Comments on: Culture Shock: When, Where, And How Has It Hit You? http://matadorabroad.com/culture-shock-when-where-and-how-has-it-hit-you/ study abroad programs Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:03:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Rebecca http://matadorabroad.com/culture-shock-when-where-and-how-has-it-hit-you/comment-page-1/#comment-6964 Rebecca Thu, 13 May 2010 23:34:50 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2697#comment-6964 I am a high school student and I just returned from a 2 week exchange with a school in France. I experienced the reverse culture shock like many others. It wasn't walking off the plane in Marseille seeing no tall buildings and finally feeling fresh air, it was going through customs in Chicago and accidentally answering the questions in french. I am a high school student and I just returned from a 2 week exchange with a school in France. I experienced the reverse culture shock like many others. It wasn’t walking off the plane in Marseille seeing no tall buildings and finally feeling fresh air, it was going through customs in Chicago and accidentally answering the questions in french.

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]]> By: Elizabeth http://matadorabroad.com/culture-shock-when-where-and-how-has-it-hit-you/comment-page-1/#comment-6940 Elizabeth Thu, 13 May 2010 00:28:01 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2697#comment-6940 I completely understand. Growing up in Germany, the absence of color in wardrobe contrasted versus what I was used to seeing when in the U.S. It has gotten a little better in the past years in Europe. It hit even harder though, after I left Bombay and came back to the U.S. after a month. My mom even laughed at one of the salwar-qameezes I brought back because of its color. Culture differences are crazy! I completely understand. Growing up in Germany, the absence of color in wardrobe contrasted versus what I was used to seeing when in the U.S. It has gotten a little better in the past years in Europe. It hit even harder though, after I left Bombay and came back to the U.S. after a month. My mom even laughed at one of the salwar-qameezes I brought back because of its color. Culture differences are crazy!

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]]> By: neha http://matadorabroad.com/culture-shock-when-where-and-how-has-it-hit-you/comment-page-1/#comment-5026 neha Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:46:13 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2697#comment-5026 For me it was colour, or the lack of it. I found it very hard to adjust to the black and solid-colours-only dress code around Europe. I was used to flaming oranges and yellows and pinks. It felt a little depressing. It still does. For me it was colour, or the lack of it. I found it very hard to adjust to the black and solid-colours-only dress code around Europe. I was used to flaming oranges and yellows and pinks. It felt a little depressing. It still does.

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]]> By: Linda http://matadorabroad.com/culture-shock-when-where-and-how-has-it-hit-you/comment-page-1/#comment-5002 Linda Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:37:17 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2697#comment-5002 Agreed, the "Welcome to America" is kinda ironic, as our welcome to visitors includes getting fingerprinted, no? Some welcome. I would also agree with Tim and Abbie - reverse is harder. For me it was the man on the shuttle from the airport, talking business non-stop for 30 minutes during the ride to Arlington, VA. And I'm still occasionally shocked by short skirts and plunging necklines - definite no-nos in Togo (unless you're at the club). Agreed, the “Welcome to America” is kinda ironic, as our welcome to visitors includes getting fingerprinted, no? Some welcome.

I would also agree with Tim and Abbie – reverse is harder. For me it was the man on the shuttle from the airport, talking business non-stop for 30 minutes during the ride to Arlington, VA. And I’m still occasionally shocked by short skirts and plunging necklines – definite no-nos in Togo (unless you’re at the club).

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]]> By: Tim Patterson http://matadorabroad.com/culture-shock-when-where-and-how-has-it-hit-you/comment-page-1/#comment-4995 Tim Patterson Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:15:33 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2697#comment-4995 Yeah, in my experience reverse culture shock is harder than the initial shock, which is coupled with raw enthusiasm and easier to deal with. Yeah, in my experience reverse culture shock is harder than the initial shock, which is coupled with raw enthusiasm and easier to deal with.

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]]> By: Abbie http://matadorabroad.com/culture-shock-when-where-and-how-has-it-hit-you/comment-page-1/#comment-4994 Abbie Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:47:21 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2697#comment-4994 I felt very out of place when I first got to Cambodia, but then I felt the culture shock of returning to America with the rules, regulations, and all that. I felt very out of place when I first got to Cambodia, but then I felt the culture shock of returning to America with the rules, regulations, and all that.

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]]> By: Sarah Menkedick http://matadorabroad.com/culture-shock-when-where-and-how-has-it-hit-you/comment-page-1/#comment-4989 Sarah Menkedick Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:06:13 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2697#comment-4989 Funny you mention that, Leigh. Standing in line at Houston immigration was a big one for me. The booming young male Texan voice repeating, "Please follow the instructions of the immigration official. Please report any suspicious items..." and the awful, awful videos saying "Welcome to America!" scared the crap out of me. Combine that with those bizarre airport bagel shops and pseudo pubs, things that are in airports everywhere but somehow in the states feel more obscene. And the people! It was another planet. I've never had it as badly as that one time, and I had already been living overseas for four years at that point. Who knows when it strikes. Biggest one ever, though, was my first day in China. Wow. Nothing will compare. I can't even describe how alien I felt. Funny you mention that, Leigh. Standing in line at Houston immigration was a big one for me. The booming young male Texan voice repeating, “Please follow the instructions of the immigration official. Please report any suspicious items…” and the awful, awful videos saying “Welcome to America!” scared the crap out of me. Combine that with those bizarre airport bagel shops and pseudo pubs, things that are in airports everywhere but somehow in the states feel more obscene. And the people! It was another planet. I’ve never had it as badly as that one time, and I had already been living overseas for four years at that point. Who knows when it strikes.

Biggest one ever, though, was my first day in China. Wow. Nothing will compare. I can’t even describe how alien I felt.

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]]> By: Leigh http://matadorabroad.com/culture-shock-when-where-and-how-has-it-hit-you/comment-page-1/#comment-4987 Leigh Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:50:57 +0000 http://matadorabroad.com/?p=2697#comment-4987 The largest smack of culture shock hit me when we moved back to the US after living on a small island off the Caribbean coast of Panama. Lenox Mall in Atlanta seemed like the craziest most uptight rule oriented place I'd ever been. I hated explaining to Lila that she couldn't run around barefoot. (Or could she?) I tend not to feel the shock as much going the other way. At least not yet. The largest smack of culture shock hit me when we moved back to the US after living on a small island off the Caribbean coast of Panama.

Lenox Mall in Atlanta seemed like the craziest most uptight rule oriented place I’d ever been. I hated explaining to Lila that she couldn’t run around barefoot. (Or could she?)

I tend not to feel the shock as much going the other way. At least not yet.

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