Each person has his own culture and norms and those habits are his way of life. Sometimes these values can come into conflict with other cultures a person travels in a foreign country. The difficulty that some people have adjusting to a new culture is called "culture shock."

SYMPTOMS OF "CULTURE SHOCK"

Culture shock is your mind and body's reaction to being disoriented and feeling overwhelmed by surroundings that are not familiar to you. Culture shock can cause both psychological and physical discomfort. In your own culture you know the language, traditions, non-verbal behaviors, people's values and ways of reasoning. You do many things automatically and understand what is happening around you without having to think about it. For example, when you meet someone on the street, you probably don't even have to think about the first words of greeting that come out of your mouth. When you pick up the telephone, you answer without wondering what to say or having to struggle to find out what the other person is saying to you. If you are invited to a party, you know when you should arrive, what you should bring with you, how you should dress, and you probably understand what will happen in the course of the evening. In a foreign culture, all of these things are unfamiliar. This can become tiring and frustrating.

Culture shock may cause you to inexplicably feel unhappy, or not want to participate in activities with your hosts, or not want to speak the local language. People who do not understand culture shock have a hard time making themselves feel better. This is why it is so important to be prepared for culture shock and to know how to overcome it.

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

	Too much sleep or too little sleep
	Eating too much or having no appetite at all
	Frequent minor illnesses
	Headaches

PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS

	Loneliness or boredom
	Homesickness; idealizing home
	Feeling helpless, overly dependent
	Irritability or even hostility
	Social withdrawal
	Unreasonable concern for health and security
	Rebellion against rules
	Crying
	Stereotyping host country's people

Not everyone will experience all of these symptoms. Some people have more or fewer reactions. Frequently, travelers experiencing culture shock develop negative attitudes toward the host culture and start noticing all the of the differences rather than the similarities between home and away. You may find yourself having conversations with fellow travelers like: "Isn't it awful the way they eat?" or "Why do they care so much about being on time?" or "These stupid rules make no sense, back home things are much easier..." People sometimes unconsciously encourage each other's unhappiness.

OVERCOMING CULTURE SHOCK

Getting over culture shock depends upon you. You may get help from Project Harmony staff in identifying why you are unhappy, withdrawn, or don't feel well. But ultimately, it is you who must take positive steps to feel better. Here are a few suggestions:

	Remember that culture shock is a normal part of adjustment, that you will have some of the symptoms and that some of your reaction will be emotional and not rational. Experiencing culture shock can be positive because you will learn a lot as you work your way through it.
	Try to objectively analyze the differences you are finding between your home and host cultures. Look for the reasons your host culture does things differently. Remember that host customs are logical to your hosts, just as your home customs are logical to you.
	If you find yourself experiencing some of the symptoms above, talk to your traveling companions or Project Harmony staff about how you feel. They can help you identify ways to overcome culture shock. Sometimes pretending to be interested or happy can lead to the real thing. If you are in a meeting or seminar that seems deadly boring, seek out just one thing that is interesting to you and ask as many questions about it as you can. Create small, attainable tasks and goals - this is a good method of reclaiming your sense of independence and self-assuredness in a foreign culture.
	And never forget that HUMOR is one of the best remedies for almost any difficult situation.

Finally, develop the attitude that you can live with the differences and confusions and still learn and enjoy yourself. You will be abroad for only a short time - make the most of it while you can!