Leaving home to study in a new country can be a stressful experience, no matter how carefully you have planned and prepared for it. Culture shock describes the impact of moving from a familiar culture to one that is unfamiliar. Things around you may be different and even seem strange, e.g. food, dress, climate, social roles, 'rules' of behaviour and values. This applies whatever country you come from, even though some cultures might be more similar to each other than others.
There are several stages of adjustment people tend to go through when they move from one country to another. Not all people experience these stages in the same way; you may go through the process faster or slower or repeat it at a later time. Rest assured you are not the only one to have these feelings:
- initial excitement; everything is new and intriguing, sometimes good, sometimes bad
- homesickness; what seemed new and exciting at first now seems unfamiliar and frustrating
- getting used to it.... but not quite yet; more frustration, perhaps hostility towards the new environment
- adjustment and integration into the new culture or a decision to at least tolerate it without necessarily liking it.
Possible symptoms of culture shock can include health problems like headaches or stomach aches, difficulties concentrating or you may become more emotional.
Some of the things that you can do to minimise the effects of culture shock include:
- simply understanding that this is a normal experience may in itself be helpful
- keeping in touch with home e.g. call home, read newspapers from your home country or have familiar things around you (photographs etc)
- finding out where you can buy food you are familiar with
- making friends with other international students who are likely to go or have gone through a similar experience
- taking advantage of the University's support services.
UKCOSA provide a useful guidance note on adjusting to life in a new culture, entitled International Students and Culture Shock. There is also more information in the International Student Handbook (PDF).