exercise program. If you decide to become more active, you will want to check with a physician in the Student Health Center before beginning a serious exercise schedule.
Join groups. Your adjustment to American culture will be easier if you participate in campus organizations. There are many student groups on campus. The Foreign Student Office can tell you more about student nationality clubs and groups. In addition, the campus newspaper announces the meetings of many campus groups. You can attend most of these clubs once or twice just to see if you're interested. If you're not, you do not need to return. There is no obligation to join.
Work on your English. One of the most important steps you can take to ease your adjustment is to improve your English. It is much easier to learn the details of American culture when you know how the language is used. Listen for unusual or new phrases. Ask about ~slang" terms you don't understand. Most Americans will gladly explain words or terms that sound new to you. So don't be afraid to ask questions when you don't understand.
Consider obtaining a host family. A host family can usually help a great deal and can listen to your problems. The Foreign Student Office has applications for a host family program that is sponsored by a local Christian group. They can provide you with more details about the program. You may also get acquainted with a particular family on your own. This may take longer than an organized program because it takes time to make friends. Either way, it will help your adjustment if you can get acquainted with an entire family.
Introduce yourself to other international students. There are hundreds of other international students on campus. They are experiencing many of the same adjustment problems you will be facing. Talk with them about how they're managing the changes. The International Student Center is one place to meet students from other cultures. You may want to join an international student organization and attend some of the activities.
Remember your family. If you've brought your spouse or family with you, remember that they will be experiencing culture shock as well. They, too, will be making difficult adjustments. It will help their transition if you can encourage them to take many of the same steps you might be taking -- keeping active, making friends, reading, exercising, and attending various activities and events in your new area.
If you left your family back home, they will want to hear from you. Writing or calling regularly will help to maintain your relationship with them.
Be patient. Culture shock is something that most international students experience in some way while they're here. Remind yourself that the problem is not permanent. Simply realize what is happening to you, and give yourself time to get over it.
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Lili
Joined: Feb 12, 2004
Posts: 56 (view all)
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Gender & Age: Female, 48
Country: Netherlands
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Re: Dealing with Culture Shock
July 15, 2004 - 05:09 AM
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This is helpfull but not the whole truth of it.
Most people experience cultureshock when they get home again.
Somehow expecting the strangeness and taking it in their stride, and only when they come in to their own society they feel alienated and struck by the difference.
And most people I talked to about this subject, including myselve, had an experience akin to this.
An article in a newspaper on this subject mentioned the helpfullness in the rest of the world (you are lost and need directions...before you know it everybody offers their bit of information..one is never lonely.)verses the cold shoulder treatment in the west where every person seems to be an island.
It's akin to the closing of the hatches...a kind of greyness...defensiveness.*
So one feels lonely and insecure when approaching people.
A mirror image of the society one is confronted with.
*Though we would call it personal freedom or rights of the individual i presume.
It also becomes personal because the 'normal' free for all without strings is quite different from an interrogation and 'on the spot seminar' on your home culture and an optional delayed cold shoulder because one is experienced as too clinging/serious kind of lacking in that typical highschool learned colgate smile and cheer(leader)y attitude.
Learn English...in a culture were looks come first.
Seems to me that it is more about inflection and producing the right behaviour on cue.
Always being the alien is the downer and cultureshock comes from never being able to drop the expected role.
Reminds me of the description of behaviour of children in literature circles and ladies-teas at the beginning of the 19th century...they could not join the conversation but had to learn all the tricks (sounds, remarks, mimicry) that made it look like they were understanding every word/emotion and very well behaved in their response.
Well adapted to the culture but not on a human level.
A child can take pride/satisfaction in it's mother praise but a self respecting grown-up needs real communication.
Let's face it...right now every foreigner is regarded as a potential terrorist. Even blonde bleu eyed Swedes! She gave the advise not to give up, but it is an uphill struggle.
Americans don't like people that complain/whine/question their way of doing things, so little sympathy will come your way if you express the tiniest doubt in a negative way. Best go along the lines like this;
'...this culture of yours is so overwhelming in it's ...we have nothing like that were I come from...'
While you might be thinking "...bunch of ignorant superficial self centered dorks..."
And never ever touch/kiss anybody. You're not in France o.s.s.p.(or some such place)
It scares the living daylights out of Americans.
So your take on the issue as immediate cultureshock instead of a delayed one, could very well aply to whomever comes to the closed west... And that basicly experiences sensory and emotional deprivation!
For those of you that do...take heart..warm people are around.
One thing I learned,felt and cherished:
A small child smiling at you is a gift...it does not have to...
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