Culture shock may be severe or mild.
It may last several months or be fleeting. Most of us, however, are affected by culture shock to some degree when
we move to a new home overseas, no matter how many times we have made a foreign move.
Culture Chock is different from "shock of the new" that most people experience on arrival. It usually sets in at least a couple of months into the settling -n stage, when the initial excitement of moving to a new assignment has worn off. It is important to be familiar with the symptoms of culture shock, so that you can respond with an understanding of
yourself.
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When the strain of adjusting to change is marked, a range of physical and emotional reactions are common.
These include sleepiness, apathy, depression, compulsive eating or drinking, homesickness, exaggerated yearning for
all things and friends back at home, negative stereotyping of the host country nationals, fear of being cheated,
decline in efficiency, recurrent minor illnesses and obsession with cleanliness and health .Culture shock
Culture shock is a familiar term used to describe a condition that affects even the experienced overseas resident.
Symptoms may come one at a time or in combination. They are aggravated by lack of proper exercise, rest and diet,
as well as by a lack of routine in meals and bedtimes. These symptoms tend to surface within the three to six months
after arrival, when the novelty of a new place begins to fade and settling in becomes imperative. They usually taper off
as soon as this process gets underway and generally disappear by the fourth to sixth month when balance is restored.
If not, The newcomer should seek professional help.
The good news about culture shock is that it ends. Before long, most newcomers have made the transition and may
feel as much at home in Taiwan as anywhere else they have lived.
Easing The Adjustment Process.
Consider the following as a means to ease the adjustment process.
- Admit frankly that these stresses exist. It is not easy to pick yourself up and move to a new and strange place.
It is no sign of weakness to admit that you feel uncomfortable, tense or confused.
- Recognize that adjusting is hard work. View changes as challenges instead of threats.
Expect less of yourself and others during this time. Plan on accomplishing less than you ordinarily do.
Do not be surprised if things take longer to do than they did at home. Take it easy!
- Establish a routine as soon as possible. Establishing a routine is eating, sleeping and personal time
provides an anchor, a base of stability, at a time when everything else is in a state of change.
- Make your home your refuge, a place that is comfortable. Do not however, wait until it is all fixed up
before you get involved in outside activities.
- Plan some special time for yourself. It is not enough just to look forward to vacations. You need positive time on a
regular daily basis. Take some time to curl up with a good book and do not deny yourself a brisk walk or exercise.
Exercise is crucial in keeping the blood flowing and will prevent you from becoming sedentary.
- Learn the rules of living here. Try to understand how and why the Chinese people do things the way they do.
By doing so, you will feel less frustrated and be more productive. When you see your hosts' behavior and customs
as different instead of better or worse than those you are used to do, you will feel more comfortable and be better
able to fulfil your needs.
- Learn some Chinese. Learning even a little Chinese will make your life here a lot easier. It communicates a
sense of caring and is always well received.
- Understand that it is OK to have an "I hate Taiwan day". There have probably been times when you even felt this
way about your own home country. The time to worry is when this feeling lingers for more than a day or two.
- Get involved. If you are not working, it is especially helpful to get involved quickly in activities that interest you.
Do not wait until you feel settled to begin to reach out. The English language community newsletters, magazines
and newspapers as well as the English language radio station ICRT, provided information on the many organizations
and activities to the international community.
- Try to identify and deal with problems early. Recognize that you may need and can get outside help. Whether from
old-timers or professional counselors.
- Get out and meet people.Reach out and befriend both expatriates and Chinese. Start exploring the part of town
where you live, the environs of Taipei City and the scenic attractions of Taiwan.
- Keep in touch with friends from home. You will still need their support through letters, telephone calls and email
and they may need your support to help with the sense of loss in your move. At the same time, reach out to make
new friends. Many people are feeling just as lost as you.
- Keep a journal or diary. Record your initial experiences and impressions of living in Taiwan. Later you will want
to recapture those memories as you look back on them, as an old-timer does.
- Maintain a sense of humor. Jot down some notes about the funny and embarrassing things that have happened to you.
Your friends and family will enjoy hearing about them.
- Realize you have a choice. If you have come to Taiwan and realize it is not for you, you can leave. You do have the
choice. You are not forced legally to stay, nor are you likely to be held physically against your will.
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