Culture Shock

[Iniika]

As mentioned in another thread, next year I'm heading off to make a homestead in Japan for a while. I've been there before, so the experience wont be entirely new, aside from being in a different area, however, having to integrate as a productive member of a community so different from my own will be.

So, my question is -what has been your biggest moment of 'culture shock'? How did you deal with it? If you've ever lived in a country with a culture appreciably different than your own, how long did it take to aclimate yourself to the point where you felt comfortable and/or were accepted?

And for the Western transplants to Japan especially, what are some things to be aware of when first settling in and setting up a life in Japan? Particularilly in Kyoto.

[Yootopia]

So, my question is -what has been your biggest moment of 'culture shock'?

York to the Communist Republic of Hull. Dealt with it via being more friendly, a concept unheard of in fair York

[OMGeverynameistaken]

Greek food. Definitely.

The stuff tastes great, but the Greeks have apparently never mastered the idea that food shouldn't look like it's already been eaten.

[Fassitude]

I would have to say Bosnia. The country is so stunning and people so outwardly friendly and sociable that when you are reminded of the war and of the creepy mentality behind it, that just seeps beneath the surface of virtually everything (from signs that have the names of towns in the wrong alphabet crossed out, to certain harrowing in vino veritas moments)... it can turn into such an ugly place from instant to instant.

[Kryozerkia]

Greek food. Definitely.

The stuff tastes great, but the Greeks have apparently never mastered the idea that food shouldn't look like it's already been eaten.

Obviously the Greek food you ate wasn't the real thing.

The food I grew up on lacked that appearance.

[OMGeverynameistaken]

Greek food. Definitely.

The stuff tastes great, but the Greeks have apparently never mastered the idea that food shouldn't look like it's already been eaten.

Obviously the Greek food you ate wasn't the real thing.

The food I grew up on lacked that appearance.

So the Greek food I ate in Greece, prepared by a Greek man, wasn't actually Greek food?

'Looking like it's already been eaten' is hyperbole. It just didn't appeal to my particular sense of what food looks like.

[Iniika]

Greek food. Definitely.

The stuff tastes great, but the Greeks have apparently never mastered the idea that food shouldn't look like it's already been eaten.

I agree. Greek food has always had the strange ability to both turn my stomach and make my mouth water at the same time.

Did you ever get sick form the food? (not that the food might be ill prepared, just that it was so different than what I'm assuming you were used to)

I would have to say Bosnia. The country is so stunning and people so outwardly friendly and sociable that when you are reminded of the war and of the creepy mentality behind it, that just seeps beneath the surface of virtually everything (from signs that have the names of towns in the wrong alphabet crossed out, to certain harrowing in vino veritas moments)... it can turn into such an ugly place from instant to instant.

How long were you there for? Was it a large or small town you were in? I can imagine that would be pretty disconserting. Did the people have the same sort or mentality, or was it just the atmosphere of the whole place? Also, how were you recieved as a foriegner?

[Ceannairceach]

When I went to Serbia with my friend. He's a serb, so i thought he could help me. I got lost the second we left the airport. I had to find my way to his house, and then I had to figure out enough serbian to ask someone the way to our meeting point where i would meet up with my other friend.

[Kryozerkia]

Greek food. Definitely.

The stuff tastes great, but the Greeks have apparently never mastered the idea that food shouldn't look like it's already been eaten.

Obviously the Greek food you ate wasn't the real thing.

The food I grew up on lacked that appearance.

So the Greek food I ate in Greece, prepared by a Greek man, wasn't actually Greek food?

'Looking like it's already been eaten' is hyperbole. It just didn't appeal to my particular sense of what food looks like.

Perhaps then I should have said "good" Greek food because I've always had excellent food. Then again, nothing tops homemade. Especially from my Yaya's kitchen.

[Iniika]

When I went to Serbia with my friend. He's a serb, so i thought he could help me. I got lost the second we left the airport. I had to find my way to his house, and then I had to figure out enough serbian to ask someone the way to our meeting point where i would meet up with my other friend.

Did you know some Serbian to begin with? That's a nightmare to me. I have this huge fear of abandonment, that being lost in a place that I have no knowledge of would probably induce a panic attack XD

[Gleinster]

Tabriz, Iran.

We walked a couple of streets from the train station in the wrong direction turned onto another street where the road was packed with people beating the shit out of donkeys. We froze, then they froze, about three seconds passed, and they started whipping the crap out of the donkey's again.

Surreal.

[OMGeverynameistaken]

@Iniika

I actually had something that I think might have been barbecued fish...I'm pretty certain it was fish, at least. It was pretty good, though. I'm not a big red-meat fan, but those who had the various beef/lamb/etc. dishes said they were good as well.

@Kryozerkia
Hey, like I said, it tasted great. It just didn't look great.

[Kryozerkia]

@Kryozerkia
Hey, like I said, it tasted great. It just didn't look great.

You probably ate Mousaka, which in itself isn't the best looking dish.

[Takaram]

When I went to Tanzania this summer. Driving through Arusha that first day, my eyes were glued to the window.

[Guanzhong]

As an American, markets in China where the most alien for me.

So was the lack of any enforced traffic law, its pretty much the largest, most aggressive vehicle (our bus) has right of way.

Also tea, I never liked tea before, but learned to like it out of necessity

[NERVUN]

As mentioned in another thread, next year I'm heading off to make a homestead in Japan for a while. I've been there before, so the experience wont be entirely new, aside from being in a different area, however, having to integrate as a productive member of a community so different from my own will be.

So, my question is -what has been your biggest moment of 'culture shock'? How did you deal with it? If you've ever lived in a country with a culture appreciably different than your own, how long did it take to aclimate yourself to the point where you felt comfortable and/or were accepted?

And for the Western transplants to Japan especially, what are some things to be aware of when first settling in and setting up a life in Japan? Particularilly in Kyoto.

In all honesty, I really have not had major moments of culture shock. I think it stems from having studied Japanese culture, both good and bad, before I went, including talking to a lot of Japanese, as well as a sense of self that isn't majorly rooted in my own culture. I'm an American, yes, but I don't seem to have the need to be surrounded by American things, ideas, customs, or food to feel at home.

As for setting up in Kyoto, I feel so sorry for you. Beautiful place, Kyoto. Full of history. And seems to be just on the other side of Hell in the summer.

In all seriousness, Kyoto's a large city with a number of foreign residents and visitors so you're not going to have a log of issues with finding someone to help you with settling in and showing you the ins and outs of the city. would recommend making contact with the local gaijin community though, they usually are in the know about the best spots and the people who can help you. If you're got any specific questions, feel free to TG me.

[OMGeverynameistaken]

@Kryozerkia
Nah, it was just fish that'd been grilled somehow. There wasn't anything on it but sauce and it was in fillet form.

@Guanzhong
Heh...another flashback to Greece. It wasn't so bad in Athens, but out of the cities...phew...the lines on the road were just for show it seems

[KaIashnikov]

Iraq was a pretty big culture shock.

Shocking for them. Boom.

[Iniika]

Tabriz, Iran.

We walked a couple of streets from the train station in the wrong direction turned onto another street where the road was packed with people beating the shit out of donkeys. We froze, then they froze, about three seconds passed, and they started whipping the crap out of the donkey's again.

Surreal.

... Wow. That's pretty messed up. Was it like... beating them with the intent to kill them or beating them to get them to move? >>;

When I went to Tanzania this summer. Driving through Arusha that first day, my eyes were glued to the window.

Why? What was so different about it from the place where you're from? Did you go to a rural or urban area?

As an American, markets in China where the most alien for me.

So was the lack of any enforced traffic law, its pretty much the largest, most aggressive vehicle (our bus) has right of way.

Also tea, I never liked tea before, but learned to like it out of necessity

Strangely enough, one of the most odd things I noted about my first time in Japan was a lack of bicycle laws. Being almost speared by a guy zipping down a crowded street with his umbrella over his handle bars like a lance was kind of perturbing.

Tea is awesome! I had to stop drinking it with sugar though, because my asian friends were like "Oh yeah... you -white- people need sugar in your tea" hahaha~ ^^;

In all honesty, I really have not had major moments of culture shock. I think it stems from having studied Japanese culture, both good and bad, before I went, including talking to a lot of Japanese, as well as a sense of self that isn't majorly rooted in my own culture. I'm an American, yes, but I don't seem to have the need to be surrounded by American things, ideas, customs, or food to feel at home.

As for setting up in Kyoto, I feel so sorry for you. Beautiful place, Kyoto. Full of history. And seems to be just on the other side of Hell in the summer.

In all seriousness, Kyoto's a large city with a number of foreign residents and visitors so you're not going to have a log of issues with finding someone to help you with settling in and showing you the ins and outs of the city. would recommend making contact with the local gaijin community though, they usually are in the know about the best spots and the people who can help you. If you're got any specific questions, feel free to TG me.

Thanks! I think I know enough about the culture not to be at a complete loss, but the initial getting set up in a place that's quite a bit different from home might be a bit unnerving. Fortunately I'm not going alone; I'm going with my girlfriend while she goes to school, I'm on working holiday. Fingers are crossed for a pick up in the economy though, since I wont have a complete degree, but hopefully a teaching certificate and language proficiency lvl 4. The finding of a job and an apartment will be the first big challenges.

[Muravyets]

I haven't traveled much, and my biggest culture shocks have come in my own country.

In Naples, I was shocked at how much like New York it seemed, and how non-culture-shocked I was. The only "shock" was how much friendlier and more pleasant the Napolitani were than their reputations had led me to expect. I love Naples -- filthy, rotten, loud, crazy, crime-ridden city full of the best people in the world, and the best food. It was great.

In Prague, it was more soul/spirit/brain shock than culture shock, as Prague is the weirdest craziest-ass mofo place I have ever been in. But it is also a little like New York, but in a different way than Naples. And I really liked the people there, too. They were so smart. And funny! I love Prague -- gorgeous, surreal, mad as a fucking hatter on acid. It was great.

But the real big culture shock for me came when I moved from New York City to Burlington, Vermont, and later to Boston, while at the same time, my friends and relatives moved to places like Virginia and California. That's when I found out that, contrary to what they'd taught me in school, I had never lived in America before. I'm afraid of Americans.

[Ryadn]

When I went away to university at UCSC, I was shocked at how totally surrounded I was by white people. I'd grown very used to being part of a large minority (perhaps 25% of my high school was white, and on average only about 10-15% of any of my classes). It was really, intensely weird for awhile. I happened to live in the multi-cultural dorm at my college, though, so at least in my house there was more ethnic diversity, and in the four years I was there the Asian population steadily climbed, so it became more and more like what I was used to.

[Ryadn]

Tea is awesome! I had to stop drinking it with sugar though, because my asian friends were like "Oh yeah... you -white- people need sugar in your tea" hahaha~ ^^;

Hang out with your Indian friends more. *nods*

[RightWingChristians]

Memphis, Tennessee.



Surrounded by Black people, run down neighborhoods, and basketball fans. Very different compared to my area. It was very dirty, and Beale (Sp?) St. was absolutely not what I expected it to be. I was told it was, "Great!", but I disagree.

[Nus Antara]

I've lived in about four countries and visited more, but the most 'culture shock' i've gotten was in Paris. The city is so beautiful, but the people living there apparently have no care for it and throw trash and leave dog crap all over the streets. Oh, and they're rude, unless you can speak French (which I learned to do eventually).

If any of you guys visit my home nation you'll get the most culture shock ever. seriously.

[RoI3]

Perhaps then I should have said "good" Greek food because I've always had excellent food. Then again, nothing tops homemade. Especially from my Yaya's kitchen.

What's Yaya?