How to Overcome Culture Shock

Aside from jet lag, culture shock is one of the biggest challenges travelers face. This is especially true for long term travel. On top of being in a place that’s completely foreign to you, you also have the added pressure of knowing you won’t have some of your favorite things and creature comforts from back home.

Our first few weeks in China were really difficult. I especially struggled to adapt because while I love to travel, I absolutely hate change! Even before we left the US I knew I would struggle at first, but I was actually looking forward to the challenge. Only I didn’t realize how challenging it would really be. I was just about ready to come home before I had even given it a fair chance.

I had an idea of what living and teaching in China would be like, but when things weren’t the way I had imagined, it gave me unrealistic feelings of dread and failure from the start. It was hard and it took some time for me to let go of the things I thought I would experience and start appreciating the journey I was actually on.

I also never expected to feel so disappointed about missing out on things back home. Even things I probably wouldn’t have been a part of anyway, made me feel sad and homesick just because I knew there was no way possible for me to be a part of them, even if I had wanted to.

We miss our family, and we miss our sweet little guinea pig. We miss seeing our niece and nephews grow up before our eyes instead of through a screen. There’s a lot that we miss. But we are learning more than we ever expected. We’re making healthier lifestyle choices. And we’re finally working on building our dreams…consistently. We’re challenging ourselves. And we’re really enjoying this chapter in our lives.

Culture shock is a part of the travel journey. It’s just something you have to face and tunnel through. Unlike jet lag, there isn’t much you can do to speed the process along, but there are some things you can do that help.

Research

Do the best you can to prepare yourself for arriving in a new country. Learning phrases like hello, yes, no, please, thank you, this one, that one, how much?, check please, where is the bathroom?, excuse me, I am a student/I’m new here. Do you speak English?, and even simple expressions like Delicious! or How wonderful! can really go a long way to helping you navigate your new surroundings.

Download helpful apps like Google Translate, Currency Converter, and an offline map can be a great step in preparing you to get around your new location. Have a plan for getting data on your phone so that you can actually use those apps when needed. Research country specific apps that might be useful, too, like WeChat in China (although it seems you have to have a Chinese number to register for this one).

Aside from navigation, be sure to research the exchange rate, what kind of food will be available, the water quality, items you may not be able to purchase in your destination, and local customs. For us, that included bringing a year’s supply of deodorant, because apparently Chinese people don’t really sweat and it’s not something that’s available here. You want to be as prepared as possible in this new place, and you definitely want to make sure that you won’t be offending the locals out of ignorance.

There is such a thing as doing too much research, though. Try to prepare, but keep an open mind. Don’t expect things to be any one certain way. You’re just setting yourself up for disappointment if it’s not like you expect it to be.

Ask for help

If you’re working abroad like we are, ask your contacts through your employer for help. Ask them to practice the language with you. Ask them about the things you’ve seen that don’t make sense, or about the local customs and practices. See if other foreigners working here have had some of the same issues. Ask them if they have any advice. They are there for you and most of the time they’ll be happy to help you learn more about their culture.

If you’re not working, look at Facebook or other groups online to find expats living in the area. Ask your questions on public forums. The internet is a wealth of knowledge, and people are always happy to share their experience and expertise.

Time

Culture shock is rough, and research and guidance, can only get you so far. You just have to give it time. Be very patient and forgiving with yourself. You will learn how to exist in your new environment, even if that feels completely impossible at first. Before long, you’ll be able to use the public transportation, shop in grocery stores, and order food in restaurants.

You won’t stop missing your family, friends, pets, and the thousand other things you’ve always been used to having in your life, but it will get easier to deal with as time goes on. Use Skype or another videochat system to stay in touch with everyone back home. Make it a point of staying connected with people.

After a few weeks, you won’t feel the culture shock anymore. You’ll be able to get one with your adventure and make the most of it! Just try to get through it.

Have you experienced culture shock? How did you get through it? Let us know in the comments below!