Culture Shock
As participants arrive at their overseas destination, initial feelings of excitement can be overwhelming; this is referred to as the honeymoon stage- full of adventure! Soon, you might start to have feelings of depression where minor predicaments become major ones and you start to feel like a foreigner in a strange land. Culture Shock happens to a lot of study abroad participants, even experienced travelers feel its impact whenever they arrive in a new place. With a bit of effort, participants will begin to find themselves making adjustments that will allow them to adapt to their new environment. They will turn their feelings of "Culture Shock" into yet another learning experience as a result of their time overseas.
In order to fully enjoy your time overseas, we have these suggestions:
1. Realize that everyone has a unique experience, which can enrich your life and thought. Be prepared every day to take the initiative and meet fellow students. Don't rely on class contact - get involved in student activities.
2. Accept that no experience is perfect: enjoy the things you like, and tolerate (maybe even laugh about) the things that aren't so good. The grim things will make great stories when you go home.
3. Never forget that this is your own experience: you don't need to have other people's approval of your choices of what is worth doing. Guidebooks are better on information than evaluation: they can tell you what is available but not what you will enjoy.
4. Recognize that university teaching at your overseas university is NOT the same as university teaching at your home campus. To get the most out of the course you have to read more widely than what you will be tested on.
5. Find out exactly what your written workload consists of, and when the deadlines are, as soon as possible. Plan your semester, and stick to your own schedule.
6. Try to avoid making negative judgments about the country or city you are in until you have given yourself time to experience the broader context. And even then share them reluctantly.
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