Culture shapes the way people see the world and can be thought of as the way in which people preserve societies and meet a range of human needs. Shared belief systems, behaviors, and traditions are only a few factors that make up a culture. It is easy to be unaware of the tremendous impact culture plays in our lives when we are surrounded by individuals who share the same assumptions an shared values. We may experience “culture shock” when we find ourselves in a culture different from the one we are accustomed to.
The feeling of culture shock can usually set in after the first few weeks of arriving in a new country. It is a normal part of adjusting to new foods, customs, language, people and activities. A person with culture shock may experience some of these symptoms: irritability, headaches or stomach aches, overly concerned with health, easily tired, loneliness, hopelessness, distrust of hosts, withdrawal from people and activities, painful homesickness, lowered work performance.
Culture shock comes from being cut off from things you are familiar with. For example, communication problems such as not being understood, food, attitude, and customs, these things may start to irritate you. At this stage, you may have feelings of discontent, impatience, anger, sadness, and a feeling of incompetence.
