Editor’s Note: This personal narrative details the author’s experience of moving to the United States and facing culture shock. Initially thrilled by the novelty of the new environment, the author soon encountered challenges, especially due to language barriers, which led to feelings of isolation and frustration. However, through perseverance and a positive attitude, the author managed to overcome these difficulties. By immersing themselves in English media, joining study groups, and seeking support, they improved their language skills, built friendships, and eventually felt a sense of belonging. This journey underscores the importance of adaptability, perseverance, and open-mindedness in overcoming challenges and embracing new opportunities.
Overcoming Culture Shock: A Personal Journey
Culture shock is the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes. My journey to the United States, although not my first visit, presented me with a significant challenge to adapt to a completely new environment.
During the first few weeks, I was thrilled and pleased by all the new experiences I encountered. Almost everything was exciting and novel: the tennis academy, the car, the house, the opportunity to learn another language, and the chance to expand my horizons in a foreign country.
However, little by little, I came to realize that I was the foreigner. Primarily, I started to feel frustrated because of the language barrier. As a result, I became unsociable, which prevented me from making new friends. Additionally, attending classes made me feel incompetent since I only partially understood what was being taught. Reading Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” as a first assignment didn’t help much either. Interestingly, Calculus was the subject I understood most, given that I had numbers as a reference. Fortunately, my determination to become a professional tennis player kept me motivated during this challenging transition stage, which lasted about four months.
Instead of giving up and returning to Brazil, I ultimately decided to change my attitude. I realized this was a great opportunity for learning and acquiring new perspectives. Subsequently, I rediscovered a sense of enjoyment and reached a balance. I became more familiar with the environment, created a circle of friends, achieved good grades in school, improved my tennis skills, and finally felt like I belonged.
To overcome the language barrier, I immersed myself in English media, joined study groups, and sought help from teachers and classmates. These efforts not only improved my language skills but also helped me build connections with my peers.
Without being conscious of it, I was developing a better understanding of myself and the world around me. This experience taught me the value of perseverance, adaptability, and open-mindedness. It showed me that challenges, when approached with the right attitude, can lead to personal growth and new opportunities.
Work Cited:
1.Oberg, Kalvero. “Culture Shock and the Problem of Adjustment in New Cultural Environments.” Practical Anthropology, 7, 1960, pp. 177-182.
2.Furnham, Adrian. “Culture Shock: Psychological Reactions to Unfamiliar Environments.” Psychological Perspectives on Intercultural Communication, edited by David Matsumoto, Sage Publications, 1996.
3.Ward, Colleen, Stephen Bochner, and Adrian Furnham. The Psychology of Culture Shock. 2nd ed., Routledge, 2001.
4. Kim, Young Yun. Becoming Intercultural: An Integrative Theory of Communication and Cross-Cultural Adaptation. Sage Publications, 2001.
5. Brown, H. Douglas. “Principles of Language Learning and Teaching.” Allyn & Bacon, 5th edition, 2007. Available online: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313256456_Principles_of_Language_Learning_and_Teaching