| By :
Tomer Harel
When moving to a new country, it's very common to experience some emotional and physical upheaval. Feelings of displacement, confusion, stress and anxiety when moving are so common that they have been given the coin name of "culture shock." Culture shock can happen whenever someone moves to a place that is very different. While this can be more obvious when moving overseas, it can actually occur anytime someone moves to a new place. Of course, the many differences that one experiences overseas such a language, customs, dress, and food can make it especially difficult. There is generally a progression that occurs with the term "culture shock." Originally coined in the 1950s, it describes the physical and emotional discomforts that one feels when moving to a new environment with a different culture. While the stages of culture shock usually follow this progression, there is no way of knowing how long each stage will last. 1) Honeymoon Stage - Everyone is excited about the move at this time. There is usually great anticipation for what lies ahead and energy is running high. Much like a honeymoon or vacation, this time can't last forever, but is fun while it lasts. 2) Angry Stage - During this stage, people become aggravated about the things going on around them and their inability to control them. It's during this time that people usually realize that they are experiencing culture shock. They begin to feel depressed, angry, lonely, sad, irritable and bitter. 3) Adjustment Stage - People start adjusting to their new life at this stage. They feel some direction coming back into their lives, along with a sense of humor. They begin to feel some balance in their lives and more accepted in the new area. 4) Adapting Stage - As people become more acclimated to a new culture, they begin to gain confidence and feel more like they belong in that area of the world. They start to understand the new culture better and learn that it's not going to be as difficult as they originally thought. 5) Reverse Culture Shock - This is when people try to go back to their old homes, assuming that all will be well. They often don't expect culture shock to hit them again, but it happens quite frequently. Now that they have lived somewhere else for a period of time and gotten used to it, they realize that this has really become their new home. Knowing that culture shock is normal can help you deal with it if it comes your way. "Expect the unexpected" is the best advice that you can remember when moving. If you are moving abroad, it's even more important to recognize these feelings. By communicating with others, maintaining a close community of family and friends, taking good care of yourself and having a positive attitude, you can make things easier for yourself. Moving is never easy. You can press forward as you remember the wonderful opportunities that are waiting on you. You know that moving has taken you to a place where you need to be and you will come out a better, well-rounded person in the end.
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlesbacklink.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
