How to Minimize Culture Shock

How to take a few easy steps so extended travel abroad doesn't result in culture shock.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Traveling to areas of the world where your language and culture are not the social maps that are followed can pose multiple emotional and physical challenges. In addition to practical tips to keep Montezuma’s Revenge at bay, it is a must that you learn a few tips to keep “culture shock” to a minimum. Culture shock is the term coined by anthropologists to describe the psychological reaction one may have when traveling in a locale that is different enough from the traveler’s normal environment that he is unable to easily satisfy daily emotional or physical requirements and enters into a state of nervous discomfort. This “shock,” while unable to be entirely avoided, can be minimized if the traveler takes a few steps to anticipate difference and prepare for it.
   First and foremost, a traveler should prepare for the differences by reading as much about the target environment as possible. Just like a hiker reading a book on survival tips, a traveler who will be staying in a foreign country for an extended length of time must learn to adjust to his new surroundings. The Internet provides vast resources about countries, cultures, languages, customs, taboos, rituals, religion and laws that exist in the target environment. Ideally, if one is going to travel to another locale for an extended stay, reading ethnography on the society is recommended. Your local library’s reference librarian can point you in the right direction for ethnographies, which are produced by anthropologists who have done fieldwork in the target locale.

2. Contact a native of the target area and ask their advice on customs, etiquette, what to expect, and how to prepare for the stay. You can glean incredible information from natives, who obviously did not live in five-star hotels and eat at the luxury tourist restaurants. For example, a native from Egypt will likely tell you how to watch for fake bottled water, what cheeses not to eat (because they are not pasteurized), the proper way to eat a date and spit out the stone, and what clothing will or will not offend the local population (you don’t want to be that ignorant American who wears shorts and a tank top in Cairo’s summer heat). A native of Saudi Arabia will tell you how to act when in his country, how to avoid being arrested by the religious police, and how your wife will have to wear an abaya (black robe) in Jeddah, but also a hijab (scarf) if you’re in Riyadh. Often larger cities have offices, such as Traveler’s Aid, translator services, or English as a Second Language offices where staff may be able to put you in touch with people from many countries.

3. Try to establish a relationship with a trustworthy native who can be your “anchor” while overseas. This person should be able to give you advice and introduce you to others so you form a network of acquaintances early in your stay. Sometimes these anchors can be relatives of people in your home town who are still overseas. The family link will often reinforce the anchor’s desire to help you in order to be seen by his family in your country as reliable and worthy of future help from them. In other words, he’ll be more motivated to be of assistance for the duration of your stay.

4. If time permits, try to learn the language – and at the very least, learn necessary phrases for emergencies. One should know how to ask simple directions, a taxi fare, and a few words for local cuisine. However, it is also vital to know the phrase for getting to the Embassy, hospital and airport. You never know when you’ll have to seek a native’s help to get you safely to a location, so you must know the words for these three vital locations. Never presume someone will know English – learn to ask for help in the native language.

5. If you have any unique medical conditions – find out what the native phrases are for these conditions, and keep a slip of paper with you with these phrases written down, as well as the names of all prescriptions you are taking. Your stress level will be reduced if you know you will be able to communicate to medical staff if your health poses a problem during your stay. Also, find out prior to travel what kind of medical system the target country has. Do not expect the equivalent to American clinics and hospitals in foreign countries, especially any country that is less developed. It is important to know who to seek help from in a medical emergency – most villages and towns in developing countries have people who are knowledgeable in some health care, although surgery is not a skill they will likely practice, and hygiene is questionable. Once in touch with your local contact he or she should be able to direct you to a clinic or hospital in the nearest city. And, as a word of warning – if you are a diabetic – do not enter a foreign country with a supply of syringes for your insulin unless you have checked with that country’s Embassy to find out how to do so (you may have to present the package and the prescription upon entering the country). Penalties can be very steep for importing anything that can be used in the drug trade. And, of course, never use a syringe in a foreign country - very few use one-time use syringes and even fewer reliably use sterilization techniques similar to our chemical and autoclaving processes here. Hepatitis C is epidemic in some parts of the world. You must be cautious!

6. Learn common etiquette of your target country – especially any manners and customs involving contact between members of the opposite sex. In Saudi Arabia, for example, knowing these social rules could be the difference between you being able to leave the country and you being arrested and facing legal obstacles. Should men and women shake hands when greeting? Should a man or woman greet a member of the opposite sex at all? If husbands and wives are traveling together, each should learn his or her “rules of the road” when visiting a local family. Should the wife expect to sit with her husband in her host's home, or should she be ready to be escorted to a separate area of the home to socialize only with the women?

7. Find out how the natives deal with everyday hygiene issues. This is vital as cleanliness is next to sanity in some situations. If you are one of those people who bathe daily, it is important that you not be caught by surprise in a situation where bathing only once a month during the winter, or once a week during the summer, is the “norm.” Also, if you are “going native,” find out what native bathrooms consist of. Are western toilets available? Will you have to learn how to aim over a hole in the ground? Will a shower involve hot water? Will there be toilet paper, or a hose? Is fresh water available on a daily basis? And find out if your daily hygiene routine means anything you’re not expecting. For example, a daily shower in an Islamic country may indicate that you’re being sexually active, which is a message some travelers should not advertise, such as unmarried women.

8. Find out what the common everyday cuisine is, and make preparations if that cuisine is not going to work for you. For example, in Egypt, breakfast can consist of everything from egga (scrambled eggs), to ful (beans), to a piece of pita bread with olive oil and spices spread on it. If you’re expecting a nice bowl of granola cereal, best to know in advance that you won’t be having that for the duration of your stay. If lunch is the largest meal of the day, plan accordingly. Do not skimp on lunch, only to find that there is little being served later. And know in advance what kinds of meat you will encounter. In Egypt, for example, it is not uncommon in villages and smaller towns to be served gamoosa (water buffalo) and not beef. Also, one may actually see dinner being caught and prepared, and a conscientious traveler will prepare in advance to see rabbits, ducks, chickens around the household and slaughtered as needed. Again, a nice chat with a native will alert you to these kinds of practices, so you can either adjust, or know that you’ll be facing sights that you are not accustomed to seeing.

9. Know the rhythms of daily life, such as repeated prayer times, tea time, the start and finish of a day, and whether or not there is a “siesta.” It is unwise to expect your hosts or those around you to stay up until the wee hours if the normal bed time is sundown (this is true for much of the Middle East due to sporadic electric service and the expense of getting oil for oil lamps), or for you to expect to sleep in until noon if the normal time for waking is sunrise. Adjust to the native schedule as fast as you can. It is not only polite, but may be the only way you can get your needs met before shops close and markets run out of staples.

10. Understand the way the natives view foreigners – the good, the bad and the ugly of it. If you are an unmarried Western woman, be aware that many non-Western cultures have a negative view of you and will judge your conduct harshly if it does not conform to local expectations. Do not make the mistake of being too wild and free in a country where unmarried women are supposed to not be seen and not heard. Your ability to mix and mingle, travel within the country, and not step on toes at each turn, may depend on your sensitivity to how the natives view you, as much as how you approach the natives.

11. Finally, keep in touch with family and friends back home. As much as you can, make a call or write a letter. Make sure your loved ones have a way to contact you by phone or mail, so you do not feel disconnected.