January 26th, 2023
Culture shock may be a beast, but looking back, I have to say that it is totally avoidable. To be honest, I didn’t prepare myself for the frustration stage, because I expected the transition to the new culture to be smooth and easy. Afterall, you are supposed to expect the best, right? Well, yes, but you should also try to predict the downs and prepare for them.
So, how would I have prepared myself for culture shock, had I known it was imminent?
First of all,
I would have accepted the fact that I would be homesick and made a plan to take a really, really good care of myself. I would have taken care of myself physically, intellectually and spiritually. I would have schedule daily pampering sessions, be it a really long bath, a nice walk, or a glass of wine at the end of the day. I would have regularly done yoga or pilates, because I know now that one cannot be unhappy when moving. It is just physically impossible. I would have taken the time to decorate my home the way I like it. I would have read more self-improvement books and, above all, made more friends and developed important relationships. I would have found my tribe and scheduled regular phone sessions or meet-ups with them. I neglected that part of me way too often when life got busy. I often let my love jar get depleted.
Second,
I would have learnt the rules of the country. Part of my misery was that I couldn’t find a job. I would have researched the job market and volunteered in places I wanted to work to get employment. Volunteering gets you closer to where you want to be; it is a foot-in-the-door, and gives you a sense of accomplishment. It also has an additional benefit of getting to know people, which is crucial in Canada.
Additionally,
I would have traveled more. I would have set up a travel budget and visited Blue Mountain, Kingston and all the beautiful places. I would have hiked, biked and gone on picnics. I would have learnt how to ski, gone snowshoeing and skating and had lots of hot chocolate after to warm up my spirit.
I would have explored my city and gone on road trips to small surrounding towns. I would have visited museums and art galleries and gone on wine tasting tours and to gourmet restaurants.
Next,
I would have ventured outside of my comfort zone and tried to get comfortable with discomfort and change. I would have done one difficult thing per day to master the indispensable skill of courage and strengthen the quality of tenacity. I would have relentlessly worked on regularly talking to strangers. Quite possibly, I would have taken a public speaking class as well.
Then,
I would have focused on the positive and visualized how nice it would feel when the acceptance stage set in. I would have practiced imagining how it would be to be comfortable in my new country. Visualizing doing a job I love, having vibrant friendships, feeling accomplished and achieving long-term goals, would have definitely helped beat the culture shock.
Finally,
I cannot stress enough how important it is to know the language well. The polyglots more than others know what I am talking about when I say that being fluent in a language is a source of immense pleasure. Knowing the language makes life easier in all its aspects.
These seven ways would have definitely helped me to adjust to the new reality quicker. Maybe they can help you, too?
How did you overcome culture shock?