CULTURAL SHOCK

When I moved to another country, I felt depressed and tired. Did only I feel these feelings or someone
else felt same things? Were these feelings normal? Experts explain that culture shock is just feelings belong
to people who move to another country. People who moved to another country feel like a fish of water.
They feel like fish because they had been swimming in their own culture. Experts called this feeling culture
shock in 1958. Culture shock is almost like disease; it has a cause, symptoms, and a cure. Culture shock
may not be felt at home, but it occurs peoples whole life.
Feeling tired or depressed? Experiencing headaches or sleeplessness? You may be suffering from
culture shock, a stress related phenomenon that afflicts all expatriates. Culture shock occurs when you trade
all youve known for all thats unknown. And, whether you are moving to France or to Fiji, this can lead to
physical and psychological symptoms. Culture shock is not a disease, but it may feel like one (intercultural
communication)
Person who is suffering from culture shock feels depressed and unable to concentrate. Daily activity
may change. For example, he or she who is suffering from culture shock may not sleep at night and sleep
late into the day. The symptoms of cultural shock can appear of different times. Some of the symptoms are;
Insomnia, desire to sleep too much or too little
Changes in temperament, depression, feeling vulnerable, feeling powerless
Anger, irritability, resentment, unwillingness to interact with others
Identifying with the old culture or idealizing the old country
Trying too hard to absorb everything in the new culture or country
Developing obsessions such as over-cleanliness
1. True or false?

a. Insomnia and anger are two of the symptoms of the cultural shock.
b. You dont feel depressive or irritated when you suffer of the cultural shock.
c. Cultural shock is a disease.
d. Daily activity may make the cultural shock disappear .

2. Match the synonyms for the following words from the text.

symptom mania
expatriates wish
desire sign
insomnia emigrants
obsession sleeplessness

3. Choose the right answer:

Cultural shock means:
a. Changing haircut.
b. Watching a new play.
c. Moving to a new country.
d. Eating exotic food.
Depression, anger and sleeplessness are some of the feelings of:
a. Hunger.
b. Cultural shock.
c. Love.
d. Happiness.

4. Make nouns or adjectives from the following words:

Power-
Sleep-
Depressed-
Activity-