What is culture shock?

As you can imagine, culture shock can be a pretty frightening experience, especially for a first-time traveler. Fortunately, it can be pretty easy to assess culture shock when identifying the 4 phases.

1. The Honeymoon Phase

Surprising as it is, the first phase of culture shock is actually marked by extremely positive feelings about the language, culture, food, and just about everything else in the new country. During shorter trips, it’s fairly common for travelers to stay in this phase for the duration of the entire trip!

2. The Frustration Phase

Travelers begin to feel frustration in this phase when experiencing unfamiliar customs, language barriers, and miscommunication. Usually this is the period when homesickness sets in and travelers wish for the comforts and ease of living at home.

3. The Adjustment Phase

After the frustration phase comes the adjustment phase. This happens once travelers find their bearings and start to feel comfortable in their surroundings.

4. The Acceptance Phase

This is the phase when people start to just “go with the flow” of life in a different culture.

Tips for overcoming culture shock:

• Learn as much as possible about the country

One great way to overcome culture shock is prepare yourself for it by learning about the new country as much as possible so you know what to expect. Jump online and find websites that will teach you typical cultural gestures, common phrases that will help get you around, and how to understand the currency.

• Set goals for your trip

Maybe you want to learn phrases in a new language. Or perhaps you’re aiming to bring new believers to Jesus. Whatever your goal of the trip is, make sure to write it down so you can always look back on it when you’re feeling homesick and remind yourself of your mission.

• Find healthy outlets

You don’t have to spend every second of every day out and about in the new culture. It’s okay to spend a little “me time” engaging in hobbies you enjoy like journaling, photography, reading, and more.

• Choose healthy distractions

Spend a bit of time doing something familiar to you. Watch your favorite television shows, go for a hike, or find a good western restaurant that serves pancakes. Do anything that will give you a sense of familiarity and comfort.

Culture shock sounds scary, but the benefits of traveling far outweigh the risk of culture shock. If you’re a first-time traveler, consider visiting a tourist-friendly country where English is widely spoken. We suggest exploring the Philippines during Jesus Global Youth Day 2019.