Most of us feel culture shock sooner or later while overseas. It doesn't result from just one event, and it doesn't strike suddenly, or with any cause. It builds slowly from a series of small events. You may become irritated by small cultural differences or feel that things are done better at home, causing you to react negatively to the host culture. Feelings and symptoms that are associated with adjusting to a new culture abroad, to include: • Disorientation It's difficult to identify culture shock while you're experiencing it. But with patience, you'll be able to overcome it and grow in the process.
• Isolation
• Frustration
• Depression/sadness
• Extreme homesickness
• Having negative feelings about the host culture
• Sleeping or eating disturbances
You can develop strategies to deal with these frustrations. As tempting as it is to keep relaxing in your dorm room or talking to friends back home, this is not the way to emerge from culture shock!
Whether you will be abroad for a few weeks or an entire year, it is helpful to know some facts about your host culture.Knowing something about your host culture will help to increase your sense of familiarity. You can learn about your host culture by talking to people who are from your host country, reading about the culture online, and talking to students who have studied abroad already.
Remember that you are learning and that each day you are increasing your cultural adaptation, especially by participating in host country activities. Before you realize it, your time abroad will be winding down and you will be thinking about all of the things that you will miss about the host country.