Secu Gabriela-Andreea

1. The culture shock of studying / working abroad
Coordonator: Frumușelu Mihai Daniel Student: Secu Gabriela-Andreea

2. The culture shock of studying abroad
What is culture shock?
Simply put, culture shock is the way you react and feel when the cultural cues
you know so well from home are lacking.
Living in a new culture can be exhilarating, personally rewarding, and intellectually
stimulating. It can also be frustrating. It is one thing to visit a country, moving on when
you have seen enough, and it is quite another to live there and function according to a
different, and sometimes, mysterious set of norms.
People usually experience many emotions while adapting to a foreign culture, changing
from excitement and interest in the new culture to depression and fear of the unknown.
The difficulties that you experience as you integrate into a new society can be a result of
what is termed "culture shock." Most experts agree that culture shock, although often
delayed, is inevitable in one form or another. But adjusting to a foreign culture, and
living through difficult times of change can be a satisfying experience, one worth the
occasional discomfort and extra effort.

5. Prior to going abroad, students may be excited about new adventures to
come. At first, a student's expectations may be too high. A student may
be heavily comparing and contrasting his/her home culture with the
culture abroad. Students may be challenged on a regular basis by
different ways of living in the country of your choice (banking, eating,
relationships, etc.). As a student gets used to a citizen of the country of
your choice ways, things that seemed like a "crisis" may now simply be
seen as different ways of doing things. As a student begins to adapt
more and more, he/she may have a new set of friends, may be traveling
more.

7. Homesickness is one of the most common adjustment problems related to
culture shock and loneliness.
Experienced by students from every country, homesickness is a universal
side–affect to being away from home. Feelings of homesickness may even
start before you leave to study abroad in the country of your choice. You may
find yourself mildly depressed or anxious several weeks before leaving.
Some students might experience homesickness within the first few days or
weeks of being abroad, while others might not be hit by homesickness until
later on, or closer to the holidays.
Holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, family events or even family illness or
death can all cause you to feel homesick, or make you wish you were at
home. Also, many students report increased feelings of homesickness during
the winter months when darkness, rainy weather and the cold can lead to
feelings of depression.

10. • https://studyabroad.uncg.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Parent_ID=A80D5B59-
AA4D-15A6-E5DDC6A5F2566BDE&Link_ID=B2E2ACBC-E64C-9B58-
6BC68A8B2295E9FF&pID=7&lID=12
• http://www.cie.uci.edu/prepare/shock.shtml
• http://www.studentsabroad.com/handbook/adjustments-and-culture-shock.php?country=General