How to Handle Culture Shock While on a Gap Year Abroad
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One of the biggest study abroad tips is learning how to deal with culture shock. Culture shock is, for most people, an inevitable part of living abroad. However, we can offer some advice to help ease the discomfort and move through it quickly during your gap year program.
Before we jump into the tips, it's important to understand that culture shock typically unfolds in stages. Understanding these stages can help you navigate your emotions and recognize that each phase is a normal part of the adaptation process.
The Stages of Culture Shock
- The Honeymoon Phase. Everything about the new culture feels exciting and fascinating when you first arrive.
- The Frustration Phase. The differences between your home culture and the new one become more pronounced, and you feel overwhelmed, irritated, and uncomfortable.
- The Adjustment Phase. You begin to develop routines and better understand the local customs. Life feels more manageable.
Here are five tips to deal with culture shock when you study abroad.
1. Prepare Before You Go
Typically, culture shock when studying abroad results from the culmination of new situations, such as constantly eating unfamiliar cuisine, having frustrating experiences with public transportation, getting overwhelmed speaking the local language, and feeling disoriented by new customs and traditions.
Luckily, you can prepare for all these situations before you leave!
Try New Foods
Get familiar with the tastes of where you're going. Visit a restaurant in your hometown or city that serves the cuisine of the place you will be studying. Find recipes online and cook them. You may need to find an ethnic shop or order spices or other ingredients online. Invite your family and friends to join you on this taste adventure!
Plan Out Your Routes and Research Public Transportation
Knowing where you're going and how to get there ahead of time can be a huge anxiety reliever when traveling. It may sound a little silly to plan out your route ahead of time from your host family's house to your school, but it could make a world of difference to be already familiar with street names and landmarks in your new neighborhood. With tools like Google Maps, you can get a leg up on navigating your host country. Be sure to read about how to use public transit (find blogs or ask your CIEE leader), as every country has quirks.
Research Local Customs and Traditions
While you may be familiar with the big holidays of the country where you are heading, local customs like greetings, manners around dining, and courtesies involving transportation can often be unfamiliar and disorienting. For example, in Japan, it is customary to bow when greeting someone, and slurping noodles is considered a sign of enjoyment. Meanwhile, in France, people often greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks, even among acquaintances, and it is considered rude to start eating before everyone is served. Understanding and adapting to these local customs can significantly ease the transition and help you feel more at home in a new environment.
Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Taking a Gap Year
2. Talk It Out
If you're feeling culture shock, it's important not to isolate yourself. Talk with someone, whether a local friend, your host family, a former CIEE Gap Year Abroad program participant (CIEE can connect you) or even a friend or family member back home. Even if that person has never experienced culture shock, people who care about you are happy to listen and offer compassion. It helps to let it out, and they may offer advice or a new perspective to help you transition through.
3. Get Out and Have Fun
Again, try not to isolate yourself if you feel down or overwhelmed. Think of overcoming culture shock like learning any new skill; the only way to get better is to practice, practice, practice. Be confident it will get easier and, in the meantime, participate in things you like doing with people you enjoy being with.
4. Focus on Practical Language
Keep working on your language skills and prepare for outings before you go with words and phrases you might need for the day. For example, if you're going to the grocery store, make a list and practice asking where to find certain items. If you're heading to a restaurant, practice ordering food and asking for the check. If you're using public transportation, familiarize yourself with how to ask for directions or the cost of a ticket.
5. Do Something That Reminds You of Home
When you're feeling homesick or overwhelmed by culture shock, doing something familiar can be incredibly comforting. Eat a hamburger, host a Thanksgiving party, or watch your favorite movie. These small reminders of home can provide a sense of normalcy and help you feel more grounded. You could also connect with other exchange students who might be feeling the same way or reach out to friends and family back home for a video chat.
What Is Reverse Culture Shock?
Reverse culture shock can happen when you return home after spending significant time abroad. You might find that your perspectives on many things have changed, and what was once familiar—like food, communication, and even your own home—now feels strange. It may be hard to reconnect with friends and family initially, and you may feel that you don't have anyone who understands your experiences. You might also miss the lifestyle and people from your host country.
Like the initial culture shock, reverse culture shock is a process of readjustment that eventually passes.
Culture Shock Can Ultimately Lead to Positive Growth!
Though culture shock can cause you to feel uncomfortable, it will help shape you into a more open-minded and well-rounded person, which are among the great benefits that come with experiencing a gap year abroad.
Still looking for a study abroad program after your graduate high school? Check out all CIEE Gap Year Abroad programs.