Culture Shock for Expats: How to Anticipate Moving Abroad

There’s no doubt about it: moving internationally is an incredibly exciting experience that can bring so many benefits, new experiences and an enriching change to your everyday life that can give you tons of adventures and things to look forward to during your new normal. However, no matter how experienced a traveler you are, or where you’re from or are headed, experiencing culture shock is incredibly common. 

Even if you’re a seasoned traveler who is aware of culture shock and has done some preparation for it, it can easily sneak up on you! No one is immune to the pitfalls of culture shock, but anticipating and preparing for the phenomenon is key to keeping yourself happy and comfortable in your new country, city, and environment. 

Culture shock is an easy thing to experience if you’ve only experienced a few different cultures consistently for most of your life in your home country. Getting caught off guard or getting surprised by the differing customs and transitions in other countries or with other cultures is normal, but preparing for these shocks and learning and anticipating how to cope with them before moving overseas will let you take everything in stride. 

In this blog, we’ll run you through all of the ins and outs of culture shock, as well as some ways to cope with the feeling so that you can be comfortable in our environment. 

 

What is Culture Shock?

Culture shock refers to the difficulties people experience when adjusting to a new country’s traditions, culture, and customs. 

Though the timeline of adjusting to different cultures, countries, or different experiences can differ from person to person and depend on how much time you plan to spend in the country in the first place, culture shock is generally the most prevalent for those in their first month or two of living in a new place. Adjusting to this can take around this amount of time, much longer (which is also normal as the nuance of living in a new place wears off), or you may never fully get used to the new area you’re living in, or the differences between customs there and back in the United States. 

 

Cultural Adjustment for Expats

There are several different stages to the culture shock that many will go through, plus the overall cultural adjustment that is to be made once you start to settle into your everyday life in a new country. How long each stage takes depends on your specific experience and the person, but learning how to anticipate and deal with these feelings will help you through the process as a whole. It is also very important in letting yourself take things in stride and in letting yourself enjoy your new environment and everything your new country has to offer.

Getting over or properly processing culture shock will also allow you to truly appreciate and immerse yourself in the culture of your new country.

The following are the most common stages of culture shock that people experience. 

 

 

• Initial Happiness/Excitement: From when you land, to the first week or so of experiencing your new country and new home, you’ll probably feel very excited and happy to be where you are and in your new area. It can also be a little overwhelming as you take everything in, but it’s sort of like the honeymoon phase of a relationship. This is a great time, and you should take advantage of this time to do fun activities and see the sights!

 

 

• Irritability: After it’s sunk in that you’ve really moved and you gradually get through the nuance of the new area as you settle into your everyday routine, you might be a little irritable or critical of customs that differ with yours, or the differing mindsets of people in your new country or city. This is the most important part of culture shock to anticipate and work through, as it can be the most impactful and destructive for people.

 

 

• Adjustment: After further getting used to your new area and routine, and working through your period of discomfort and irritability, you’ll start settling in and getting adjusted to your new home. Developing a routine and enjoying yourself is key to settling in and making yourself more comfortable in your new home. This is also when you’ll start getting more used to the traditions and customs of your new home. Interpreting cultural customs and norms also become a lot easier, even if they still might not particularly reflect your customs. 

 

 

• Adaptation: This comes after living in an area for a while, after you’ve fully immersed yourself in the culture and customs around you, and once you’ve fully worked through culture shock. This phase often is a work in progress and will take a long time for people to truly achieve. However, recognizing the stages you’re going through and having support from friends and family both at home and in your new country will make a huge difference in letting you adjust and enjoy your new home. 

 

 

Looking for the right international moving company to make your transition to a new country even easier? See what Allied International can do for you and your household today and get ready to take on your new life!