Korean Job Discussion Forums

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

I think some people need a discussion of what culture shock is and is not.

The same topics get recycled here all the time. This is one of them. If you aren't interested, feel free to skip it.

From your reading and/or personal experiences, what do you think Culture Shock is? What can be done to cope with it?

In my opinion Culture Shock has nothing much to do with our reaction to the idea of eating dog. Or giving and receiving things with two hands. These kinds of things are the surface part of culture that we all expected to be different and present no problem.

In my opinion, we are all susceptible to Culture Shock at all times while we're here. We're infantilized as long as we are not pretty fluent in the language. Most of us can't order a pizza on the phone, much less seek medical attention in an emergency. Stress. Things happen at work or outside all the time and we're left mystified. Stress. The finer points of social relationships escape us. Stress. We are teachers, which means we are in a fairly high stress job--even good and pleasant positions are stressful. On top of it all we are a visible ethnic minority, probably for the first time in our lives.

In my opinion, an episode of Culture Shock happens when the little stresses of normal life + the special stresses of living in a foreign country pile up and we:

a) over-react to small annoyances
b) go on a rant about what stupid people Koreans are
c) begin to drink more than usual or engage in other less than healthy stress management strategies

What can we do about it?

a) Give up the idea that we can change 48 million people
b) Learn as much about the culture as possible because it takes some of the 'sting' out of what happens around us (we are not the special target of deliberate Korean rudeness)
c) Monitor our stress level and regularly and consciously use positive stress release strategies

I don't think anyone is immune to it totally. I know there are plenty of people who say they've never had it. My reply is that they are social deviants or just didn't recognize it when it happened...i.e. they think it's perfectly OK to bowl over little old ladies who are slow to get out of their way, no matter what country they are in.

Anyway, these are just my thoughts. I'm sure some of the rest of you out there have some worthwhile observations that could be useful to other expats. Share what ya' got.

VanIslander

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

VanIslander and I think very differently about this topic. And that's fine.

The other day I saw a teacher jamb his finger up a kid's butt. I was shocked, appalled, and a number of other emotions. But I don't consider that an episode of Culture Shock. And the reason I don't is because of my reaction. I am sure at another time, when I was tired or over-stressed, it would certainly have been an episode for me.

I also think we are the worst judges of our own over-reactions. I am only aware of my over-reactions after the event is long over--if I stop to think about it. At the time, my tantrums Laughing

have felt perfectly logical, reasonable and justified. The grocery store was out of plain yogurt for the second week in a row--of course it is a reasonable response to shove an old lady and her cane down the subway steps.

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Save yourselves some time here and just to the the culture shock section of the Peace Corps trainer, 'Culture Matters.' You can do the workbook right on-line.

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

brento1138 · Joined: 17 Nov 2004

I decided to Wiki culture shock... here's what I got:

Quote:

Culture shock is a term used to describe the anxiety and feelings (of surprise, disorientation, confusion, etc.) felt when people have to operate within an entirely different cultural or social environment, such as a different country or a different state than where they live (e.g. urban southern California vs. rural North Carolina).

Haha, good example there with the states though.

Mashimaro · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: location, location

I think a lot of people are in denial about their culture shock.

They consider themselves so worldly and intelligent and admitting
to culture shock would be like admitting they are not as adaptable
and open minded as they thought.

I think I went through it my first year. I really didn't like my job
and living in a smal korean city, but I think culture shock was
a big part of the problem.