Embracing Culture Shock: Tips for Indians Traveling Abroad

Culture Shock-O-Rama: Embracing the Bewildering!

This is one of the examples of culture shock that we’ve been talking about. But what EXACTLY is culture shock?

To quote Google, “The meaning of cultural shock is a disruptive feeling that people experience in a country, place or environment that is new or foreign to them". Whether it is the lifestyle, food, language or the look and feel of a place, you can feel varying degrees of culture shock anywhere you go, even from household to household.

Tales of Surprises and Oddities Abroad

Picture this: You, an Indian traveller, embark on a thrilling adventure to the land of burgers, fries, and superheroes – the United States. Little did you know you would encounter culture shocks that would leave you in stitches!

As Indians, we’ve always been accustomed to an array of diverse cuisines, particularly our beloved spicy food. So, imagine the disappointment when you decide to try a classic American burger. You take a big, hearty bite, expecting an explosion of flavours. But what you get is a bland, tasteless surprise! Where were the fiery spices that you grew up with? It felt like a parade of flavours had skipped your palate entirely!

But the culinary quest continues. You contemplate satiating your “chai” (tea) cravings and walk confidently into a cafe. You request a hot cup of chai, and what you receive leaves you scratching your head. It’s a warm, milky liquid that barely resembled the rich, aromatic brew back home. So, the struggle of finding an authentic “chaiwala” in the land of coffee lovers becomes your daily comedy routine.

Many workplaces have had to tackle this multicultural shock syndrome before. That’s why they have orientations and policies on what is considered to be appropriate behaviour in order to create a more cohesive workplace. This helps their employees navigate the different stages of cultural shock.

And let’s not forget the constant struggle to convert temperature, distance, and weights from the metric system to the imperial system. I’d stand there, attempting to figure out if it was cold at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or marvel at how 5 feet 7 inches could be considered tall!

Oh, and the expectation of having a health faucet with water in restrooms! Only to be disappointed by the toilet paper instead. It is a widely accepted practice in many countries that we are simply unable to digest because of what we are used to.

Despite these hilarious culture shocks, the United States is nothing short of delightful experiences. Embrace the quirks, laughat all the mishaps, and learn that adapting to a new culture is all about finding humour in the little things that make us unique. These culture shock examples should help you exercise mindfulness in your unique circumstances. After all, who said a culture shock couldn’t be a good laugh-inducing experience?

Dissecting the Belly of the Beast!

What is culture shock if not like trying to surf for the first time? You’re tired, off balance, and the salt water keeps getting in your eyes! Some of the things that you face in your everyday life are common causes of culture shock.

Driving on the left side of the car instead of the right like you’re used to. Not understanding whether something is cheap or expensive, you have no idea how to bargain or whether you’re getting fleeced like you would in a local market back home. Every step of the way can be an adjustment, and the frustration builds up over time. All these trials can seem too much at first, but personal growth at the end of the day can give all your culture shocks meaning.

_“_Do you know how frustrating it is to have to translate everything in my head before I say it? To have people laugh in my face because I’m struggling to find the words? You should try talking in my shoes for one mile!

Do you even know how smart I am in Spanish? Of course, you don’t. For once, it would be nice to speak to someone in my own language in my own home.

Gloria Pritchett (Modern Family)”

This is a perfect example of how thinking in one language and translating it into another is exhausting, and very often, you won’t get it right, no matter how hard you try. This is one of the most common culture shock causes all over the world because you have to struggle to communicate even the simplest things!

As if as a reply to this problem, many restaurants in Japan have replaced their human workforce with machines that cook and assemble your food within minutes. The good thing is that you don’t have to struggle to speak to someone in broken Japanese while fumbling with your translation app. 

Supermarkets and stores may have self-checkout counters that you might’ve never experienced before. Amazing right?

Stages of Culture Shock

1. Honeymoon Stage

Culture shock can take a while to set in since you’re probably more excited about posting your journey on Instagram than understanding what’s happening. You’re all about telling the world what a good time you’re having in the first stage of cultural shock. At the beginning of the experience, everything feels exciting and fascinating. You may feel intrigued by the new surroundings, customs, and people. A sense of wonder, curiosity, and positivity takes over you.

2. Frustration/Negotiation Stage

As the initial excitement fades away, you may start to encounter challenges and difficulties in daily life. Communication barriers, differences in customs, food, and lifestyle might lead to frustration, irritation, or even loneliness. You may compare the new culture unfavourably to your own and feel a longing for familiarity. This is when you realise that you are not on holiday and need to start putting in actual work to adapt to the new culture.

3. Adjustment/Adaptation Stage

The third stage of cultural shock is adaptation. You begin to adapt to the new culture and find ways to cope with the challenges. Start learning the local language, understand cultural norms, and accept the differences. By now you must’ve figured out the perfect time to call back home without disrupting the new routine you’ve built, found a nice place to hang out where you could make new friends. Positive experiences start outweighing negative ones, and a sense of balance slowly begins to emerge.

4. Acceptance & Integration Stage

In time, you must’ve learnt to embrace the new culture, and it feels more like a second home. You feel more comfortable with the customs, values, and social norms and have developed meaningful relationships with locals. You have a new set of favourite dishes to cook that require ingredients only from that friendly neighbourhood store you’ve grown to love. This is the acceptance stage when you go from surviving to thriving, leaving your culture shock behind and discovering or creating a sense of belonging.

Taming Your Culture Shock

We can’t always decide what happens, but we can decide how to respond to what happens. Here are a few ways you can tackle your culture shock head-on.

• Find ways to socialise: Joining a gym (the neighbourhood park also counts) or going to the local bar on karaoke night is a great way to find new people to hang out with. Follow local comedians and musicians on social media so you can make it to their shows when you’re free. Making friends and knowing more people is one of the best ways to overcome culture anxiety.
• Reach out to your national community: People from your culture who have already settled down will be able to help you with their foreign culture examples and how they adjusted. 
• Learn new languages: Take up spoken language classes that use different foreign culture examples to teach you how to go about your day smoothly.
• Be aware: Learn about the history and politically relevant scenarios in your new country.
• Be prepared for surprises beyond the scope of your preparation: It is impossible to prepare for everything, but it is possible to maintain a positive attitude to change.
• Seek professional help: If you have the means, seek out professional help in the form of a counsellor who can help you navigate through your culture anxiety.

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To Wrap up

It’s important to note that not everyone goes through all these stages, and some people may experience culture shock more intensely than others. Additionally, the duration of each stage varies based on the individual’s personality, adaptability, and the level of cultural differences they encounter. Over time, most people will acclimate to the new culture and experience less distress. Seeking support from locals, fellow expatriates, or cultural training can also help you cope with culture shock more effectively.

The bottom line is that learning to beat your culture shock requires effort and patience. It could take a month, or it could take several months, but luckily the most important factor in the adjustment is you. So as long as you don’t give up and keep going, you should be able to adapt (and dare we say, enjoy as well) to any new surroundings and culture pretty quickly!

• Finally, there is acceptance, where you have learned to deal with the things in your control and accept those that are not in your control.

3. Can finding people from the same community as me help with culture shock?
Listening to the stories of people from your community can make it much easier to deal with culture shock. Sharing relevant memes and funny stories can help you dull its intensity. While everyone has a unique and useful perspective, people with the same background will be easier to relate to and learn from.
4. Does culture shock contribute to personal growth?
Personal growth comes from getting through challenges. If it challenges you, then finding a way to get past it means you have achieved some personal growth. The personal growth you experience when you adapt is something that can give culture shock meaning once it has passed.
5. Is culture shock something experienced only by Indians?
Culture shock doesn’t discriminate. Foreigners visiting India also find it extremely difficult to function at first. The way they struggle to bargain with auto wallas and with eating even moderately spicy food are good cultural differences examples that affect non-Indians.