Most of the people who visit abroad experience culture shock in varying degrees. What then is culture shock? ALERVO OBERG (2006, p. 1) defines culture shock as the feelings associated with the fear of losing the familiar symbols and signs used in the previous social setting. The social intercourse in one’s community or regions gets into the persons trends to the extent that changing these familiar setting creates anxiety. The signs may involve what one does when tone meets people. The relationship between males and female, juniors and seniors, servant and masters (or the boss), how to request for things, and the greetings. In addition, there are norms on how to reject things and offers, how to rebuke without being rude, and even what is serious or not. It is evident that every community on earth has somewhat different ways of doing things. The religious affiliation may affect the way people from certain regions react to stress, problems, request for help, and even when things such as worship days, venues, and time. The dress codes maybe dictated by the religious affiliations too. Changing all the social cues make some anxious to some extent. It does not matter how strong one is or even how open-minded the person may be (Oberg 1). When does one experience culture?
There are many scenarios that lead one to move from their original homeland to new area, either in the globe or within the continent. One of the most common reasons why people move is to further education. Every year, many student moves from the developing countries to the USA. Others move from Middle East to USA or UK to further their studies. When the student arrives in these new destinations, they are likely going to experience culture shock. When they moved abroad, they realize that things are done differently. The first astonishing thing is the way the way the people interact. The relationship between the juniors and seniors is different. The juniors never interrupt seniors while they talk in some regions. In other regions, juniors talk to seniors without showing as much respect as in my country. In fact, it is like they compete who talks faster than the other. In addition, one finds it difficult to strike such conversions with fellow students as well as the lecturers. The students may not even raise hand before talking; they just respond randomly (Lynn Chih-Ning Chang, 2011, p. 404). One keeps a distant that one was taught at home. The students also claim that they do not know how to handle new students (Chang 4004). But for how long can one hold to such? One has to change his or her views on the relationship between the seniors and the juniors. In addition, one realizes that strangers are not accorded much attention the way they are accorded attention in their home country. It is common for strangers to be treated with utter most respect and even helped to cope with their ways back in some region. Elsewhere, the strangers are given very little attention and hence, one has to find his own way of doing things. In fact, no one greets a stranger and waits for response (Chang. 404). With time, one gets used to their fellow students and even the lecturers. The person realizes that although the students seemed not mind about what one felt, they are very good and approachable in many things. Is studying the only reason that makes one to go abroad?
No, one can go to a different region because of work. In this case, one goes to work in a different region after qualifications. The work relationship might be very different from what one experiences at home (Arthur Gordon 1). The person may find it difficult to deal with the boss due to misunderstandings on how to refuse to take orders and when not to respond to reprimand or even explain certain occurrences. What are the advantages of studying abroad?
Although the culture shock affects one in abroad, there are many advantages for the same. First, when those who study abroad go back to their countries, they are given high paying jobs. Such occurs because studying abroad equips the persons with higher skills and, hence, can fit better in the high paying jobs. It is imperative that for one to go and study abroad, the person is attending at least an institution with higher specification in terms of training capacity, resources, lectures, and general facilities. Due to this, the person gains higher qualifications than those of their home region. In addition, the person is exposed to international trends, culture, and, therefore, the person gains experience that is required in the current market trends as the world is becoming a global village. Diversity is critical and one can learn better by being in completely new region like going abroad to study. In addition, one can get a job in different region after studying abroad. From whatever point of view one looks at it, one has added advantages of working abroad or studying.
Work cited
ALERVO OBERG. Cultural Shock: Adjustment to New Cultural Environments. 2006. Accessed from http://www.agem-ethnomedizin.de/download/cu29_2-3_2006_S_142- 146_Repr_Oberg.pdf on November 21, 2014.
Arthur Gordon. How to Cope with Culture Shock. Accessed from http://www.drexel.edu/studyabroad/assets/pdf/howtocopewithcultureshock.pdf November 21, 2014.
Lynn Chih-Ning Chang. My culture shock experience. Columbia Daily Tribune. 2011
