Before leaving your country, you may have imagined your future stay abroad as a special stage in your life, a great step to get to know other cities, universities, ways to have fun, or simply “a change of scenery.” But when you change cultures you may find yourself somewhat disoriented and alone. This is completely normal, since when you leave your country, you move away from the people and circumstances in which you have learned to live in society for years. The impact of this change is often called culture shock.
This phenomenon usually manifests itself in different ways:
- Outbursts of anger when faced with small inconveniences;
- Irritability;
- Feeling sad most of the time;
- Unexplained crying;
- Boredom;
- Missing the family a lot;
- A new and intense feeling of loyalty to your own culture;
- Overeating or loss of appetite;
- Need to sleep more than usual;
- Headaches;
- Stomach aches;
- Excessive concern about small pains;
- Loss of ability to work effectively;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Excessive concern for hygiene.
This is an extensive list of possible symptoms after changing culture, although not everyone experiences culture shock. Only a few items may reflect what you feel, even just a couple of them. Of course, if you had any of these problems before (e.g., headaches or stomach aches) it is wise to visit a doctor before chalking it up to possible culture shock.
You can do many things to try to overcome culture shock. Trying several of these strategies will be more effective than trying just one. And even if you’re not experiencing culture shock, you can prevent the onset of its symptoms.
- Stay active. Spend part of your time outside your room or apartment. Observe locals in their own culture. Try to look for common traits or cultural practices similar to yours. Visit parks, libraries, sporting events or shopping centers. Look. Listen. Learn. This process increases your knowledge and facilitates understanding of the differences in habits, customs and social relationships.
- Make friends with locals. Meet local people. Make questions. Try to answer questions about your own country, so that you and your local friends can compare your ways of life. It also helps to make friends from your own or other cultures, so you can compare your impressions.
- Read. At the University you have numerous free student magazines at your disposal. You will also find interesting books and daily newspapers in your library. Reading it can help you understand the new culture in greater depth.
- Do physical exercise. Find some physical activity that you enjoy and release the accumulated tension.
- Work on the language. One of the most important steps you can take to facilitate your adaptation is to improve your level of the local language. It’s easier to learn the details of the culture when you know its language. Keep an eye out for new or unusual phrases. Ask about words you don’t understand. Many people will be happy to explain words that are new to you, so don’t hesitate to ask when you don’t understand something.
- Meet other international students. Thousands of students from other countries study at Arqus universities. You can bet many of them are experiencing the same fit problems that you may have. Talk to them about how they are handling the culture change.
- Remember your family. If your family came with you to the country where you will be studying, remember that they may also be experiencing culture shock. These same guidelines can help them. If you came alone, remember that your family will want to know about you. Writing or calling them regularly will help maintain your relationship with them and not feel alone at any time. For this, the Internet can be your best ally.
- Be patient. Culture shock is something that many international students experience in some form while they are here. Remember that the problem is not permanent. Simply be aware of what is happening to you, and give yourself time to get over it.