Dealing with Culture Shock

There’s no simple formula for dealing with culture shock. But we’ve gathered some tips that should make your transition a bit easier. “One of the hardest and most important things about going abroad is not to harp on the fact that your host country is different from America, but to explore and enjoy those cultural differences. Only when I was able to do that did I find myself truly engaging with the amazing opportunities the year gave me.” Political Science major, Study abroad in Great Britain, Columbia University ‘03 Culture shock comes directly from an initial lack of understanding of—and an inability to fit into—your new culture. No matter where you end up, your new home will inevitably be very different from your old one, and culture shock will hit you one way or another. And it can be stressful to realize that what you expected of your host country is not the same as the reality that greets you when you arrive. The first thing you should do is expect to feel culture shock, even before you leave home. Expect to be surprised by the people you meet and the customs that fill their lives. Expect to hate some of them and be envious of many others. Most of all, expect to feel like for the first time in your life, everything around you is completely new, strange, and unfamiliar—and you aren’t going back home in a week. Do your research before you leave home. Educate yourself about the place you’re visiting through whatever means possible. The more you understand your new home before you get there, the smoother your adjustment will be. If you’re visiting a country where English is not the primary spoken language, practice and study the local language as much as you can before getting on the plane. The ability to freely communicate with the people around you will help you adjust all the more quickly. As you try to adjust to your new place, allow yourself two things: The time and the permission to mess up. It’s simply not possible to jump cold into a new culture and fit right in, no matter how much research you’ve done or how hard you try. Take the time to observe how people around you carry out their day-to-day lives and see how you might need or want to better fit in. You don’t have to imitate everything you see around you, nor should you want to. That said, the more you adapt to the local way of life, the more you'll enjoy your experience. Nobody likes an arrogant American who doesn’t seem to care about local customs or standards. KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR! Always. You may very well find yourself to be the target of jokes or the fool in an awkward situation: Choking on an unchewed piece of squid sushi with half of it sticking out of your mouth? Don’t take the laughter you hear from your new Japanese friends personally. Don’t take much personally, in fact, if you can help it. Keep your mind open and be ready to laugh at yourself. The less seriously you take yourself, the easier your transition will be. Finally, be ready for anything. You never know when you’ll find yourself running into a local tradition that the guidebooks and histories and orientations didn’t tell you about. Be ready to go with whatever happens, but also keep your limits in mind. If local customs include walking on hot coals or eating raw rattlesnake and you’re just not into that sort of thing, respectfully decline.