Culture Shock.

The dreaded two words that strike fear in the hearts of foreigners. Culture shock is a feeling of anxiety or frustration due to being outside your cultural comfort zone. Not being able to order at a restaurant, explain a problem, or relate to people can cause culture shock.  Symptoms can be depression, loss of motivation, negativity, and feeling like you want to go get on the next plane/bus/ship home.

Culture shock is not always a bad thing, however.  If there were no difference of culture, what point would there be in traveling, homestay exchanges, or studying abroad?

Through living abroad for 7 years and traveling to 19 countries, here are my tips to survive for days, months, or years outside your home country.

1)    Learn a few local words

If you are in a non-native English-speaking country, you will be amazed at people’s reactions if you try to communicate with them in their own language.  

I have started countless conversation with strangers by asking them a question in their native tongue.  Some were so shocked that they invited me to their homes to learn more about me (and FED me!)  I imagine that curiosity alone has been responsible for a huge number of accidental friendships, all while breaking countless generalization and stereotypes.  

2)    Two questions and a dictionary

One of the best things you can do in a foreign language is learn how to say, “How do you say___?” and “What does ____ mean?” in the local language.  You may not always understand the answer, but it will slowly break the fear of trying to speak to a native speaker in that language.  Plus, most people will take a couple seconds to try to get the meaning across.  And this is where your pocket dictionary will really help you.

3)    Get involved

When I was in Mexico, I discovered the best way to make friends, avoid culture shock, and learn the language.  I joined just about every remotely interesting group in my school and community that I could find.  Music, triathlon, student exchange, volunteer projects, etc.  Not only was I able to keep up with my hobbies but also learn a ton of new vocabulary and insight into the culture.  

4)    Don’t recreate home

There are some people, I call them “cheaters”, who never experience culture shock.  These folks simply recreate their home environment by spending time only with others who speak their language, eating only familiar foods, chatting with their friends at home online all day every day, and staying in their apartment with videos and music from home.

Go ahead and do it.  You’ll waste a big opportunity.

5)    Keep in touch

This will sound odd, but your relationships with your array of friends can actually IMPROVE with you being away for long periods at a time.  

For example, for about 5 years I only came home twice a year.  But when I was home, I made an effort to see every single one of my friends and catch up with them.  Had I been in town the whole time, I wouldn’t have made the same effort.  It’s like living in New York but never going to Times Square because you can visit it anytime.

People that I surely would have lost touch with (college faculty, fraternity brothers, high school friends) also made more of an effort to see me when I was around (and hear my embarrassing stories.)

Follow these pieces of advice and you’re sure to maximize your time abroad.  Plus, the more languages and cultures you are familiar with, the more marketable your skills with be to potential employers.