Culture Shock (3 of 3)
So How Do You Deal With Culture Shock?
I definitely don’t have all the answer and there are plenty of books to read on the subject, but here are a few thing that have helped us.
First, realize that if you are “suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes” that culture shock is is coming your way. Know that it happens and you, most likely, are not immune to it.
Second, have the right foundation, mindset, and focus. Look to Christ and trust in the Lord. I am constantly finding myself relying on God more and less on myself as I try to adapt to the culture and language. You have to be in the Word, it is your foundation. You have to watch what you think and not let the wrong thoughts sneak in. Keep thinking on the right thoughts. Keep your focus, “In the Lord Put I my Trust!”
Third, be accountable, take a rest, and keep moving forward. Have a team of people, a mentor, and people that can help you and keep you accountable. People that will encourage you and speak straight with you. Also, take a rest and do some things that are “familiar” but don’t stay there. Move forward and with every step the alien culture starts to become your culture and not so strange.
03.10.11
Culture Shock (2 of 3)
Why Is Culture Shock So Shocking?
Culture shock is so shocking because we don’t like things to be different. Change anything and people always seem to have some kind of “shock” reaction to it.
This seems to be magnified when you move into an unfamiliar culture. You go from being a normal productive citizen to being a infant. You go from knowing how to live and “survive” to feeling like you don’t know anything.
Culture has many definitions. I think the easiest way to look at it is “culture is a set of ideas in which a group of people hold or information know by the people around you” and culture adaptation is when you are “trying to attain that information.” (Adapted from L.A.M.P.)
Chinese culture doesn’t have some mystical attribute to it, they just do things differently than I do them and they have done them since they were born. Therefore, what seems natural for them seems artificial to me.
They speak a different language, listen to different music, watch different TV shows and movies. They read different books, have different greetings, and different role models.
Notice they do all the same things that we do, they just do them differently.
I speak a language, listen to music, watch TV shows and movies. I read books, greet people, and have role models. So I am not really learning to do things I have never done before, I just have to learn how to do them the Chinese way.
Here is a simple example: Chinese take their shoes off and wear slippers in there homes. They almost never walk into their house or anyone else’s with their shoes on. Before coming to China, I wore my shoes and took them off as well. But I would wear my shoes inside the house and I didn’t put slippers on. So, am I learning anything new here? Not really, I already have acquired the skills of taking off and putting on shoes, but I did need to learn to do it the Chinese way…when do they take their shoes off, why, and if I don’t is it offensive. It was something that everyone else around me knew to do, but I didn’t. My first reaction to this (something different) is that it is stupid. Every time I want to go to someones house that I have to take my shoes off and put on slippers. It seems inconvenient. These feelings were just a shock reaction to having to do something different. Now, it is not that big of a deal, I realize why and it has become second nature.
When I am used to doing things in a way that comes natural to me, I am fine. But when I add in a foreign concept (a.k.a. change), SHOCK! takes place.
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Culture Shock (1 of 3)
Culture Shock as defined by my mac dictionary says:
“culture shock – the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes.”
This is something that we have (and still are) experienced here in China. Many people discount it’s effects, but it is an everyday part of our lives as we adjust here in China.
We first had slight “culture shock” when we started deputation. Though we didn’t move to a new country yet our way of life had majorly changed. We were still in the ministry and doing many of the same things but when you leave a ministry that you have been working so hard in you begin to feel not apart of anything. You are out of sight and out of mind from those you were closet to and feel no one cares, or that you don’t matter any longer. Was any of that true? Nope, but I believe it was culture shock at work.
The thing about culture shock is that you don’t really know when it is taking place. The feeling of disorientation cause you to think, say, and do crazy things. It is a lot easier to identify when you are looking back on it, more than when you are going through it.
Then we arrived on the field. Of course at first, excitement and adrenaline carry you through, but then life starts to settle in. We realized that the “ordinary” way of life is gone and we start feeling really disoriented. As we started to work through, learn, and adapt to this new way of life we came to the next hurdle, language.
Language, I am guessing no matter where you are, is a shocker. It opens the door for culture shock to come in and settle down. You ride the roller coaster of emotions, frustrations and headaches. Doubts, stress, and a feeling of being tired / burnt out starts to settle in. What it going on? Simple, Culture Shock!
Culture shock comes and goes. It effects some more than others. The important thing to know is that it happens and it can be overcome!
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Blessed with a Great Team!
When we left for China there was a lot of anticipation about what we were going to find when we got here. We wondered about the different people we were going to meet and the team that we were going to work with. We chose to work with another missionary family for at least the first two years. They had the same type of training we did. They were already on the field, learned the the language, and had a work going. All of our anticipation has been been put to rest and we can say that we are truly BLESSED to work with the team that we are!
This missionary family has been great! I don’t think we could of asked for a better family to help us in this period of our ministry. From preparing to come to China and then once we arrived on the field, they have been a huge help to us. They helped us find our apartment, buy all of our things, translate for us, and show us the ropes. Now they are helping and encouraging us as we are learning Chinese.
I can truly say they have been selfless, caring, understanding, insightful, helpful, accountable, and loving.
Not only did we find a amazing missionary family to work with, but we found an amazing Church. A Church family that acted like their leaders and showed the same characteristics. They helped us with much of the same especially as we are learning their language and culture.
All around we are blessed with a great team. Praise the Lord!
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