The first thing to realize about culture shock is that it’s perfectly natural to experience it. Despite how often culture shock occurs, though, a lot of people are resistant to talk about it, and that’s one of the biggest mistakes you can make. If you feel yourself going through culture shock, take some time to reach out to others, especially other travelers, for help in adjusting to your new culture.
One of the other things you can do is force yourself to engage more in the culture that you’re immersed in. This can be difficult to do, because part of culture shock is feeling unhappy with the culture. But, as Robert Frost once said, “The best way out is always through.” Going out and interacting with the culture that surrounds you is going to help you overcome some of the difficulties you’ll be encountering.
Another thing that many people don’t think about is making sure to stay healthy while in their new home. One of the things that people with culture shock are tempted to do is stay home and eat junk food. It’s understandable, but it’s also unfortunate, because eating well and staying physically active can play an important role in not only staying physically healthy, but mentally healthy as well.
Staying in touch with your family and friends back home can be an important tool to help you avoid culture shock. Luckily, today it’s easier to do this than ever before – in addition to making long-distance phone calls and writing letters or postcards, you also have the option of using tools like webcams, email, and social networks to take part in more immersive conversations with people. Family and friends are often the foundation that we build our sense of self upon, so keeping the foundation strong can be essential in working through your feelings of culture shock.
Lastly, make sure to keep a realistic perspective. The honeymoon stage of culture shock involves you getting an unrealistically positive idea of the culture you’re immersed in, but the next stage involves an unrealistically negative idea of it, coupled with an unrealistically positive idea of your culture at home. Like they say, “the grass is often greener on the other side” – it’s important to keep a level head about your experience and remember that neither side is full of green grass and roses. Saving Changes...
PANKAJ KUMAR JOSHIGeneral Manager| Transrail Lighting LimitedNainital, Uttrakhand, India
Accept the things the way they are, not the way you have seen. There is no birth belief, everything you know is learned by life cycle. It is difficult to accept the change and it also not required too. But we must rrespect others thought, Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
I keep an open mind about people, processes and technology. I give them all the benefit of the doubt. That way I avoid culture shock. Saving Changes...
Steven ZacharyDirector| Alberta Health ServicesCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Hi Fouad,
I would say don't avoid it but embrace it. I'm always fascinating in discussing with others the differences between what I claim is "ordinary" in one culture and they assure me is really not in theirs. It's a learning opportunity. Of course I refer to more social situations, but it's usually a great way to strike up conversations in customs and discuss the best and worst of both worlds.
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1 reply by Michael Hoard
May 23, 2018 11:20 AM
Michael Hoard
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I agree 100%. Embrace it and use it a means to grow. Exposure to different ideas and concepts is a great way to innovate and push what you do to new levels. Culture shock does not always have to be a negative thing.
One cannot avoid culture shock, but how quickly one overcomes it is what matters. There are few things when dealing with culture shock
1. Learn as much as possible about the new place - something like saying hello, foods, driving (yeah it matters if you are travelling all over the world with different regulation)
2. willingness to learn and to be open minded
3. The move will always be a challenge, so do not withdraw
4. Build friends and association with people (positive ones)
5. Stay active
6. Maintain a sense of humor depending on the culture (it helps a lot, helps build relationships and to get accepted) Saving Changes...
Once I asked this question from my teacher in LIMC and the answer I got was very satisfying. In a multi-cultural environment, everyone is actually in this culture shock and you do not have to feel you are left alone. You will get used to the multi-cultural environment eventually. What you need to do is put in your best effort without regard to any such fear and learn in the process about other cultures and how to behave within them. I saw many Americans adopting god cultural habits of Japanese of offering and receiving visiting cards very humbly by bowing down, maintaining an eye contact ad presenting the card with both hands. This is how you adapt and learn. Saving Changes...
Gautham NBAssistant General Manager| KGISL Business Support ServicesCoimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Others also will feel the same looking at us when we work in a multi cultural environment.
The best thing is to have an open mind to learn and accept Saving Changes...
James FurnessAssociate Director of Project Management| Disney Streaming ServicesCheadle Hulme, Cheshire, United Kingdom
The advice i'd give is to throw yourself into your new surroundings, do the things you talked about in your post. Get out, stay active, do what you enjoy. There are sure to be like minded people. I work in a place where 90% of the staff arrive alone, from other parts of the world. I can see that some of them struggle with it. Generally, the ones who push themselves to make friends, go out, join in are the ones who seem happy. The ones who shut themselves away often look miserable and tired.
If you can't do the former and you really have given it your best shot. Then maybe the culture your in simply isn't right for you. Nothing wrong with that, you tried it, you gave it your all. Maybe it's time to move on? Saving Changes...
Paul RadulescuBusiness Technology Mgmt| DeHavilland Aircraft of CanadaToronto, Ontario, Canada
Canada is a good place to study culture shock simply due to a large number of immigrants settling in each year. The happy and cheerful subjects are the most open, adaptable, informed ones. Saving Changes...
Zineb GriddaIT Consultant/ Business Process Analyst| Davidson Consulting BelgiumBrussels, Belgium
In life, you are bound to ventur eout of your confort zone, this is why each one of us has to develop a cross-cultural intelligence in order to lessen the impact of a culture shock. By doing so you are approaching teh new culture as a new projetc where you have to define the gaps , what is socially accepted and frowned upon either in the work environment or in your personal life. By trying to adapt to the other's culture and refraining your inner behaviour, you are showng a willingness to blend in and that is highly respected by others and can help you easily make friends and be succesful. Saving Changes...
Embrace the change: try to understand, be open mind: enjoy the culture the people, the food, try to learn some words in the local language, don't be afraid, be curious, ask questions, be respectful., adapt to the new situation...enjoy the experience. Even following this set of rules, when having weak periods I have struggled with some cultural aspects. In my case attending to some cross cultural training and some readings has definitely helped me to better understand non visible differences Saving Changes...
