When students move from their home country to a new country, no matter how ready they are, the experience is shocking. The shock of the new environment is devastating. It is the shock of being separated from their friends and loved ones. When familiar sites are not there anymore, they are open to a new type of food that they are not aware of. This is the effect international students go through when moving to a different country.
Culture shock is a common problem that affects international students. Transnational students even though they had planned and ready for the change in cultures, the real effect of it is shocking, it's much more than they inclined to. Culture shock is the experience of moving from a familiar culture to an unfamiliar culture (Colleen 47). The effects of the change are quite stressful as the memories of home are still close to the minds of the students. Students usually feel isolated, alone and depressed whilst missing familiar parts. The process of getting used to the culture takes a long time.
After experiencing culture shock, the adjustment stage begins. Everyday activities such as attending classes and shopping may become easier. Some of the things that can help to lower the effects of culture shocks are; simply understanding that it's a normal experience, students having familiar things around them that have a personal meaning, regular exercising, and taking advantage of the help offered by the institution. For example, a Ukrainian native Bojovic, had trouble interacting with people in the first few weeks of coming to the U.S., but by the second month he had a lot of friends and everything was okay. After a while, international students start feeling at ease and start feeling accustomed to the habits, food and customs of the people.
The benefits of overcoming culture shocks are enormous, the students start making friends, the students become aware of their culture as well as the additional culture, culture shock makes students more aware of the world. It gives students valuable skills that serve them in many ways in their future endeavors.
Culture shock is unavoidable and is a normal experience for students traveling abroad to go and learn. It has its negative effects, but they also present an opportunity to learn and grow. The best way to go about culture shocks is to accept the situation as it is and has fun and relax.
Works cited
Colleen A. Ward, Stephen Bochner. The Psychology of Culture Shock. London: Routledge,
2001. Print.
