 Thailand
and Culture Shock
Will I get it?
If I do, what can I do about it?
Yeah, you'll
probably get it. But sometimes "shock" is a bit of an
overstatement. A bit of drama perhaps.
Here's
how it works:
You can expect
to feel euphoric (I finally made it!),
Angry (Why can't
I make things work, like back home!),
Depressed and
disappointed (Everything isn't exactly like I
wanted/expected it to be!),
And isolated (I
don't really know anyone here).
It's okay, this
is normal. After all this is a very big time in your
life and of course you will have some strong feelings
about it!
Natural
Reactions
These emotional
reactions are all natural responses to the situation you
will find yourself in overseas. How to deal with it?
Get busy - personal projects, work, travel, making
friends, even volunteering. But, also take a little
time and just recognize the feelings for what they are.
One of the best
articles an where about dealing with Culture Shock is
at:
Culture Shock, by About.com
Don't forget
that you can have problems with your job, boss,
landlord, and friends back home too. Don't blame it all
on your host country!
Know that the
effects of culture shock diminish as you learn to have
more realistic expectations, and as you just naturally
learn how to deal with the new culture.
Surviving Uncertainty
Part of the
issue with culture shock is also the uncertainty of your
new situation - how it is going to evolve - and your
general feelings about it. Follow the same course of
treatment for culture shock! Quit moping around the
house and get busy!
Check the chart
below for a better understanding of what goes on and
your choices, try your best to stay on the top half of
the page:
|
"Twenty
years from now you will be more disappointed
by the things that you didn't do than by the
ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the
trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.
Discover." -- Mark Twain |
|
Raise your hand if you'd like to spend your "working"
time in a Luxury Resort . . . 
