You're studying abroad in a new country and everything is going great, until suddenly you're up, you're down, you're lost, confused, and tired. Could it be you have contracted some rare disease? It could be....however, it is more likely that you are just experiencing culture shock.
Studying abroad can be one of the most exciting and valuable experiences of your life. It is difficult, however, to avoid feeling nervous or uncomfortable in your host culture, or longing for home. When preparing fo your study abroad experience, it is important not only to consider the logistical details of your trip, but also to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for your inter cultural experience.
What is culture shock?
The phases of cultural adjustment
There are many phases of culture shock, however, and it isn't all uncomfortable. First is the "honeymoon stage." This initial stage is characterized by excitement and anticipation. The months of planning have finally paid off and you are embarking on your study abroad experience. Everything around you is new, and you might feel fascinated and overwhelmed with all the new things you are experiencing. There are new people to meet, new friends to make, new places to see, and new experiences to adjust to. This usually happens upon arrival and for several weeks after that. Your first weeks will be spent getting to know everyone in the exchange group, meeting locals, and settling into smaller groups of friends. It is exciting and fascinating!
The next stage of cultural adjustment is feeling uncomfortable because you don't belong. Suddenly these new things are no longer fun and exciting, but rather different and strange. No one seems to understand you and you long for the people at home who really know you. This is sometimes characterized as the "hostility stage." It often includes frustration, anger, anxiety, and sometimes depression. You might react to this frustration by rejecting your new environment. Some of this hostility is translated into fits of anger over minor frustrations, lack of interest, lack of motivation, and withdrawal. You might notice changes in your sleeping and eating patterns. Another common characteristic of this stage is idealizing your home country, suddenly thinking it is so perfect when maybe you didn't think so while you were actually living there.
However, you won't always be stuck in this state of discomfort. Following the frustration and withdrawal is the "humor stage." This stage is characterized by the slow adjustment to your surroundings. You will probably have established friendships groups, and will have begun settling into your new culture. Minor frustrations and misunderstandings that may have caused you extreme stress in the hostility stage are now amusing to you.
The final stage is referred to as the "home stage." You will have finally adjusted to your new culture and feel comfortable. The cultural differences have become familiar to you and you are able to function normally in your new environment. You've established friends and routines, and have learned the little idiosyncrasies that make your host country so interesting. In this stage, you actually may start to feel more at home in your host culture and may experience fear about returning to your home culture.
Your emotional reactions to these various phases will influence how you relate to others. Naturally, being excited and fascinated with foreign behavior and customs will help pave the way for positive interaction. Conversely, acting hostile towards and/or withdrawn from those who are different than you will do little more than perpetuate an ugly image and cause people to want to avoid you. Not only do you have to adjust to living with and understand your new culture, but spending time with other exchange students will introduce you to a multitude of other new cultures to learn and understand. This can be overwhelming for some.
How to lessen the blow
Although it is hard to learn in depth about all the cultures you may encounter during your study abroad experience, it is easy to soften some of the symptoms of culture shock by studying the foreign cultures as much as possible. It is important to read about the differences between cultures in order to gain perspective. Guidebooks, magazines, and even poetry can offer insight to a foreign culture and make interaction more comfortable. Talk with students who have been abroad in order to learn about the feelings they encountered while they were away and what they did to deal with it. It also helps to talk to other exchange students in your program, since most of them will be going through the same thing. However, it is important to realize that no one experiences culture shock in the same way. Some will experience it to a further extent than others. You will probably find that even though most of your exchange group arrived around the same time, you are in different stages of culture shock at different times. Some breeze through the stages, while others seem to find themselves stuck in a particular phase. The symptoms you might be experiencing might be very different from someone else's.
