What are you getting yourself into?
What is your motivation? What do you hope to accomplish by studying off campus? While it is an exciting time, many students don’t realize that there are many aspects of other cultures that cause travelers to experience what’s called “culture shock.” In 2001, Robert Kohls wrote a book called “Survival Kit for Overseas Living,” in which he mentions a study that Stanford University did several years ago on issues travelers often encounter. Language barriers tops the list, followed by lack of mobility, indirectness, slow pace of life, emotional instability, lack of conveniences, and family problems.
As North Americans, we are used to directly confronting issues and problems. We consider ourselves an equal society and are therefore fairly informal in our interactions. We may think that traveling will take us away from emotional struggles at home, or think that the social lives of family and friends will freeze when we leave and restart once we’re back home. The realization that these perceptions don’t hold true anymore almost always result in culture shock – and everyone experiences it to some degree.
Think about what personal coping systems that you have which will be of assistance to you if you study off campus. How do you deal with stressful situations?
Before you go, here's a few hints:
- Become more familiar with the local language and culture. Learn the basics of the language and don't be so concerned with grammar that you'll be afraid to speak with the locals once you get there. Rent movies filmed in the native language of the country you're heading to - this will help you get more comfortable hearing the language as spoken by natives.
- Familiarize yourself with what's happening in Canada. People will be curious about your home country and will often know more about the political and economic situation in Canada than you do. Start watching the news every once in a while before you leave for the semester.
- Expect to feel depressed and frustrated sometimes. Homesickness is natural, but don't let it distract you to the point where you can't enjoy the new culture that surrounds you. Also, remember that you are a guest in another culture - the "Canadian Way" is not the only way to do things - please be considerate of your host country and don't be too stubborn to respect cultural norms.
- Studying internationally isn't for everyone. Carefully evaluate the support systems that you have in place at home and then think about going through a semester with out them. If you have a difficult time adjusting to new situations and people at home, remember that your whole semester will be full of new situations and new people. Talk through your plans to study off campus with someone who knows you well and see what they think of the idea.
The great thing about culture shock is that if you are able to adjust, have a sense of humour, and don’t set unrealistic goals for yourself, it doesn’t last forever. Eventually someone will stop you in the streets, ask you for directions, and you’ll find that you really do feel like you belong.