Definition Essay: What Is Culture Shock?

Walking into the open-air lobby of the hotel never felt better. Staring in awe, I could feel the warm tropical breeze blowing my hair in every direction. I could hear so many sounds that I have only heard through the speakers of my computer. Monkeys jumping from tree to tree, tropical birds chirps echoing through my ears, and I could taste my refreshing fruit drink. As I was experiencing all of this in just a few minutes, I knew that this would be my new favorite vacation.

Stepping out of my first plane ride, I experience an epiphany of new culture, which seems to me as a whole new world. Buzzing around my ears are conversations in an unfamiliar language that intrigues me. It then struck me that after twenty hours of a seemingly perpetual plane ride that I finally arrived in The United States of America, a country full of new opportunities. It was this moment that I realized how diverse and big this world is. This is the story of my new life in America.

In 2010, as my sisters-in-law and their families prepared to immigrate to the United States (U.S.), my husband and I did all we can to advise and assist them in getting ready for their long journey from Nigeria to the U.S. To our surprise, contrary to every advice we gave them, in preparation for life in the US, they started out with trying American fast foods of different kinds. Culture shock is expected for anyone who immigrates to the US, regardless of where they come from. The type(s) of help the person(s) gets on how to overcome it and their adherence, most often, determines the future outcome of life in their new country of residence.

I agree, the culture shock that I am referring to is something that is uncomfortable by necessary. I live in Maui, Hawaii, and it is a very diverse state. Growing up, I had a diversity of friends who were Samoan, Tongan, Japanese, and Filipino. Although, when left for college to Honolulu, Hawaii, I meet a different kind of Samoan/ Tongan individual. My college friend was born and raised in the Samoan Islands. My friends back at home who are Samoan and/ or Tongan wasn’t as immersed in the Samoan and/ or Tongan culture than my friend in college, which is why I didn’t know that certain American words are an insult in their language.

It wasn’t my first time travelling outside the country. I had gone on numerous journeys with my parents, and my many experiences gave me a broad view of the world. From seeing the content beachside life of residents in Cancun to the bustling, trendy streets of London, the small fragments of the Earth’s surface I’ve been exposed to have opened my eyes to so much enjoyment and cultural enrichment.

As I walked onto our Amsterdam bound plane in PDX, I couldn’t help but think about what I would have the privilege of seeing. In the next week and a half, I would visit the Acropolis in Athens, Epidaurus- the first amphitheater and major healing center, Ancient Olympia- the sight of the first ever Olympics, Pompeii and the world-famous Roman Coliseum. I’ve been many to many places: Hawaii, New York, Boston, Washington D.C, and Honduras, but I’d never been as excited to travel somewhere as I was then. Without the inspiration of some of the places I would be visiting, our world would be very different than the world we know. We might not have track races, theater programs, sporting stadiums or many other fixtures of life.

Travel for some people is a way to get from point A to point B, but for me, it’s an awakening of the senses. It’s my opportunity to hear the bustling sounds of a city, smell the fragrant spices at a local market and watch a glowing sunset dip below the horizon.

I would call myself an aspiring globetrotter, for I am the kind of person that is staunchly determined once my mind is set on something, and my heart and mind are set on travel, enamored with what the rest of the world has to offer. I had been out of the country before, but this was the first time I’d left the continent and traveled the Pacific. I thought I was prepared for my adventure, knowing what to expect and what it would look like, but I didn’t. From the moment I stepped off the plane in a new country abroad, it was a constant submersion in the unexpected. Every waking moment of the day I was in a constant state of admiration and disbelief for the absolute beauty, culture, and history Italy held. I had never been so inspired by a person

Freshman year of high school, I ventured across the Atlantic to Italy with the Passport Club. In the months leading up to spring break Mr. Wion, the trip leader, prepared our little group on what to expect. Nothing, however, would prepare us for the culture shock and the beauty that Italy has to offer. Italy is strikingly different from the United States, but between these differences it is easy to spot some similarities.

Cultural appropriation can be defined as, by Wikipedia, “A concept in sociology dealing with the adoption of the elements of a minority culture by members of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture…cultural elements which may have deep meaning to the original culture may be reduced to “exotic” fashion or toys by those from the dominant culture”(Cultural Appropriation). However, cultural appropriation is a much deeper and methodical concept than a simple definition. It can be defined in numerous ways by people from various points of views and environments. It is so often overlooked on how it affects cultures and ethnic groups. First and foremost, cultural appropriation is the act of enacting or adopting a cultural aspect from another

When I decided to spend a semester abroad, I knew I was in for an experience. Not an easy or perfect experience, either – travel is tough, and after a few weeks, it can take a toll. I expected that. I figured I would have ups and downs, and so far, the trip has been almost entirely ups. Hear me when I say, though, that nothing – NOTHING – could have prepared me for the Plague Bus.

Adjusting to a new government, similar to adjusting to a new culture requires learning and adapting to new rules and norms. Dealing with this kind of change comes with new lessons, new understandings of life and new perspectives. Individuals have to learn things from scratch, learn to understand the culture and most importantly, people have to stop making assumptions. Moreover, a new culture requires a new level of open-mindedness. This is not always an easy process to go through. However, through education, creating valuable relationships and a positive attitude, it is possible to gradually get used to the new environment.

In the research paper Immigrants and The Economy, the authors analyze the changing composition of American labor. The service industry grew 13% from 1970 to 2000 according to the paper. The service industry ranges from high skilled labor to low skilled labor, immigrants participate in both ends, but tend to take the low skilled jobs much more frequently. The slowing of manufacturing in the US has hurt unions, causing manufacturing jobs to be less appealing to US born workers who are looking for stable jobs. The old wave of immigrants came to work in factories. Now, low-skill immigrants take jobs that are considered too menial for native-born Americans to desire. These types of jobs are in the agricultural, meat-packing, chicken-processing,

Culture Shock has played a tremendous role in the growth of cultural ecology because it is an issue that is constantly growing all over the world. In the United States, it may not seem like things are changing involving culture shock, but it is not any different then the changes in places like Africa and China for example. It is developing equally across the world because there are now more ways to travel. So, what exactly is culture shock anyways? Well, it is known as going to a foreign or unfamiliar territory that one is not used to, so they may feel symptoms of anxiety such as nervousness or shock because the customs, actions, beliefs, etc of those people may not seem familiar to them, so one may feel ill-prepared for the changing environment. Also, for example, if one was to go to school in the U.S. but came from China, they would feel culture shock because the rules in China are not the same as rules in the U.S. and so it may make one feel uneasy about the situation because they are not use to change and maybe the move was to quick for them to adjust properly. The United States is very different from foreign areas because the culture is very different. Where have people of Africa seen movie productions, music, sports, universities, iPhones, computers, etc? The answer is not where they live but in the United States if they traveled there before. This is exactly the issue with culture shock in ecology. Culture is what people behave like, feel, and do. Shock is a symptom

Globalization simply defined is the intensification of global interactions. The case studies we have studied depict two of the main types of globalization. Economic Globalization, which is the production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of goods and tangible services, and Cultural Globalization, the exchange of materials and symbols that represent facts, meaning values and beliefs. When Globalization occurs it usually has a major impact on indigenous cultures. Optimists or “champions” state that the relationship between culture and globalization has positive effects as it creates a balance between nations. Conversely, critics state that relationships between the two have negative effects, leading to the loss or deterioration of a