If you’re more of a visual or listening kind of person, watch this documentary I made for another class!
Are you an international student who is currently or has faced some kind of culture shock? Well, guess what. You’re not alone and everyone goes through it.
Culture shock is such a topic that almost every international student would have known about it. What is it about it that all international students have to know about it? Why does it matter that much? Why is everyone going through such pain over it?
According to Jaclyn, a sophomore and an international student from UAlbany said that culture shock is “something when you’re experiencing a different culture.” However, another student named Cristian, who is a senior and an international student as well, thinks culture shock is “news things [we come across] when we go to different countries and these things can get you a little shocked.”
Many people have their own interpretations of what culture shock is but generally, culture shock, in a nutshell, means the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly facing an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or a set of attitudes. It is a common phenomenon and, though it may take months to develop, it affects travelers and people living far from home in very different ways which can apply a lot to most international students. Culture shock is more than just being unfamiliar with social norms or experiencing different food, it can even impact travelers or international students even after they’ve become familiar with and comfortable in new cultures.
Statistics from the Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange has highlighted that there are about 1.09 million students in 2018 studying in the United States. It has surpassed one million for the third consecutive year, increasing by 1.5 percent. Imagine so many people living in a whole different world just to get an education, but also having to face many consequences by doing so.
It is a known fact that all colleges and universities to have some kind of mandatory culture shock talk provided by school counselors or, it is usually implemented in general education classes that most students need to take before they graduate.
“People here are so friendly in America,” said Elina, a student in the Intensive English Language Program (IELP) who plans to get into graduate school to study in architecture once she graduates this May. “Strangers would ask about your day here in the U.S., but no one does that back in Russia.”
Cristian shared a similar story too. “One time I had dinner in an American home and people would have to serve themselves the food,” he said. “Back in Colombia, it wouldn’t be self-service, but everyone at the table would serve each other food.”
According to Envisage International Corp., many international students could possibly face some difference in culture when you meet people of the U.S., and it could take time to get used to it. This is all due to the difference in customs and values and it might be very different from your home country, which ends up in a lot of confusion.
What’s fascinating is that after interviewing a number of international students from different backgrounds in UAlbany about their culture shock stories, there is one trending topic which is, the people. It isn’t just the people of UAlbany, but the people of the U.S., to be more specific if we want to specify on international students in North America. No one really talks about anything else but how people treat them differently than it is back in their home country.
Americans value independence the most, unlike most countries. Americans are known to be very individualistic in their lives and don’t necessarily belong to a group because they’re their own “person”, and not necessarily active in a religious group, tribe or etc. People outside from the U.S. however, are usually collectivist where people usually identify themselves with a group and follows their group’s principles and culture.
Culture shock can last a week, weeks or even months. However, this can overcome easily and many UAlbany students gave very unique tips on how one can deal with it. “You need to study on the culture if you’re moving to a whole different culture,” said Elina. “Afterwards, you won’t feel awkward when you approach people.” On the other hand, Jaclyn had this to say on handling culture. “As the saying goes, when in Rome, do as what the Romans do,” she said.
This piece is written for AJRL200 Introduction to Reporting and News Writing class of Spring 2019.
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