2017
Staying Positive Through Culture Shock Lows
When you live in a foreign country, life can be tough, especially if you live in one where your own culture and the culture around you are completely different. So how can we make the lows not quite so low? Let’s discuss.
- Stay Active
- Talk to Someone
- Remind Yourself What Made You Love it in the First Place
1. Stay Active
When you live in a foreign country, life can be tough, especially if you live in one where your own culture and the culture around you are completely different. So how can we make the lows not quite so low? Let’s discuss.
You probably get a fair amount of exercise during the week, walking around the office, teaching lessons, perhaps. There’s also the treks to and from stations, so chances are you’re fairly active. But even then, if you completely check out over the weekend, you’re going to have whiplash come Monday, and this can start a downward swing. Take a walk, follow along with a workout video, or even just straighten up your apartment.
Exercise, even gentle exercise, increases feelings of well-being and accomplishment, and reduces feelings of sadness and depression.The more active you are, the healthier you’ll be and the less bad the low swings of culture shock will be for you.
2. Talk to Someone
Having a bad week, or even month, and you just can’t seem to stop hating everything around you? The way people act in public, the language you still can’t read no matter how much you study, the excessive cuteness around every single corner. It can be a lot, and it can be hard to deal with. In these slumps, you need to have someone you can talk to about it.
If you’re like me, you probably tend to think that no one wants to listen to your whining, but people in your life love and care about you and will listen if you ask. Have a sit down with a drink or some cake, something you enjoy, and hash it out. Get it all off your chest. You’ll feel better for it.
3. Remind Yourself What Made You Love it in the First Place
Sometimes you get in a low you just can’t shake, and all you can think of is jumping ship and going back to people you get, that get you, too. We tend to get a bit romantic in these phases, imaging the grass on that other side is not only greener, but made of emeralds.
Take some time to think about a few things: Why did I come here? Why did I fall in love with this place to begin with? What can I do to rekindle that love within myself? You can find it, even in the darkest of places.You came here for a reason, and if it’s worth the struggle, it’s worth reminding yourself just that.
