Culture Shock

Traveling to a new country can be an overwhelming experience. At first there is the excitement of being in a new place. But soon you might realize how much of an outsider you really are. Travelers have been known to feel anxiety from the loss of familiar signs and symbols and may feel a kind of pychological disorientation. This phenomenon is known as culture shock. Dealing with Culture Shock

• There is no clear-cut way of dealing with culture shock. Simply recognizing its existence and your accepting vulnerability to it is an important first step.
• "Culture shock is in some degree inevitable... and is the occupational hazard of overseas living through which one has to be willing to go through in order to enjoy the pleasures of experiencing other countries and cultures in depth."

Village in Zimbabwe
Source: Syracuse University

Reverse Culture Shock

Just as a you may face culture shock from encountering a new culture, you may face reverse culture shock when you return to the United States. This is because, if you have had a full experience living and learning overseas, you are likely to have changed some, while you have been away, so the place you return to may itself appear to have changed, as indeed it might have.

You may find that things like food and music that were once familiar to you are now foreign. You may want to tell everyone about your experiences abroad, but often people will not want to listen to you.

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