Another Live & Learn here for you guys! This time I'm talking about experiencing culture shock and the tricks to help you get over it, which I have implemented during my time here in Italy. Italy is great (sometimes) and I've learned so much already. You can keep up with me through my newsletter here. I know newsletters aren't for everyone, so I thought I'd share a bit of my experience here on the blog. Studying abroad is hard. I'm sure actually moving and fully living somewhere is even harder. At some point you'll experience a little bit of culture shock. What is culture shock you ask? I thought it was simply not being used to a different culture (yes, that's part of it... but it's a bit deeper than that). Culture shock is "an experience a person may have when one moves to a cultural environment which is different from one's own; it is also the personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to immigration or a visit to a new country, a move between social environments, or simply transition to another type of life". I didn't actually know I was experiencing culture shock - I thought I was just homesick - until I was in class one day and we were discussing culture shock and the various stages. I totally related to every single stage of culture shock that my professor was describing. The thing that probably set my culture shock off was the preconceptions I had before moving to Italy. I hyped this experience up so much and while it's hard not to hype it up, I think I overdid it. I talked about it all semester, created a newsletter before I even came abroad and went on and on (and on) about it to family and friends. I came into this experience with strong perceptions of how I thought it was going to go and how I would feel. I thought that because I had traveled abroad before, it was going to be a walk in the park for me and that I would be happy 99.9% of the time. Let me put this into perspective for you... I'm probably happy here 65% of the time and the other 35% I'm homesick or experiencing culture shock (hoping to increase that 65%). I do have great days though and this post isn't just about ranting to you about my bad experiences. Lately though, I have been having a great time! And today I'm going to share a few tips on how I've been slowly getting over this culture shock. 1. Say Yes Often Saying "yes" forces me to get out and interact with people. Sometimes I do say "no" because I just need that alone time. But more often than not, I agree to go out and socialize with the other erasmus students. It helps me get out of my comfort zone and I get to know the others a little better than I did before. 2. Talk About Your Problems Actually tell people what you're going through. Most people will not understand, but sometimes it helps just getting your frustrations and emotions out. It's okay to cry, too. I spoke to my roommate about my homesickness and now she understands why I may act the way I do in some situations. We now have this mutual understanding, where at first I thought I was only going through this phase alone. 3. It's Okay To Be Alone It's also okay to be alone sometimes too. You have to let go of that FOMO and make time for yourself. It's okay to miss out on a night out, and I promise you, having time to yourself will help you stay sane. It can be overwhelming to say "yes" and go to every single event. Having that designated alone time is necessary. 4. Communicate With People At Home A lot of people say that you shouldn't communicate with people at home because it can make you more homesick, but I disagree. Sometimes when I talk to my friends or family about what's going on at home or at school, I instantly feel better afterwards. Just having those few minutes of catching up with them is all I need to feel better. They're the only ones who fully get me, so talking to them is refreshing. So that's it! These are the few steps I'm taking in slowly get over my homesickness/culture shock. I might add more to this list as I learn more throughout my journey, so check back here if you want. If you've been in a similar experience, what actions did YOU take?
