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If your sojourn to Japan
will be the first time for you to spend an extended period of time abroad,
be prepared to encounter "culture shock" which is the psychological
shock as you adjust to new surroundings and a new culture that may be
dramatically different from your own. Gone will be all of the familiar
signs of home and the myriad automatic responses you have counted on to
help meet situations of daily life. Climate, food, landscapes, people
and their ways may seem strange to you. Your Japanese may not serve you
as well as you expected. You may feel, to an unexpected degree, the pressure
of initiating your study. Culture shock is a normal reaction, so give
yourself time.
1. Common Symptoms
of Culture Shock
- You may feel isolated
and frustrated. You may become nervous and excessively tired. You may
sleep a lot, even after you should have recovered from jet lag.
- You may be excessively
homesick. It is normal to miss your country, family and friends, but
if you can think of nothing else and write letters all the time and
perhaps even cry a lot, you are probably suffering from culture shock.
- You may feel hostile
toward Japan as the cause of your discomfort. Minor irritations may
make you inordinately angry.
- You may become very
dependent on your fellow countrymen. Of course, these friendships are
important and are extremely supportive. However, if you make friends
exclusively from among your fellow countrymen, you will deny yourself
one of the main benefits of this educational experience ----- meeting
and interacting with Japanese and persons from other countries.
- You may have deep
doubt about the wisdom of your being in Japan. There may be academic
anxieties: "Will I do well in an educational system different from
the one I am used to?" and "Will I be able to live up to the
expectations of my teachers, family and friends?"
- You may feel real
reluctance to speak Japanese or to associate with people.
2. How to Cope with
Culture Shock
Almost all foreigners
in Japan must cope with culture shock to some degree. The following suggestions
may be helpful:
- Maintain your
perspective. Remember that thousands of other foreign students have
studied in Japan and have survived.
- Evaluate your
expectations. Your reactions to Japan will be products both of the
way things are and the way you expected them to be. If you feel confused
or disappointed about something, ask yourself: "What did I expect?"
"Why?" "Was my expectation reasonable?" If you determine
that your expectations were not completely reasonable, you can do much
to reduce the amount of dissatisfaction --- and unhappiness --- that
you feel.
- Keep an open mind.
People in Japan may do or say things that people in your country would
not do or say. Try to understand that people act according to their
own set of values, and that these values are born of a culture different
from yours. Avoid evaluating Japanese behavior by the standards of your
own culture.
- Do not withdraw.
Withdrawing to immerse yourself in your studies is not a good solution.
You must face situations!
- Seek help.
If you continue to have personal adjustment problems, consult your academic
advisor or the staff of the CJS office.
3. Reverse Culture
Shock
Keep in mind that you
may experience another case of culture shock when your stay in Japan ends
and you return home. Some students find these adjustments even more painful
and difficult than those they faced when they first arrived in Japan partly
because they did not at all anticipate "reverse culture shock."
Be aware that re-entry anxieties exist and to seek counseling or at least
an informal conversation with someone you trust can be helpful.
*The majority of "Everyday life", "Some Japanese Social
Custom and Attitude" and "Culture Shock" were quoted from
ACADEMIC YEAR IN JAPAN by the Japan-United States Educational Commission
with permission.
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