By Makenna Sowards
Studying abroad is no easy feat. You are dropped into a brand-new world with different etiquette, standards, expectations, and languages. It’s an overwhelming feeling, to say the least. My first week here, I think I saw every one of my new friends cry at some point.
Culture shock—everybody goes through it. That’s what all of my school advisors and friends warned me about. Prepare for culture shock. But no one was able to explain to me what that was or how to prepare for it.
After seeing all of the abroad students around me fall into it, I realized it had a multitude of definitions. From not being able to find your favorite soda at the grocery store to struggling to understand transportation, it’s about being knocked down by something you don’t yet comprehend.
As the first week progressed to two, progressed to four, the one thing I was struggling most to understand was why I hadn’t cried yet. Why hadn’t I broken down and called my parents to ask them to come pick me up? Where were the stress-filled tears and anxious pacing?
That’s when I learned what I believe is the key to not being overwhelmed by culture shock: gratitude.
It’s quite simple, really.
Anytime that I encountered something unusual to me, or frustrating, I would remind myself of how amazing it was that I was able to be stressed out by these things. When I couldn’t find a good restaurant and agonized over forming a feasible meal plan, I remembered how lucky I was for that to be my worst problem.
When I started to get overwhelmed with all the new people and energy required to carry myself through conversation, I reminded myself how wonderful it was to have people that wanted to get to know me.
There were many responsibilities endowed upon us during our first week in Florence, between settling into our rooms, submitting a permit of stay, finding our classes, going to orientation, and so on. And yet all I had to do to keep my head above water was remain thankful for the opportunity to study abroad.
People go their whole lives without ever once getting the chance to explore a new country for months, traveling with people from all over, or immersing themselves in a different culture. So despite all of the pains and stressors that come with such a change, I’m grateful for the ability to worry about such things.
It’s not always easy, but it is all worth it.