Cultural Shock, ¿How To Deal With It?

By Alfonso Victoria

Culture shock happens when people from different backgrounds realize about their different ways to see life and to deal with certain situations. It might happen between people from different countries but also among persons living in the same neighbourdhood. Even people from the same family will normally have different points of view, and depending on the education or social develpment, children could even take a huge cultural distance from their parents. For example, a friend of mine has lived in the city since highschool, and his way to see the world is totally different from his parents, that have lived always in the country.

When you go to live in another country, cultural shock is almost unavoidable, and it creates different kind of reactions. Some are positive, some are negative, but most of them simple "are", and all of them are part of your learning process during your exchange program.

However, there are some suggestions I have for you in order to take advantage of cultural schock:

1. Accept it and embrace it: As I said, it is almost unavoidable, so why fighting it? Just let it happen and learn from it.
2. Do not criticize in loud voice: I am not saying simply "do not critisize". Actually, making judgements is part of our human nature. However, if you just do it openly, very frequently, it's really annoying. And it goes for your host country and your home country. It doesn't look good to be talking bad stuff about the country that is hosting you, and local people will get upset at you right away and will say "If you don't like my country, what in the hell are you doing here?". Everything you say will be taken personal (you are talking about their home!!!). Also, if you are too hard with your own country, it really looks bad. Could you trust someone that only critisizes the own home??? Remember, make your own opinion, but keep it to yourself. And if someone ask for it, give it "softly and gently".
3. There is no white or black: The only thing that you can be sure about is that there is no better country. Culture is the result of history and personal actions. Even countries are a subjective creation. The exchange program is not about judging other's people customs, but a great opportunity about discoverying new ways of seing life.
   
4. Have fun with your shocks: Many of the best memories you will have about your exchange year will be cultural shocks! It will be probably very embarrasing, frustrating or annoying (probably all!) the moment they happen. But later, you will be laughing about it!
5. Become one of them: There are certain people in the world, very few of them, that can be truthly BICULTURAL or MULTICULTURAL. Those people get to the point that they can pass as a local in his host country and still be a native from their home lands. You can be one of them. You will gain access to the best of two cultures and have life skills like no one else. Being bicultural is the ultimate challenge for the exchange student.

Just to wrap up, cultural shock is not as bad as it looks, it is necessary and it can have a HUGE impact in your personal development.