How to Deal with Culture Shock | Tips by Kapeel Gupta

The opportunity to study abroad presents numerous advantages, but it can also come with its own set of challenges. One of them is a Cultural shock. This is very natural. When people are exposed to a new cultural, it happens to them. Many times, it can be difficult to digest.

It is a feeling of confusion and disorientation that people may experience when they go to a different country or culture. It happens because the new place has different customs, traditions, and ways of life that are unfamiliar to them. It can be overwhelming and make them feel out of place.

For example, the language spoken may be different, making it hard to communicate. The food may be unfamiliar, and the flavors may be different from what they are used to. Social norms and gestures may vary, causing misunderstandings. Even daily routines and habits may be different.

Every one belonging to any nationality will experience it.

I am sure you would be interested in knowing more about it and how to deal with it.

Hello all, I am Kapeel Gupta, founder of study abroad academy. I am on a mission to coach and mentor 100,000 high school students and help them realize their dream of studying in the best universities of the world and build happy & successful careers for themselves.

Culture shock is a feeling of disorientation, annoyance, and/or hostility experienced when you visit a country with norms and traditions different from your own. It can lead to

1) Confusion

2) Irritation

3) Homesickness

4) Insecurity

5) Sadness

The cultural shock experience can be divided into four phases.

The Honeymoon Phase: As soon as you place your foot on the foreign soil, the experience begins. You are excited to be in a new place, and everything feels new and exotic. You have a unique sense of freedom. You are likely to feel a sense of adventure, and the experience feels exciting.

The Frustration Phase: In this stage, you may start to feel frustrated with the differences in culture and daily life. The new way of doing things can be confusing and even irritating. You may feel homesick and experience a sense of loneliness and isolation. For example, Food is deeply ingrained in culture and many a times we have bonded over food with family & friends. And now away from home, that is nowhere in sight. Lack of language skills make you feel like a fool. You aren’t able to understand the local slangs & jokes.

The Adjustment Phase: During this stage, you start to adapt to the new culture and find ways to deal with the cultural differences. You begin to understand and appreciate the new culture, and your frustrations start to fade. Now the irritation is subsiding and understanding is taking its place. You begin to take interest in whatever is new. You begin to learn, appreciate & respect.

The Acceptance Phase: In this final stage, you have fully adjusted to the new culture, and you feel comfortable and at ease. You have stopped being judgemental. You no longer compare this new culture with the culture back home. You have a sense of acceptance. You have begun to enjoy the difference.

You have developed a sense of belonging and have formed new relationships with people from the host culture. You have developed your own strategy which is beautiful & unique to face the challenge that this new culture pose at you.

But to progress to the Acceptance Phase, one will definitely need to make some efforts. This should begin from your native country itself.

1) Do your research. Talk to people who have been there before. Ask them about the hardships they faced. It will prepare you for the future.

2) Don't be hard on yourself. Anyone can make mistakes. Just don’t repeat them.

3) Learn about the culture. Develop a ‘Yes, I can’ attitude. Don’t judge them. Try to fit into their shoes for better understanding.

4) Learn the local language, their slangs. Watch local channels, listen to the radio.

5) Make Local Friends. They will help you feel at ease and even support you in adjusting to this new lifestyle. Get involved with them. If given a chance, celebrate their festivals with them.

6)If confused, don't hesitate to ask. Be openminded. This will reduce misunderstandings and prevent miscommunication.

I would like to end it with a poem

In the ethereal realm where cultures converge,

A tempest brews, a phenomenon to emerge.

Cultural shock, a force both subtle and grand,

Reshapes perceptions, like shifting sands.

Imagine a traveler, wide-eyed and bold,

Venturing into a land unknown, yet untold.

In this literary tapestry, a tale unfolds,

Of encounters unforeseen, as stories are retold.

As the traveler sets foot on foreign soil,

The familiar dissipates, replaced with turmoil.

The senses awakened, a symphony of new,

Sounds, scents, and sights, all in vibrant hue.

In this foreign land, customs unfold,

Etiquettes and gestures, tales yet untold.

The traveler wanders amidst an unfamiliar crowd,

An outsider amidst rituals both whispered and loud.

The taste buds awaken to culinary delights,

Exotic flavors dance, igniting appetites.

Yet, an unfamiliar cuisine can perplex,

With spice and tang, an unexpected vortex.

Language becomes a labyrinth of its own,

Unfamiliar words, a symphony unknown.

Conversations like poetry, lost in translation,

Misunderstandings arise, a linguistic frustration.

Social norms and values, a kaleidoscope of belief,

The traveler seeks to navigate, an emotional reef.

In this sea of customs, norms, and tradition,

A dance of adaptation, a personal mission.

Like a character in a novel, transformed and reborn,

The traveler evolves, from cultural shock to adorn.

Embracing differences, bridging divides,

A literary hero, in cultural exchange that resides.

For cultural shock, though disorienting and strange,

Is a gateway to growth, an opportunity to change.

Through this literary lens, a tapestry unfurls,

As the traveler's heart, enlightened, unfurls.

To conclude, I would like to say that despite the ups and downs, it is a valuable and enriching experience. Eventually, when you return home, you will likely look back on your time overseas with fondness, cherishing the memories and relationships you made, and forget about any difficulties you may have encountered.

I hope you find this blog useful. I would request all of you to please write comment and give feedback. This also helps in our learnings and we get to prepare content that is most required by our readers.

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