How often did you experience cultural shock?

Have you ever been in a situation where you could not ask for directions, or did not know how, say, to use a pay phone on the street? And maybe difficulties arose in the process of refueling your car or trying to purchase products in the store? The situation was aggravated also by the fact that it was necessary to find a way out, i.e. Urgently call someone, fill up a car, buy food? Happened? So, you can say with certainty that you already had to experience the same cultural shock.

Who is experiencing it in the first place? As a rule, these are immigrants, students, students abroad, tourists or businessmen, who for the first time have fallen outside their country.

In this article, I would like to dwell on this concept in more detail, to talk about the possible reasons for its occurrence, and also how to facilitate entry into a new habitat for a person.

1. Cultural shock. Definition of concept

Cultural shock is usually called a kind of physical or (in most cases) emotional discomfort, which occurs as a result of falling into a completely different, unfamiliar cultural environment.

Is it possible to get used to such an environment? Can! However, such cultural adaptation in most cases will be exciting, stressful or, oddly, amusing. In addition, you should be prepared for the fact that what you see may not justify expectations or be confusing.

By the way, sometimes this concept is used to denote a general situation, in which a person simply has to adapt to a new way of life and order, realizing that neither the previously acquired cultural values nor the patterns of behavior anymore work.

2. Cultural shock and possible causes of its occurrence

As a rule, a person experiences this state when he comes to a new country for himself, the traditions of which are radically different from those that surrounded him in his former, native and habitual place for him.

Although if you take, for example, such a huge country like Russia, you can easily experience a cultural shock, moving, say, to live in the capital, or, conversely, out of the city with a busy rhythm of life. Just a social environment can change so much that to cope with the situation adequately only the most courageous and purposeful will be able to.

The thing is that at such moments within each individual there is a struggle of new and old cultural orientations and norms. A kind of conflict at the level of one's own consciousness.

Otherwise, aware of the severity of the impact, each person in absolutely different ways can experience a cultural shock. What does it depend on? As a rule, from several basic factors, namely, from individual characteristics, the level of similarity and the degree of difference in cultures, and also a whole series of additional elements to which I would classify food, climate, material well-being, customs, clothing, religion, family structure, Level and sphere of education, language.

3. Acute cultural shock. Examples and various forms

How to understand that you are experiencing a real cultural shock? Can we predict when this painful and painful condition is about to end?

Modern psychologists distinguish several phases of this period, which, as a rule, is caused by a move to another country:

• "Honeymoon". At this time, a person begins to see what is happening through the so-called "rose-colored glasses". All his new surroundings are perceived joyfully and with enthusiasm. For example, often visiting new places for us, we at first begin to admire unusual food, breathtaking architecture, entertaining Aboriginal habits.
• "Reconciliation", usually occurring after a few days, weeks, and in some cases even months. We begin to look for the familiar circle of communication, call up friends, acquaintances and relatives, prepare dishes loved from childhood.
• "Adaptation". At this stage, a person ceases to react emotionally to what is happening around. Life becomes as close to the usual routine of the day at home.
• "Reverse cultural shock." In the event that you left your homeland not forever, you most likely will have to return, and therefore, it is worthwhile in advance to be prepared for a new emotional shock.