Well, what is “culture shock”? If you look up these words separately, you’ll find words like mores, traditions, customs, way of life, for “culture”, and words like alarm, fright, distress and verbs like stun, scandalize, traumatize for “shock”. So, new traditions that scandalize you, new mores that alarm you, and a different way of life that frightens you; that’s culture shock. It may hit as soon as you arrive, especially if you’re from a multi-racial country, going to a uni-racial one. Or, if you’re a different complexion, height or dress than the people in your new country. Or, one day, after a while in your new residence, you gesture with the left hand, and people look at you scandalized. Or, you want to indicate to your new workmate how tall your child is, and you make your hand flat instead of in a “handshake” position; the shock is visible on your workmate’s face. You go home and say to yourself, “I just don’t understand these people!” Have you ever felt that way?
Have you ever stopped to consider that perhaps your new neighbors and friends also are having trouble understanding you? Unless your neighbors have also been in other countries, they’ve had no exposure to other cultures and ways of thinking. And, this may be your first contact with another culture. As I said in my second article, there is no such thing as a perfect nation, race or culture. So, you’re going to upset people with your ways, and they’ll upset you with their ways. At first, anyway. It’s true that some don’t ever get used to their new culture, and hate every minute away from their home country. But, that doesn’t have to happen. A lot will depend on you, and your willingness to learn from others.
What are some of the things you’ll have to watch out for? There are the gestures that you make when you’re introduced to someone. A U.S.American might grab your hand in a firm handshake; a Japanese might bow, an African might kiss you on both your cheeks, a Spaniard might kiss you on one cheek. Then, there are other hand gestures that you must watch out for, such as the ones I mentioned above. In certain parts of Africa, gesturing with the left hand is a symbol of bad luck. And, in Ecuador, you indicate the size of animals with your hand flat, and the size of people with it in a “handshake” position. Then, there are the facial gestures. Eyebrows, eyes, mouth-wrinkling, mouth open, no reaction at all… you’ll have to learn what these gestures mean to your new neighbors and workmates. It’s quite a learning experience, but one that really gets you started on understanding the way that your new culture thinks. Some cultures expect immediate reaction to situations, some expect a pause before you react, and some expect no reaction at all. Observe, watch and learn.
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