Many people who come to the United States of America suffer from cultural shock. This is because the lifestyle in America is different from the lifestyles in other parts of the world. However, people adjusting to live in America have to be open-minded in learning elements in the American culture that might be new to them. There are five important ways in which people from other countries can adjust to living in the United States.
First of all, it is important for people from other countries to try American foods. Different parts of the United States have different local foods. In most cases, food is connected to the culture of a given region. Trying different American foods helps people from other countries to be able to familiarize themselves with the culture of a given region in the United States (Smithyman & Kalman 44). By trying different foods, people from other countries will be able to know the best places to get some of the foods they fall in love with here in the United States. In addition, it is through trying local foods that people from other countries will learn how to prepare local American foods.
Second, people from other countries should familiarize themselves with the American media. Through the media, foreigners will be able to learn American music, politics, books, and other forms of entertainment such as movies. It is important to note that understanding American media makes it easier for people from other countries to make conversation with American people. Many Americans will use happenings in the media as a reference point in their conversations. Therefore, understanding the local media by people from other countries will make it easier for them to relate with Americans around them.
Third, people from other countries should be open to sharing their life experiences with bred Americans. Many Americans are not well-travelled (Dodds 125). This means that most of them are eager to learn about cultures from other parts of the world. However, people from other countries who are adjusting to living in the United States should not primarily focus on the differences between their culture and that of the United States. This is because this can result in negative results from bred Americans around them. Instead, people from other countries should focus on the uniqueness of their cultures and how that relates to life in the United States.
In conclusion, people from other countries suffer from culture shock when they come to the United States. The best ways for foreigners to adjust to living in the United States include; trying local foods, understanding American media, and sharing their life experiences with bred Americans.
Works Cited
Dodds, Klaus. Geopolitics: a very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.
Smithyman, Kathryn, and Bobbie Kalman. Native North American foods and recipes. New York: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2006. Print.
