Author:
Virginia Floyd
Date Of Creation:
6 August 2021
Update Date:
22 June 2024
Content
When you live in a foreign country for a long time, you may have to experience culture shock - feelings of disorientation, insecurity, and excitement in an unfamiliar place. The values, behaviors and customs that we take for granted may not fit into the new environment. By adjusting to a new culture, you can overcome culture shock and develop good relationships with those around you and not worry or feel out of place in the new space.
Steps
1 Don't shut yourself off from something new. Don't automatically perceive something else as wrong or negative. By holding back judgment, you can be an objective observer and promote intercultural understanding. Also, if you are traveling to a country that you know practically nothing about, look for information about it. After learning a little about the country, you need to be open to something new, and who knows, perhaps you will find an explanation for what you cannot understand. 
2 Try to learn the local language. This will enhance your communication skills and help you integrate into your local community. In addition, this way you demonstrate your interest in the new country. 
3 Get to know the behavior of people in a new environment. Do not perceive or pass their behavior through your "cultural filter". Behavior is not information. For example, Americans often use the phrase "How are you?" (How are you?) As "Hello" or "I mark your presence as I walk past you in the hallway." A foreigner may not understand why Americans do not answer this question in detail. Regardless, if you go further without waiting for an answer to your "How are you?" Question, they will find this behavior ignorant or even rude. Nevertheless, the American, not waiting for an answer to this question, most likely will not be offended. Remember, when in doubt, it's best to double-check. 
4 Do not believe sacredly in your knowledge of culture. Even as you become more knowledgeable about the rituals, customs and rules of behavior in a new environment, do not try to correlate what you know at the moment with rational explanations. Superficial knowledge can be deceiving. Psychologist Geert Hofstead wrote that culture is like an onion: it needs to be peeled layer by layer to reveal its content. It takes a long time to actually understand culture in a social and historical context. 
5 Be sure to meet people in your new environment. Ask them questions to show your respect, read the newspapers and attend all kinds of festivals and events. 
6 Try to achieve a sense of stability in your life. By setting your regime, you will feel secure and confident. 
7 The most important: keep your sense of humor! Don't be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake or don't know how to behave in a certain situation. Laugh at yourself and the others will laugh with you. Most people will admire your tenacity and efforts to understand their culture, especially if you do not judge or compare another's culture with your own, which subtly and perhaps subconsciously implies some sense of superiority.
Tips
- Be patient. It takes time to adapt to a new environment, a new culture and a new way of life.
- It's always good to keep in touch with family and friends at home. But if you hang out with them too much, you will only miss home more and be slower to adapt to a different culture.
- In culture shock, it's natural to limit yourself to what you know. Try not to be tempted to isolate yourself.
