Travel Minx

Culture Shock hits most travelers at some stage.

It hit me the first time I left New Zealand properly (as in, packed up and moved away for my first OE) when I arrived in Bangkok. Bangkok is smoggy, hot, hectic, basically very foreign if you’re from the country where Hobbiton was set.

So I hid in my room a lot; I ventured out occasionally but the newness of it all wasn’t enticing at first, it was just overwhelming.

Culture Shock can range from mild to severe. I’ve known it to cause people to abandon trips entirely, or just have a miserable time. It’s a valid condition when in a very different situation, but there are ways to overcome it without running away.

• Research your destination in advance. What will the temperature be? What dress standards do people there have? What is considered respectful/disrespectful? How is the economy and the political situation?
• Learn a few words of the language. I always bang on about this but understanding a few snippets can make all the difference between getting by and feeling completely lost and helpless.
• Look around you. Venture out to explore (not down dark alleyways at midnight, but you know what I mean). The feeling will wear off as you sense the beauty and/or excitement of this new place.
• Change your attitude. The people around you are not all the same; they are individuals, like you. What can you learn from them?
• Lighten up. Get swept along by it all, don’t resist. Have an adventure. Get rid of the picture in your head.
• Make yourself more comfortable. Culture Shock can stem from physical discomfort. If in a hot climate, drink plenty of bottled water. Carry a fan. Buy lighter clothes. Eat regularly, even if you have no appetite.