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    5 Ways to How Avoid Crippling Culture Shock

    After you’ve taken in the beauty of a Venetian piazza, navigated the Tube in London or gone zip lining through the forests of Costa Rica, you might feel like you’ve fallen head over heels for your study abroad experience. However, this honeymoon glow can fade away when you run into a cultural difference that makes you uncomfortable or that frustrates you to no end. Fortunately, this anxiety—commonly known as culture shock—can be conquered. Take a look at the following tips for overcoming this frustrating phenomenon.

    1. Learn Before You Go
    Let’s say you sit down to your first dinner abroad and discover that you’ll be using your fingers to eat from a large communal bowl along with six other people. That situation can certainly throw you for a loop, but it’s also a custom that you could’ve learned about in advance. Guidebooks, online expat sites and travel blogs can give you information about basic culture differences so you can know what to expect before you start your journey.

    2. Talk to Someone with Experience
    There’s no better way to find out what may throw you for a loop than by talking to someone who has been through the experience before. If you’re traveling through a college or university program, see if your school can connect you with a student who has traveled to that same country. Even after you arrive, you should still seek out advice before you take excursions to other towns, cities and attractions. If you have a trusted friend who is a local, he or she can be a great source for helping you avoid tourist traps and other pitfalls.

    3. Continue to Try New Things
    Many people decide that the easiest way to deal with cultural anxiety is by simply withdrawing from activities and outings. But before you lock yourself in your hostel, apartment or your host family’s house, remember that new experiences are some of the most rewarding aspects of studying abroad. Rather than letting your anxiety get the best of you, confront it head-on. The more you get out and continue learning, the more comfortable you’ll become with your new country’s customs and nuances.

    4. Know What to Expect During an Emergency
    The last thing you want is for culture shock to take hold of you while you’re trying to fix a broken arm or get over a stomach virus. The best way to avoid this nightmare situation is by becoming familiar with your new country’s medical systems and practices and knowing exactly where you would go for minor health issues or major emergencies. Learning the specifics of your travel insurance policy in advance can also help you feel more secure if you ever have to enter a potentially anxiety-ridden emergency situation.

    5. Be Willing to Laugh
    Laughter is the best medicine for most culture shock situations when traveling abroad. Even if you try your hardest to adopt a local way of life, you’re bound to make a few mistakes. So give yourself a break by finding humor in your inevitable faux-pas. Laughing at an otherwise frustrating situation will not only help you feel better, but it will also make people around you feel more comfortable lending you a helping hand.

    Culture shock is fairly common when people live abroad, so it’s a good idea to take keep these tips in mind to avoid letting your anxiety get the best of you. When you feel culture shock rearing its ugly head, put one or more of these tips to use so you can get back to enjoying and appreciating the experience!

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