It is both exciting and stressful to change cultures. It is often difficult to transition from one culture to another. Culture shock is the feeling of anger, frustration, alienation, or anxiety that can result from being placed in a different culture. Many customs and practices of a foreign culture might seem strange or uncomfortable compared to your own. Even experienced travelers may find it challenging to travel to a foreign country. You might feel lost and confused. Different people experience culture-shock differently. Some can barely notice it and others may have a hard time adapting to their new environment. It can be frustrating to adapt to a culture that is different from the United States’s if your cultural background is very different.
To help you understand my meaning better, I will give you some background information about myself. Growing up in Kazakhstan, most of my information about the United States was gleaned from movies. Although Hollywood is a medium for entertainment, it may not accurately portray American life. While I have long dreamed of moving to America, I had no idea that it would bring me culture shock. I was first struck by the American way of being friendly. They are open to making new friends, chatting with strangers, offering a compliment, and inviting them to lunch or birthday parties. Americans enjoy making casual friends. They quickly become close friends and develop trust over time. Americans are quick to make friends and sometimes befriend strangers. They quickly make friends and become close to each other, but it’s easy for them not to stay in touch. This aspect was frustrating and confusing to me. My culture believes in friendships and keeping in touch after trust has been established. In Kazakh culture, it is essential to trust and maintain trust. Before they can trust someone, Kazakhs need to believe they are honest and good-hearted. Although we might appear to be cold and reserved at first, once we get to know someone, we soon become open and friendly. It was only after I arrived in America that I realized my Kazakh cultural identity as shy and reserved.
American culture also has a different aspect to me than my culture. It is characterized by a high sense of privacy. Americans don’t like having their privacy invaded. Americans are uncomfortable with others standing too close to them and will often move away. Americans greet their family and friends by shaking hands, giving a quick hug, or offering a handshake. Then they move away to allow for more conversation. Americans are proud of their privacy and feel that everyone has the right to it. They are not comfortable being asked about their religion, weight, family status, and personal matters. Kazakhstani people are very close to each other and greet them with hugs and kisses. Kazakhs don’t like to share too much privacy and prefer to talk sitting or walking together. As they converse, they become closer to each other. It is considered disrespectful and rude to keep a long distance during conversation in Kazakhstan. It is perfectly acceptable to inquire about your marital status, salary, and age in Kazakhstan. It was always my preference to keep my private life private. I found it easy to adapt to American culture by sharing details with only close friends.
Unbelievably, I was also struck by the informality of Americans. Informality seems to be an American characteristic. This was something that surprised me in a good way. Kazakhstan is a country where elders, teachers, and supervisors are called by their first names. In Kazakhstan, however, it’s not normal to call them that. However, Americans aren’t ashamed of their informality. It is a sign that someone is friendly or accepting of you and not an attempt to make you feel less important. Informality extends to how people dress, communicate and communicate with one other. Americans, unlike Americans who prefer to “dress for impress,” are not as inclined to wear formal attire. This is because Americans believe in equality. If we’re all socially equal, then it is possible to be informal in most situations.
Living in another culture can be exciting. It is also thrilling to learn about its differences from your own. It might be tempting to compare your values with the customs and values of another culture. It is possible to be more open-minded by learning how to navigate other cultures. It helps us understand and shape our cultural identities, as well as teaches about ourselves.