culture shock

By--Jane Wang

Culture shock is a big challenge for me for this is my first time to go to western country. Especially America is a totally different country from China, both in Language, food, eating habit, school atmosphere, etc. I know it is a great opportunity for learning and acquiring new perspectives and culture shock can make one develop a better understanding of oneself and stimulate personal creativity, but it is true that culture shock made me feel frustrated, not only about myself, but also about the problems in my own country.

One of the biggest culture shock for me is the language. I was very good at Chinese and when I was in China, I can use beautiful Chinese words to make coherent essay and eloquent speech. However, in America, I only can use some simple words to express my idea, but sometimes opinions can’t be expressed clearly by only simple words. That makes me very upset, especially when I watch the English TV show, for I can’t catch what the characters said. I know it is normal that sometimes we feel lost or confuse in our identity and sometime we face new levels of culture shock or stress. Therefore, the only way that can make myself feel better is to study English hard and communicate more with people from other country.

The other biggest culture shock for me is the food in America. Chinese students may know that we have many food health security problems in China and some terrible accidents about food health security problems have already happened. Even the food health security issue is further exacerbating the already fraught trade relationship between the US and China. Differ from China, America has less food health security problems and their laws and central control for food additives, chemical, microbiological contaminants, and agro-chemical residues is very strict. Besides, America government has settled a clear standards and procedures for food. Thus, all of this elements offer a guarantee that people in America can eat fresh vegetables.This different between China and America makes me disappointed about my own country. I hope that one day the food health security problems can be ameliorated in China.

I believe that I can be least bothered with culture shock if I try to learn local tradition or custom. It is an opportunity for me to redefining my life objectives. I will try my best to overcome the culture shock.