Advice to overcome culture shock
Nabila - 20 April 2023
Coming to Australia from Indonesia, I thought that since we are a neighbouring country, it will not be much different, but no! There are a lot of differences, besides the language of course, such as the basic things in the bathroom, kitchen, supermarket, and the social aspects. These things will usually be hard, especially if you are alone by yourself, it feels kind of isolating. But there are some things that you might be able to do to overcome culture shock:
- Observe and copy
The first thing to do when you are in an unfamiliar place would be observing the people, how they do things, how they address each other, etc. Then you can try to copy it, but of course in a similar setting so that it will not be weird. For example, in Australia, a waiter or store person will always greet a customer with “How are you?” and the answer is usually always “Good”.
- Ask away
When you are in doubt, just ask away! It may sound easy, but sometimes asking the obvious things might feel a bit embarrassing. Know that it is okay to ask questions, the worst maybe people will think you are the new person here. Australians are very friendly and will always help you with whatever you need.
- Join any events
Another thing you can do is join an event where you can meet a lot of new people or colleagues. Does not matter if you are not close to them yet, if you are invited, just join, and enjoy the event! You can observe and ask things you may need to know there. There are lots events in public or at people’s houses and there is usually always food. Sometimes you will be asked to “bring a plate” and that means to bring some food to share with others!
- Enjoy your hobby
But sometimes, these things can be overwhelming. This is when you can enjoy your hobby or try new hobbies instead. If you like to make things, you will like shops such as Spotlight or Lincraft, if you like to play videogames or watch movies, you will enjoy EB Games or JB Hi-Fi and if you enjoy photography, there are plenty of places to take beautiful photos near all the campuses.
Many students who travel overseas to live and study in a new country will notice the many differences between home and their new environment, resulting in ‘culture shock’. Some changes may be subtle, such as how people greet each other, while others may be more significant like the different varieties of food at the local grocer. The above tips will assist you to overcome feelings of culture shock.
Don’t forget that help is always available. Federation University students are encouraged to contact International Student Advisory to receive support to settle into their new lives.
Contact International Student Advisory here.