Free Essay Sample on Culture Shock

Introduction

Remember that first day at school? We all remember our first days at school; parts of it at the very least. It was a sight to behold for some and a terrifying one for others. The impacts of a culture on a person’s psychology cannot be understated (Presbitero 28-38). Well, what is common for all of us is that we were foreign to that environment. Those who had interacted with the school life can be exempt.

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There is a thrill that comes with going to school for the first time. Parents and siblings may work their best to ready you with the changes you are to go through as a student. It is a lot of work and one that takes many resources, but very little attention is paid to the things that matter. How often do we see parents prepare their children for the culture shock they experience on first days in school?

Experience

Seeing as we all have a story of some kind whether from a story or an experience, it begs the question of whether it was the last time to feel out of place. There is no way to escape culture shock. It always catches up with a person in one way or the other. Reality has a way of bringing past experiences to life in some form. It may not be immediate, but it is definite. My transition to early childhood education and high school was relatively uneventful.

I went to a school my aunt is a teacher at. It was an excellent experience transitioning from home to school only to find someone I know ready to assist with the transition. The process was very smooth as my aunt did virtually everything else for me and streamlined my life in school, including making sure I had good friends. High school was relatively easy too because my school was close to home and I had made lots of friends there who were already ahead. Let’s say I experienced little to no changes in my life during transitioning to early education and high school.

Fasttrack that timeline and am about to join college 13 years after starting school. I am enthusiastic and raring to go. The thought of college, freedom and diversity gave me even more thrill. I remember that day vividly. My parents brought me to town for my admission to the university and were ready to go all the way to give me the best they could, just like they have always done.

Conversation

Am always grateful about that. On that fateful evening, while having dinner at the hotel we had booked, my dad casually noted, “You realize we are going to be away from you when your studies commence.” I looked at my father and told him, “Am sure I can manage on my own.” How hard can it be, I said to myself? My mom told me to eat well and rest enough for the activities of the following day during admission may be extended. That will need you at your best.

Part of me wanted to let my parents know I am grateful for their being around to help me. The other wanted them gone sooner so that I could start life on my own and experience new things. So, I suggested I make the admission on my own so that I get a grasp of how the process is like. My parents are shocked and try to talk me out of it. Their apparent surprise only made me want to do it alone. I insisted on having grown up and wanting to do it on my own and only ask for help when it is necessary. Everyone stays quiet on the same, and the discussion changes entirely.

We all finish our dinner and head over to our rooms to have a good night sleep. We leave the table talking about other things, and none of my parents wants to make a decision. All they do is wish me a good night sleep and head to rest themselves too. It is at this point that it occurs to me that I might have angered them with my comments. That troubled me too much not to have a good sleep they had wished me to have.

Am woken up by my dad who knocks on the door in the morning. So, he walks in and says to me, “wake and get ready for the day, you are going to have a long one,” He added, “Let us know if and when you need assistance.” I get to school and get through a lengthy admission process. The process was smooth; the people were not. I tried to convince myself that it was just one of those days when everyone else is trying to get things done, and you end up on the wrong side of one another.

My parents are excited to know how the day was like for me when I got back. “It was good,” I remark. The look on their faces was that of pride. Deep down, I knew I had just shot myself in the foot. Three weeks in and I was off to home on the first opportunity I got; to spend time with my family. My dad is the one that welcomes me in, and the first thing he says to me is, “We were worried you’d come sooner.” That alone is enough to make me forget all the things I wanted to lament about and enjoy the time. The story of my first culture shock! Never avoided; just delayed.

Troubles

The troubles I went through in the three weeks between admission and the time I went home can make an outstanding chapter in the book of my life. Much talk in the modern world is about eliminating bullying and other outdated issues in the lives of people in new environments. Those issues are no longer experienced in society as frequently as they were in the past, all thanks to strategic solutions and changing times (HUO, et al.).

It is disconcerting to know that people are willing to talk about the problems people go through when changing to new environments and very little on acting towards addressing the cause. Much effort is directed towards treating the symptoms and little to none on addressing a problem’s root cause. The solution to illiteracy is investing in child education to serve as a long-term solution while adult education is used to offer short term solution(s). How does tackling the social issue that is culture shock addressed exclusively by offering to support only to the affected people?

Conclusion

In a nutshell, culture shock is real. Everyone experiences it at some point in their lives. It is this short-termism that has been crippling efforts to correct the society. We can be part of a better future where there is minimal to no culture shock. There is no harm in committing to such a world by simply creating awareness about culture shock and preparing people on ways to deal with it right from childhood. An ideal solution would be to adopt a hybrid solution(s); those that have short-term impacts and can also contribute towards long-term solutions. Before the world gets to that desired end, everyone should learn how to adapt.

Works Cited

HUO, Chun-yan, et al. "A study on countermeasures to culture shock." DEStech Transactions on Social Science, Education and Human Science aems (2017).

Presbitero, Alfred. "Culture shock and reverse culture shock: The moderating role of cultural intelligence in international students’ adaptation." International journal of intercultural relations 53 (2016): 28-38.