Understanding and overcoming culture shock

#usqinternational

Coming to a new country to live and study is an exciting adventure. Whether you’re joining us at USQ for one semester, one year, or are making a more permanent move to Australia, there will be a lot to learn and explore!

While moving to a new country is a great experience and a lot of fun, there can also be some challenges and difficulties when adjusting to a new way of life. Culture shock is something that many international students experience, which is why it’s important to understand what culture shock is and how you can avoid or minimise its impact on your life and studies in Australia.

The honeymoon

phase

The distress

phase

The re-integration

phase

The autonomy

phase

The independence

phase

Culture shock is experienced in 5 different phases

1 2 3 4 5

Some phases you may pass through quickly and others might be more of a challenge. Everyone is different, but it helps to have a general understanding of how you might feel and what you might experience during each different phase. The most important thing to remember is that…

You will be ok.

The honeymoon phaseThe honeymoon phase is usually felt when you first arrive in your new host country. Everything is fun, new and very exciting!

You will probably be eager to get out and explore your new home away from home. At this stage, you may feel that everything is perfect.

You may feel things like:• excitement• freedom• fascination• happiness• curiosity• independence• confidence

1

The distress phaseNow that you’ve been in your host country for a little while, you may be starting to notice some significant cultural differences. This may be causing you some stress and frustration as you try to go about your day. You might be having trouble with the new language, the public transport system, the currency or even the food.

This can be a very challenging time and you might be thinking you’ve made the wrong decision to study overseas, but hang in there! It will get better.

You might be feeling:• angry• sad• isolated• frustrated• anxious• confused• homesick

2

The re-integration phaseThings should have improved slightly but now you may be really missing your old life and wondering why you ever left! During this phase, it’s normal to think of your old life as being ‘perfect’ and to forget the daily challenges and frustrations you probably experienced back home.

This is a very common reaction and can occur at any time of change throughout life. It is common to feel this way whenever you experience change in your life, but the important thing to remember is that this phase will pass.

It’s normal to feel:• annoyed• angry• maybe even

resentful toward local people and their way of life

3

You will be ok.

The autonomy phaseThis phase should see you really start to find your confidence and you will have probably made some new friends by now. You may be starting to feel like yourself again and might find it easier to overcome challenging situations.

By now you’ve overcome some of the major challenges of integrating into a new culture. You’ve most likely stopped comparing your new home to your old one and are starting to relax and really appreciate where you are.

This means you may feel:• happier• more confident• outgoing• optimistic

4

The independence phaseLiving confidently and independently in your home away from home can take time, but you will be well on your way to this stage after working through the difficult phases of adjustment. Making decisions based on your own knowledge and experience is a part of this stage, and you might be able to identify the positive and negative aspects of both lifestyles. Living independently and successfully in two different cultures is an amazing and liberating achievement for you, but it might take some time!

You’ll now be feeling:• settled• content• confident• independent• accomplished

5

Now that you know what to expect, you might be wondering what you can do to avoid some of

the more challenging phases of culture shock.

While there’s little you can do to prevent it, there are simple things you can do to help you move

through the phases more quickly, such as…

• Participate in conversations, even if you haven’t quite mastered the new language. USQ can help you to improve your language skills through our ‘Chat with the Locals’ program.

• Research your new culture as much as possible before you arrive so you have some idea of what to expect.

• Spend your time with positive, friendly people who will encourage you to socialise and take part in your new culture.

• Get plenty of sleep. Your brain will be exhausted from all the new information and experiences. Take care of yourself and get plenty of rest!

• Develop a routine and keep up any interests/hobbies that you enjoyed back home.

• Seek support when you need it. Resist the urge to withdraw and isolate yourself.

• Take part in student events and make use of the support networks for international students on offer at USQ.

• Be kind to yourself. Understand that the feelings you’re experiencing are completely normal and while it may take some time for you to adjust to your new culture, you can do it.

CRICOS: QLD00244B NSW02225M TEQSA: PRV12081 27.1.A 02.2017

social.usq.edu.au

Studying in a new country will be fun, exciting and challenging. If you do find yourself experiencing culture shock, remember that each phase will pass and you will be ok.

Don’t forget to share the photos of your Australian adventure with us on social media by using #usqinternational.