Comments on: Dealing With Culture Shock http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/ Destinations, Lifestyles, and Cultures in Asia Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:35:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lusitana http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-41070 Lusitana Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:54:36 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-41070 Dear Carrie, Thank you for sharing this article. I came across this website while looking for a solution, advice...just some help regarding culture shock. I am originally from Portugal, Europe, and I was brought to the US by my parents when i was 14, told that i'd only be here for 9 months, and then return to my homeland. It's been 12 years, and I'm still suffering from this situation. I have fully tried to adapt to the US, by having american friends, american boyfriend, an americanized life....but at the end, i find myself truly unhappy. I struggle to understand the way things are done here, like not having free education and health care. I struggle to understand how everything revolves around business. People dont work to live a happy life, they live to work...ending up not even being very involved with family and loved ones. There is also too many rules, and instead of the land of the freedom, i feel like i am caged . ( I apologize if any of you, believe my feelings are somewhat offensive, that is not what i'm trying to go for). I love many things about this country, but the main aspects of it, throw me off so hard. I'd come back if I could, and live the life that belongs to me, but I have been in New York for too long, the love of my life is american, my parents and brother still live here, and I've basically acquired a life here. I can't leave my loved ones behind, so I can restart my life in my country, where the culture makes sense to me, where im truly confortable.... Unfortunally I feel like I am stuck, and I'll never belong, and understand the culture fully... But everyday i Try, not only for myself, but one day when i do have kids, they'll be american, and I'll have to guide them through their own culture and understand their ways. It has been 12 long years....But I will not give up. good luck to all of us who still struggle with culture shock. Here's a quote off the text that you wrote that stood out for me : "We all make comparisons. Comparing your new home to back home is only natural. Don’t get into the habit of looking at everything in a negative light." Embrace the positives... :) Dear Carrie,

Thank you for sharing this article.
I came across this website while looking for a solution, advice…just some help regarding culture shock.
I am originally from Portugal, Europe, and I was brought to the US by my parents when i was 14, told that i’d only be here for 9 months, and then return to my homeland.

It’s been 12 years, and I’m still suffering from this situation. I have fully tried to adapt to the US, by having american friends, american boyfriend, an americanized life….but at the end, i find myself truly unhappy. I struggle to understand the way things are done here, like not having free education and health care. I struggle to understand how everything revolves around business. People dont work to live a happy life, they live to work…ending up not even being very involved with family and loved ones. There is also too many rules, and instead of the land of the freedom, i feel like i am caged . ( I apologize if any of you, believe my feelings are somewhat offensive, that is not what i’m trying to go for).
I love many things about this country, but the main aspects of it, throw me off so hard.
I’d come back if I could, and live the life that belongs to me, but I have been in New York for too long, the love of my life is american, my parents and brother still live here, and I’ve basically acquired a life here. I can’t leave my loved ones behind, so I can restart my life in my country, where the culture makes sense to me, where im truly confortable…. Unfortunally I feel like I am stuck, and I’ll never belong, and understand the culture fully… But everyday i Try, not only for myself, but one day when i do have kids, they’ll be american, and I’ll have to guide them through their own culture and understand their ways.

It has been 12 long years….But I will not give up. good luck to all of us who still struggle with culture shock.

Here’s a quote off the text that you wrote that stood out for me :

“We all make comparisons. Comparing your new home to back home is only natural. Don’t get into the habit of looking at everything in a negative light.”

Embrace the positives… :)

]]> By: Carrie http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-22267 Carrie Tue, 29 Mar 2011 08:05:53 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-22267 Dear Tracy, Thank you for writing. I am sorry to hear that your daughter has been unhappy. It took some time for me to adjust to living in Taiwan as well, but after a few months, I started feeling much better about my decision to move here. Dear Tracy,

Thank you for writing. I am sorry to hear that your daughter has been unhappy. It took some time for me to adjust to living in Taiwan as well, but after a few months, I started feeling much better about my decision to move here.

]]> By: Tracy http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-22005 Tracy Thu, 24 Mar 2011 11:57:12 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-22005 Yup. We are here three months. It's been rough. My daughter is very unhappy some days. She will say she hates it here. She finally said that she specifically hates the town we are in. We don't have time to travel or meet new people. I work, she goes to school. We have lived in Asia for four years now. I like other places like Nepal and India. I am yet accostomed to Taiwan. I like the Taiwanese people I have met so far. They are nice. Because I have a child, we are treated with respect and great kindness but I also have a deep belief that most people are....good and nice. I have met very few rude bad people out in the world... Culture shock is hard though. I have found myself feeling depressed. I see my daughter on that edge sometimes too. Our school isnt' very understanding of culture shock and they have been very strict with my daughter. I am considering doing something else. Sigh... But yeah, try to adventure. It helps relieve the stressed feelings... Yup. We are here three months. It’s been rough. My daughter is very unhappy some days. She will say she hates it here. She finally said that she specifically hates the town we are in. We don’t have time to travel or meet new people. I work, she goes to school.

We have lived in Asia for four years now. I like other places like Nepal and India. I am yet accostomed to Taiwan. I like the Taiwanese people I have met so far. They are nice. Because I have a child, we are treated with respect and great kindness but I also have a deep belief that most people are….good and nice. I have met very few rude bad people out in the world…

Culture shock is hard though. I have found myself feeling depressed. I see my daughter on that edge sometimes too. Our school isnt’ very understanding of culture shock and they have been very strict with my daughter. I am considering doing something else.

Sigh…

But yeah, try to adventure. It helps relieve the stressed feelings…

]]> By: Carrie http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-12286 Carrie Mon, 18 Oct 2010 08:58:04 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-12286 Thanks very much, Mindy. I'm glad to hear such positive comments! Thanks very much, Mindy. I’m glad to hear such positive comments!

]]> By: Mindy Lee http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-12017 Mindy Lee Fri, 15 Oct 2010 04:16:08 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-12017 Carrie, this is an excellent article; real struggles and practical solutions. My family is originally from Taiwan. I love the photography section of your site. I am one of the Founders of Pencils Up and we will definitely refer our teachers to read your article in preparation for their adventures and teaching abroad! Carrie, this is an excellent article; real struggles and practical solutions. My family is originally from Taiwan. I love the photography section of your site. I am one of the Founders of Pencils Up and we will definitely refer our teachers to read your article in preparation for their adventures and teaching abroad!

]]> By: Pam http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-4726 Pam Mon, 16 Feb 2009 02:07:07 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-4726 Thanks for your advices. I try to be happy in new country. Sometimes is tough but your informations are useful. I will do it. Thanks again :) Thanks for your advices. I try to be happy in new country. Sometimes is tough but your informations are useful. I will do it. Thanks again :)

]]> By: 100+ Tips and Resources for Teaching Abroad | Teaching Tips http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-2642 100+ Tips and Resources for Teaching Abroad | Teaching Tips Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:48:11 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-2642 [...] Dealing with Culture Shock. Even the most gung-ho teacher will find culture shock creeping in at some time. Read this post for ideas on how to make it through the rough patches. [...] [...] Dealing with Culture Shock. Even the most gung-ho teacher will find culture shock creeping in at some time. Read this post for ideas on how to make it through the rough patches. [...]

]]> By: Carrie http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-1998 Carrie Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:49:37 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-1998 The Outsider, You're right. Culture shock isn't something we overcome. It is something permanent. We all have good days and bad days. Bad days usually make us remember that we are outsiders and we are living in a strange land. It's how we deal with those bad days that make us overcome these feelings of negativity. I don't agree with your last statement though. I think it's a broad assumption to make that every Taiwanese person expects these kinds of things from us. I have amazing Taiwanese friends. I wouldn't trade them for the world and they aren't friends with me because of what I can give them. Our world is one big global village. Culture shock occurs everywhere, not just Taiwan and including back home. The Outsider,

You’re right. Culture shock isn’t something we overcome. It is something permanent. We all have good days and bad days. Bad days usually make us remember that we are outsiders and we are living in a strange land. It’s how we deal with those bad days that make us overcome these feelings of negativity.

I don’t agree with your last statement though. I think it’s a broad assumption to make that every Taiwanese person expects these kinds of things from us. I have amazing Taiwanese friends. I wouldn’t trade them for the world and they aren’t friends with me because of what I can give them.

Our world is one big global village. Culture shock occurs everywhere, not just Taiwan and including back home.

]]> By: The Outsider http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-1986 The Outsider Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:55:49 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-1986 Every foreigner in Taiwan has a specific status in Taiwanese society, just like the Taiwanese themselves. The Taiwanese classify you by race, skin color, language, purpose of coming to Taiwan, job, education level, being able to speak Chinese or not, looks and so on. The combination of all these factors into the status equation of the Taiwanese gives a single result: you and your status within the Taiwanese society. From this status derives the opportunities you get to make money, make friends and so on... It is quite complicated... Culture shock in Taiwan is not something you overcome by adapting yourself to society... it is actually something permanent... unless you decide to do exactly what the Taiwanese expect from you: teaching them English for free, not looking at their women, not learning Chinese, and not making more money than they do. "So do not fuckin' think of making a livin' a Taiwan if you don't have the guts to give a shit 'bout some of these freaks". I apologize... but sometimes I get a little bit emotional... Every foreigner in Taiwan has a specific status in Taiwanese society, just like the Taiwanese themselves. The Taiwanese classify you by race, skin color, language, purpose of coming to Taiwan, job, education level, being able to speak Chinese or not, looks and so on. The combination of all these factors into the status equation of the Taiwanese gives a single result: you and your status within the Taiwanese society.

From this status derives the opportunities you get to make money, make friends and so on… It is quite complicated…

Culture shock in Taiwan is not something you overcome by adapting yourself to society… it is actually something permanent… unless you decide to do exactly what the Taiwanese expect from you: teaching them English for free, not looking at their women, not learning Chinese, and not making more money than they do. “So do not fuckin’ think of making a livin’ a Taiwan if you don’t have the guts to give a shit ’bout some of these freaks”.

I apologize… but sometimes I get a little bit emotional…

]]> By: globetrotteri http://www.myseveralworlds.com/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-109 globetrotteri Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:05:35 +0000 http://myseveralworlds.com/blog/2007/01/30/dealing-with-culture-shock-2/#comment-109 Hi Jess, I'm glad you found this post helpful. Living abroad can be rough at times, but the experiences you have and people you meet will far outweigh any of the obstacles you may encounter. You're in for one helluva a journey. Good luck and happy traveling! Hi Jess,

I’m glad you found this post helpful. Living abroad can be rough at times, but the experiences you have and people you meet will far outweigh any of the obstacles you may encounter. You’re in for one helluva a journey. Good luck and happy traveling!

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