Culture shock is not uncommon, especially when visiting a new destination or country. It can be overwhelming, scary and lonely. If you’re considering travelling abroad but are concerned about culture shock, know that there are ways you can overcome it.
Embrace the differences
One of the first thing you must do if and when you experience culture shock is to recognise and embrace the differences. This will definitely help you settle in and actually enjoy your trip.
Keep learning
Learning is an important part of life and the more you learn, the better for you to overcome culture shock. Hence, before you travel, you can do proper research to learn about the locale you are visiting.
Eat somewhere interesting
A big part of overcoming culture shock is exploring and familiarizing yourself with local cuisine. It can be fun to visit restaurants with a unique ambience or an interesting menu. The many side dishes and the novelty of cooking your own food at the table meant each meal was an exciting experience.
Embrace the local language.
A language barrier can make culture shock even tougher. So, speaking even a couple words in their language showed that you are at least trying. This is the case with store owners, strangers on the street and people you will. Embracing the local language will allow you to unlock more knowledge about the culture, too, because the two are intertwined.
Remember why you’re there
Remember that you are travelling for a reason. The reason is for exploration and learning more about the world. Keeping that in mind will help you overcome the struggles of culture shock and embrace and enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime journey.
Photo credit: Kehinde Smith
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