Being Prepared For Culture Shock

If you do much traveling overseas, especially for long time periods, you have probably experienced culture shock. From different hand gestures and body movements that express meaning to time zone changes to language, there are so many differences between countries and societies worldwide that assimilating is often not very easy.

But, if you do a little research before you travel, you can ease the transition. This is especially important if you plan on staying for a while. You can start with the small things and work your way to the larger. As an example, here are three minor things that differ between Asian counties and America.

Although, we in America are obsessed with looks, people in Asian countries may be even more so and also obsessed with your looks since they are often quiet different. Just to give a tiny example, although we have all kinds of products to take care of our skin, we have yet to be introduced to the extreme Asian BB cream. This is an all purpose cover up, acne cream, moisturizer amongst other things. From creams to cosmetic surgery to remove skin from the eye to staring at and touching Americans curly blond hair, Asian culture is quite different than American.

Some cultural differences can be chalked up to stereotype but some are more based in actually physical reality. For instance, people in Japan are, on average, thinner by quite a bit than Americans. So, you may want to get a personal trainer of you go their and don’t like to get too many stares and fingers pointing at you.

Finally, space takes on a whole new meaning in Asia. With overcrowding and lack of space do to large factories, abundant crop planting as well as urban sprawl depending on where you are in Asia, home storage solutions are really an American phenomenon. Your living space and your room for putting your stuff is quite limited in many Asian countries. So, leave things behind or send them home.

These are only some things to think about. I have purposefully chosen things that you may not consider to illustrate how much difference there can be.

If you travel and plan to stay for a while in any country, especially an Asian country, you need to ready yourself for culture shock. There are many beautiful and wonderful things about Asian culture. But, they are also things that differ greatly from American and if you don’t brace yourself for culture shock before you go, you won’t enjoy yourself as much when you’re there.