“You’re going to the United States to live? How wonderful! You’re really lucky!” Does this sound familiar? Perhaps your family and friends said similar things to you when you left home. But does it seem true all the time? Is your life in this new country always wonderful and exciting? (Specialists in counseling and intercultural studies say that it is not easy to adjust to life in a new culture. They call the feelings that people experience when they come to a new environment culture shock.
According to these specialists, there are three stages of culture shock. In the first stage, the new comers like their environment. Then, when the newness wears off, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people, the apartment, and everything else in the new culture. In the final stage of culture shock, the new comers begin to adjust to their surroundings and, as a result, enjoy their life more.
Some of the reasons for culture shock are obvious. Maybe the weather is unpleasant. Perhaps the customs are different, perhaps the public service systems such as the telephone, post office, or transportation are difficult to figure out, and you make mistakes. The simplest things seem difficult. The language may be difficult. How many times have you just repeated the same thing again and again and hoped to understand the answer eventually? The food may seem strange to you and you may miss the familiar smells of the food you are accustomed to in your own country. If you don’t look similar to the natives, you may feel strange. You may feel like everyone is watching you. In fact, you are always watching yourself. You are self-conscious.
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