Anja:
Hola, Let’s talk:
Culture shock is a very real feeling that everyone experiences, to some degree, when traveling away from the comforts of home. The differences may be big or small, annoying or awesome, but many are most certainly shocking. Throughout my life, I have travelled to quite a few different countries and have experienced some form of culture shock in each. The longer I stayed in each country, the more culture shock I experienced as their customs and habits began to unfold throughout everyday life. Below is map indicating the various different countries I’ve visited, including: The United States (obviously), Canada, Mexico, The United Kingdom, France, Spain, Austria, The Netherlands, and Sweden.
Each of these places was absolutely spectacular for so many different reasons; the rich history of the European countries, the rugged beauty of the Canadian wilderness, the tropical atmosphere of the bustling Yucatan peninsula, and the amazing diversity of the United States. In a few short sentences below, I will try to describe the positive aspects that shocked me about each location, as well as the culture shocks which left me feeling uneasy, confused, or down right irritated.
United Kingdom
When I moved to England, I could not believe that there were girls wearing shorts and T-Shirts outside in the wind and rain! The major shocker with Britain is definitely the fact that the rainy weather doesn’t dictate what they do or wear! Who’s going to let a little rain get in the way of a night out in a new strapless Topshop dress and platform high heels?! No one. The pub culture in England is wild, amazing and oh-so-different from the U.S. It is normal for Brits to hit the pub most days for a few beers and to socialize. Although microbreweries are gaining popularity in the U.S., the average American tends to hit the bar maybe once or twice on the weekend! The only culture shock that never grew on me was their fear of speaking loudly, especially in restaurants… I could never hear anyone and was constantly being shushed by my friends when I got excited or spoke too loudly in public.
Canada
My Grandmom grew up in the tiny town of Noelville, Ontario, on the picturesque French River. Although she moved away to Port Huron, MI, my family still enjoyed trips up to “The French” to visit cousins. The indian trading posts were a culture shock to me when I was little and I was fascinated with all of the furs, dolls and dream catchers. Now when I go to Canada, it is always a little bit shocking when I meet someone who only speaks French. I think Americans think of Canada as being basically the same as the north of the U.S., when in actuality, it is rich in it’s own culture and diversity.
I went to a water sports camp in the south of france and absolutely adored my time there! Although I spent most of my time at the campsite, we were taken on excursions to public beaches, towns, and even a water park! The most shocking thing to thirteen-year-old me was definitely the fact that we were warned that if we bought alcohol, we’d have it taken away and wouldn’t be able to participate in the windsurfing event. Being able to get away with buying alcohol at age 13 was shocking, the fact that kids had obviously done it before was even more so!
Spain:
Spain is a fairytale land for me. Everything looks like a scene from a Disney movie, everyone is beautiful and they are very relaxed about punctuality. I was quite shocked (and super excited) when I arrived to my classroom 10 minutes late and our professor wasn’t even there yet! The Spanish live such a relaxed lifestyle, coming from the U.S., it was hard to believe they could sustain themselves like that! They were very traditional, going on little walks through the park, coming home to eat lunch (their version of dinner) together, and fanning themselves with adorable collapsable hand-fans instead of using air-conditioning. The only thing that I found off-putting was the fact that they do not smile back if they don’t know you. I found myself grinning at everyone because I was so in awe of the country and it was a little bit unsettling when they all gave me a weird look and looked the other way. I realize it’s not normal to smile at people you don’t know there, but I didn’t quite get used to it. Sorry for offending you with my teeth.
Austria:
The Alps were picturesque and magnificent, I was so shocked when we got there because they literally resembled cardboard cut-outs against the clear blue sky! Austria was amazing, the people were so kind and talkative and the food was to die for! I was very surprised that the hostel across the lane from our cabin allowed high school students to drink, but it seemed to be becoming a trend throughout Europe. The Austrians loved to party and do odd step-dances with beers in hand. I was also quite shocked that they still listen to yodeling and had an actual old man who came to yodel on weekend nights at a local restaurant!
Mexico
I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Mexico. The atmosphere of the bustling cities and the wild beauty of the jungle never cease to captivate me during vacations. It was more shocking when I was younger because the Yucatan peninsula was less developed. The Mayan people frequented the cities more and It was quite shocking to see a girl in her young teens, wearing traditional Mayan dress and with a baby of her own. Now the culture shock may come from the crazy people you meet whilst on a night out. Cancun and Playa Del Carmen are now famous for both their beaches and nightlife.
The Netherlands
Amsterdam was a beautiful, historic and very clean city. There were many different cultures there and the people were friendly, helpful, and all resembled runway models. I was shocked by the absence of litter in the crowded streets and also by the high prices of the city. I was also quite surprised when I walked into a “coffee shop” ...and it wasn’t really a coffee shop. Coffee shops are the cafes where they sell weed and roll joints for customers to smoke in the cafe. It was insane to me that it was completely legal and that there were people smoking weed all around me without a care in the world. I was also shocked to see women selling themselves in the windows of the red light district. That was interesting and a little bit sad… It was also weird when one asked me and my mom to join her for “smoke and party.” Maybe not.
Megan
Hola friends!
As many of you know I am studying abroad in the Dominican Republic, but that is not the only place I have been! I have visited Canada, Dominican Republic (3 times), Costa Rica, and Mexico. I have a pretty good grasp with the Latin American culture here in the Dominican but some things will still be very different and hard for me at times. Now I will share some insights with you all about the places I have been and tell you what I think the pros and cons are for each country.
Dominican Republic-
Pros- Very beautiful, people are really friendly and hospitable, people like to go out and drink, AMAZING food, and everything is relatively inexpensive.
Cons- A little on the dangerous side if you aren’t from there, people drive super crazy, and have to be careful where you eat and what water you are drinking.
Costa Rica
Pros- This country is very diverse with so much to offer and see (waterfalls, volcanoes, beaches, and rainforests), and the food is also amazing.
Cons- When I went for a week the only thing I really didn’t get to see was the top of the volcano because it is almost always raining there so the times when you can see things at high altitudes are seldom to none, and they also drive crazy in the bigger cities.
Mexico
Pros- The beaches there are beautiful, the people there are welcoming and nice, the food was delicious, the city of Merida was very pretty and filled with historical Mexican buildings and clean kept streets.
Cons- The venders close to the beaches and resorts are really pushy for you to buy their things.
