According to the omnipresent Oxford English Dictionary, culture shock is defined as, “the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes.” It can be extremely intimidating to arrive in a new place where there might be a new language, culture, and customs. While different people experience it at various levels, culture shock is nearly inevitable when traveling to a new place for the first time. For some, culture shock comes from trying new things, like food and drink; for others, culture shock can manifest itself as feelings of homesickness and anxiousness. It can be quite stressful. But fear not! Like a pollen allergy, there are ways to mitigate the effects of culture shock.
In late-March of 2023 I arrived in Tübingen, Germany, my home for the next 18 weeks. It being my fourth time in Germany and being proficient in the language, I will admit, I was not at all prepared for the culture shock that awaited me in my first week. While life in Germany is not too different from my life in Eugene, it somehow felt monumentally foreign to me. Everyday activities such as buying groceries, taking the bus, ordering at restaurants, and making small talk with my roommates were now accompanied with feelings of bewilderment and consternation. I was in a perpetual state of surprise for my first few days on my own in Germany.
After comparing my experiences with those of my peers, I would say I was on the higher end of the culture shock scale; I was not searching for return flights to Oregon, but I was certainly on edge. I am here to say that despite how it might feel in the moment, these feelings will not last forever! In fact, they won’t even last a week. Here are a few tips and tricks from a pro on how deal with culture shock:
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Expect the shock!
This is the single most important piece of advice I can give you. You will almost certainly experience some level of culture shock when you arrive in your host country. It is totally normal to find yourself feeling anxious or homesick in your first few days abroad. Give yourself plenty of grace and do your best to remember that these feelings will pass as you adjust to your new surroundings. Maybe go for a small walk around your neighborhood or try some meditative breathing exercises.
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Write down your thoughts
I have officially jumped on the bandwagon; writing down your thoughts and feelings in a journal or notebook is an incredibly effective method in reducing stress and managing anxiety. When we can put words to our feelings, they can become a lot less daunting and much more manageable.
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Create a routine
The tactic that I found worked best in getting over my culture shock was making a daily routine and sticking to it. This really helped me keep from withdrawing into myself, and created manageable tasks that I could check off every day. By keeping a routine, I was able to adjust to my surroundings quicker and felt like I was more in control of my day-to-day life.
All right, you are all set to go abroad! Just remember that culture shock is a totally normal part of traveling to a new place, and it won’t last forever. If you start feeling like your culture shock is having more of an effect on you than you would like, try the three techniques I have outlined above! I know they helped me a lot, and I am confident they will help you too.
For more tips on dealing with culture shock, check out GEO's Student Guide.
By Kaden Leeper, Global Programs Assistant '23-'24
Baden-Wurttemberg Exchange, Spring 2024