Nguyễn Thị Nguyệt Huỳnh - 1957010013

Nguyễn Hoàng Khương Linh - 1957010104

Nguyễn Thị Hồng Nhung - 1957010123

ASSIGNMENT - ESSAY 1
How to overcome culture shock when studying abroad.

The saying “Every rose has its thorns” is used to indicate that appealing things may get
accompanied by unfavourable ones, and studying abroad is no exception. When all the
glamours of setting foot on a foreign land have watered down, a huge issue will arise:
culture shock. Unnerving as this force is, it is hardly indefatigable. There are three specific
steps overseas students can apply to combat against culture shock.

First and foremost, an open-minded attitude is a setting stone in order to win this battle.
According to Professor Winkelman (1994), “It is essential that one acknowledge the
benefits of living in a different culture and have a positive attitude about the culture and
learning experiences rather than complain or make comparisons with life at home.” For
instance, a Vietnamese international student may feel disheartened during his first months
in the USA; because compared to the close-knit community in his home town, the new
neighbours seem rather aloof. In this case, if he keeps a disdain towards that individualistic
lifestyle of Americans, it will hinder any attempt to adjust to the surrounding, and
consequently aggravate the impact of culture shock. Therefore, that student must try to be
receptive to those cultural differences in the first place.

The next step to take into account is establishing connections with other people. The
simplest way of this is making friends with other classmates as early into the semester as
possible. It provides overseas students with much needed emotional support (Winkelman,
1994), particularly whenever they are overwhelmed by homesickness or face conflicts with
their roommates. Also, they can expand their networks through joining clubs at university
or local groups of their fellow compatriots. As one has become comfortable with a certain
group of friends, it is crucial to interact with the local people. Depending on the area in
which a student lives, he can try to befriend people in the adjacent flats or owners in the
shops he usually stops by. Those secondary bonds can appear superficial, yet they help
students to develop a sense of belonging to their social environment.

Finally, immersing into the social and cultural background of where one resides is vital
in minimizing the bleak effects of culture shock on one’s psyche. The most fundamental
step into this process is learning the host country’s language, as well as their typical non-
verbal communication manners. This helps students to integrate into the community and
not to risk offending the residents. Beside that, as “any modern nation is a complex society
with corresponding variations in culture” (Oberg, 1960), there are always a wide range of
activities in cultural aspects in which students can engage. For example, a foreign student
in Vietnam may participate in customs during Tet holiday like preparing “bánh chưng” or
receiving “lì xì” from the elderly. Those activities depend on the nation students are living,
but a basic requirement is that one dares to venture.

All in all, in order to overcome the dreadful ‘culture shock’, foreign students should
follow the sequence comprised of developing a positive attitude, forming relationships with
others and getting acquainted with the country’s culture. Also, even though studying
abroad is hardly smooth-sailing all the time, it is essential to bear in mind that “there is light
at the end of the tunnel.”
References:
Oberg, K. (1960). Culture shock: Adjustments to new cultural environments. Practical
Anthropology, 4, 177-182.
Winkelman, M. (1994). Cultural Shock and Adaptation. Journal of Counseling &
Development, 73, 121-126.