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If you have ever traveled, even for a short time, or lived overseas for any length of time then you have probably experienced culture shock. Being in a foreign country introduces one to language barriers, food differences, and cultural and social innuendos that can make everyday life a real challenge. For most people who have not traveled it is hard to really understand the difficulties associated with trying to accomplish everyday common activities in a foreign country. For example, trying to buy gallon of milk if you don’t speak the language, ordering off a menu that only offers meals made out of raw meat, or even just going for a walk in an enormous strange city and trying to remember where it is you are staying.

Many travelers truly enjoy the differences but culture shock can afflict even the most hardy of expats. According to Dr. Carmen Guanipa, “The term, culture shock, was introduced for the first time in 1958 to describe the anxiety produced when a person moves to a completely new environment. This term expresses the lack of direction, the feeling of not knowing what to do or how to do things in a new environment, and not knowing what is appropriate or inappropriate. The feeling of culture shock generally sets in after the first few weeks of coming to a new place.” If you live overseas and find yourself depressed, lonely, longing for family, or the familiar, fear not as you are probably just going through the culture shock cycle.

Popular coping mechanisms for culture shock include taking some positive steps to help alleviate the frustration. First off, remember why it is you chose to move overseas. Also, Dr. Guanipa recommends that persons start exercising, and or try to complete some simple tasks, which should help one deal with the stress associated with getting acclimated in a foreign land.

Next time we’ll discuss the concept of reverse culture shock, which occurs when you go home after being overseas for an extended period of time.

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