Australia Culture Shock

Culture shock is a natural reaction when moving to another country.  It is usually felt within the first few weeks upon entering a new environment that is strange and different to the lifestyle you experience at home.  Culture shock is normal and won’t last forever (we promise!); still, it can be an unsettling beginning to your exciting new journey.

Lifetyles and customs will always be different wherever you are in the world and it can take some time to adjust to a whole new routine.  While it can be an unpleasant disorder to suffer, it also provides you with an opportunity to acquire new perspectives, and may give you the chance to display a strength and independence you may not have known you possessed. Culture shock differs from homesickness or general feelings of disorienation by the symptoms of anxiety and helplessness that accompanies these emotions. 

This can manifest itself as:

• Feelings of frustration or fear
• A lack of direction
• An inability to judge what is right or wrong in your new home
• Feeling like you don’t know what to do or how to do things.

Stages of Culture Shock

Culture shock generally has three stages, which can be ongoing or can appear randomly.

The Honeymoon Phase is an initial reaction to your new environment, when you romanticise the differences between the culture you know and a new one that you’ve never before experienced.  During this stage, everything seems new and exciting.  You may find enjoyment in exploring your new city, develop a taste for a new style of food or gain amusement in experiencing new habits.

The Everything is Awful Phase generally kicks in around the same time as homesickness.  This can take days, weeks or months to appear.  During this stage, all the minor differences between your old home and your new home will begin to accumlate, resulting in feelings of anger, sadness or impatience.  

The Everything is Okay Phase is a psychological process that occurs when you have found a balance between these two worlds.  At this point, you will no longer feel negative or positive feelings about your new lifestyle because you have begun to adapt and the lifestyle no longer feels so new and strange.  Again, this can take days, weeks or months.  Once you have entered the Everything is Okay Phase, you will come to be concerned with basic living again.


What are the symptoms of Culture Shock?

These are just some of the obvious symptoms of culture shock:

• Feeling lonely or melancholy
• Feeling vulnerable or helpless
• Changes in personality, like feelings of uncontrallable anger, resentment or an unwillingness to interact with others
• Overwhelming homesickness
• Idealising your home country
• Developing negative stereotypes about your new country
• Lack of confidence and feelings of inadequacy
• A preoccupation with health
• Developing obsessions such as over cleanliness
• Insomnia or a desire to sleep too much
• Inability to solve simple problems
• Loss of identity
• Depression

How to cope with Culture Shock

They say that the best defense is a good offense and that is true here.  The sting of culture shock can be eased by learning as much as you can about your new home before you leave.  Research the country and famliarise yourself with their language, customs and foods.  By knowing and understanding th culture, you won’t feel so overwhelmed when you are presented with a whole new way of life.  Try to be open minded, and develop a willingness to adapt.  It can also help to research culture shock as well.

When it comes to culture shock, you are your own worst enemy.  Try not to let feelings of helplessness and inadequacy overwhelm you.  It is important that you go easy on yourself and don’t try too hard to absorb everything too quickly.  Be realistic about what you hope to achieve.  You have made this move for a reason so follow your ambitions and constantly remind yourself of your plans for the future.  Most importantly – be patient!  Adjusting to a new way of life takes time.

Frequent contact with loved ones back home can help to ease the transition.  It is also very important that you maintain your health.  Exercise is an excellent way to forget your troubles and the resulting endorphins certainly help!  Eat well, take time out to relax and rejuvinate and get a good nights sleep every night.

Your university provides a multitude of events and activities to help you meet new people.  Try joining clubs and societies that interest you in order to meet like mind people and make new friends who can help you through your homesickness.  Try making plans for the future that you can get excited about.  Counting down the days to a concert or holiday can help you to forget your anxiety.

You are allowed to be sad – you’ve made a big change – but don’t allow yourself to be sad for too long.  Try to focuse your energy on surviving this painful transition by recognising that while your new way of life is different to anything you’ve ever experienced, it is also a new and exciting chapter of your life.  You will get through the culture shock.


Where can you get more help?

Your university is the best place to go if you need help, or just someone to talk to.  You will be provided with advice and literature about enduring during Orientation Week.  If this isn’t enough, visit your International Student Centre.  The staff their are trained to deal with this sort of thing and won’t judge you. No problem is too small!  They can also provide you with health and counselling services if necessary.
Most universities also offer workshops, seminars and mentoring programmes designed to help international students.

If this still isn’t enough, or if you are too intimidated to get face to face help, there are many wonderful online resources to assist you.

Although culture shock is a normal and understandable reaction to experiencing a whole new way of life, the emotions and negative feelings that result can seem overwhelming.  It is important that you recognise your culture shock and use the appropriate avenues to help your transition.