How to Cope with Culture Shock When Moving Internationally

No matter where you’re from or where you move to, experiencing culture shock is a very real thing that you should prepare for wherever you go. If you’re an experienced traveller, you might think you won’t experience culture shock once you put down roots somewhere, but no one is immune to the pitfalls we can fall into as a result of culture shock, especially when moving internationally.

 

If you’ve experienced one culture for most of your life, or rather the different cultures that make up your country, it can be really easy to get caught off guard by traditions or customs in other countries – even if they seem very similar to your’s! Before you make an international move, it’s imperative to prepare for these shocks and learn how to adapt and cope with this before moving overseas. 

 

What is Culture Shock?

As we’ve briefly touched on, culture shock refers to the difficulties people experience when adjusting to a new country’s traditions, culture, and customs. The process of adjusting can take a month, or may never fully happen, especially if the culture you’re now immersed in is extremely different from what you’ve been used to your whole life in the United States. 

 

Cultural Adjustment

There are stages to cultural shock, as well as the forthcoming cultural adjustment that happens once you finally start to get used to your life in a new place. How long each stage takes depends on each person, but learning how to deal with these feelings is very important to both enjoying yourself in your new environment, as well as meshing and adapting to the culture of your new environment. 

 

 

• Initial Happiness/Excitement: From when you land, to the first week or so of your time in a new place, you might feel extremely excited and happy to be where you are, and are just taking it all in. It’s like being in the honeymoon phase of a relationship. 

• Irritability: Once your rose-colored glasses and sense of nuance has worn off, it’s common to feel irritable or even hostile toward the locals or the customs you’re not used to in your new area. This is the most important part of culture shock to work through, and is the most destructive for people. 

• Adjustment: After you’ve gotten over your phase of discomfort and irritability, you’ll start adjusting and getting used to your new area, and develop a routine and become used to the traditions and customs of your new home. Interpreting cultural customs and norms also becomes a lot easier. 

• Adaptation: You’ve done it! You’re fully immersing yourself in this new culture and conquering culture shock. However this phase often takes a long time to fully achieve, and some may never even get there. However, if you recognize the stages you’re going through and lean on your friends at home and in your new country for support, you’ll be immersed and adapt more comfortably. 

 

Moving Internationally Can Be Intimidating

Becoming immersed in and adapting to a completely different and new culture than what you’re used to can be really scary and intimidating for people, especially if they don’t even realize they’re going through culture shock. Working through comes down to your support system, open mindedness, and overall respect for the country you’re in and the traditions they hold dear. Looking to tackle an overseas move soon? Look no further than Allied International.