It is given that there are
some places in the world that will have greener pastures. To take advantage of
the opportunities available in these areas, you need to relocate and be where
the opportunities are. The only thing that can stand between you and these opportunities
are the people you get emotional support from like your family and friends which
you will have to be separated from in order to grab opportunities.
Culture shock, no matter
how you prepare for it, you can at one point experience it. According to
experts, even with how a good international relocation company can help you, you can
still feel it. Because you are new to a country, you can feel out of place and
can feel a complete stranger especially with countries which have different
norms and practices compared to what you
are used to. From the food to the language, to their practices, everything
would seem new to you.
You should not be alarmed
about this feeling because it's not just new expats that feel this way.
Seasoned travelers also share the same sentiment. It usually takes time however
once they have passed this stage, they will appreciate their new environment.
Actually, there are four
stages one goes through when moving to a new place especially overseas. Listed
below are the four stages.
Honeymoon stage. This is
the stage where the expats can feel the excitement. He is excited about the new
environment and to try something new. This lasts from two to six weeks.
Culture shock stage.
Because of the differences he sees, the expat can experience culture shock. He
will have a strange feeling over how locals work, how they live, how work
setting has changed, and other things. This stage lasts from six to eight
months.
Adjustment stage. Slowly,
in this stage, the expat adjusts to his new environment. He interacts with
expats and locals to understand better their culture. He learns to appreciate this
new culture, the languages and the practices so he will not be as stressed as
he once first entered into the country. They may regain their confidence in
this stage. This lasts from one to two years.
Gaining proficiency stage.
After two years, expats can slowly gain their proficiency in adapting to the
practices of the country. Give it five to seven years and he will fully appreciate
the culture of the country he moved to.
It is common for tourists
and expats to experience culture shock however you can easily get through it
through the assistance of international relocation company.
No comments:
Post a Comment