Culture Shock

1. Symptoms

1.1. Adults: Impatience, irritability, frustration, anger, sadness or depression, heightened anxiety, homesickness, feeling of incompetence or lack of confidence, exhaustion or fatigue.

1.2. Children: sleeplessness, disrupted naps or nightmares, anger, anxiety about being separated from you, headaches, stomachaches, crying, injuries or mishaps on the playground (First few weeks), avoiding social interaction with other children or peers.

2. Concept

2.1. Describes the feelings of disorientation and confusion many people experience when they first move to a foreign country. Affects equal children and adults.

3. Stages

3.1. Honeymoon phase: Feeling of euphoria. Being in a new place is exotic and your adrenaline is rushing bc the anticipation of moving has finally turned into a reality of a new home.

3.2. Emptiness phase: Accomplishing the simplest activities takes longer and takes more effort. You may start to feel angry, lonely, frustrated or less confident.

3.3. Readjustment: Start to understand the culture and feel more comfortable with it. You feel more at home and to accept the norms and social codes around you. Regaining your balance.

3.4. Adaptation: Enjoy the local customs and your new life. Feeling of confidence operating in two cultures. You regain a strong sense of who you are. Able to help your family adaptation as well.

3.5. Readjusting to moving back home: Culture shock again, depending upon how long you were away, this feelings usually disappear within a few days or weeks.

4. Challenges

4.1. Being a minority in a new culture.

4.2. Language barriers.

4.3. A spouse or partner who is not working.

4.4. Recognize that you and your partner or spouse may be facing different challenges.

4.5. Health or other special challenges.

5. Face the shock

5.1. Research the country where you are living.

5.2. Build a community around you.

5.3. Find ways to use your skills and talents.

5.4. Stay in touch with family and friends back home.

5.5. Balance socializing with Americans with getting to know the local people.

5.6. Stay positive.

5.7. Share problems and concerns with friends.

5.8. Make your relationship a priority if you are part of a couple.

5.9. Set reasonable goals.

5.10. Participate in local activities.