Arcadia England

A lot of American students think they won’t suffer from Culture Shock. I mean, the UK and the US are really similar, right?

But the truth is that we all suffer from culture shock on occasions, and not just when we move country! Culture shock is defined as “an experience a person may have when one moves to a cultural environment which is different from one's own; it is also the personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to moving to or visiting a new country, a move between social environments, or simply transition to another type of life.” So, a British person who has grown up in the countryside may experience elements of culture shock if they move to a huge city like London; many students experience culture shock when they move from high school to university and have to adapt to different expectations and new ways of learning; we all adapt our behaviour to fit in with the myriad cultures of which we are a part - we behave differently at a soccer game with our friends than when we are having dinner with our elderly grandparents, because there are different expectations in each of these situations, but we adapt automatically without giving it too much thought - these are familiar situations, so we don’t think about them, and don't experience culture shock. Culture shock happens when it feels as though everyone else knows how to fit in but we don't.

Moving to another country can be challenging, especially if the reality ends up being radically different from our expectations. I have travelled all over the world, and find that, when I have fully expected to experience culture shock because I know I am in a completely alien environment, the fact I am prepared for it means it ends up being far more manageable than I expected. I once did some work in India and enjoyed every minute of it, knowing that so many things were going to be unfamiliar and therefore potentially frustrating; however, I experienced feelings of frustration, anxiety and full-on homesickness while studying in Canada because I expected things to be pretty similar to the UK, so when they weren’t, I lost my confidence.

The good news is that experiencing culture shock is completely normal, so remember that you are not alone, and do feel free to chat to any staff - a lot of us have worked and studied abroad so we understand! Things usually work themselves out fairly early on in the semester, and the longer you stay here the easier you will find it to navigate, negotiate or simply shake off all the weird, frustrating and unfamiliar things that Britain and the British have to offer! UKCISA has some useful advice, and below some of our staff share their own experiences and tips for managing culture shock:

Joe: “I realised how seriously the British take their alcohol when I first worked in a bar in London. I was pulling a pint of Guinness, and my customer looked horrified when I gave it to him. The bar manager then showed me that, to get a “proper” pint of Guinness, you had to fill it up half way, leave it to sit for a while, then top it up. The following year I was back in Chicago at a bar and continued to serve Guinness in this way, until one guy swore at me and demanded to know why his beer was taking so long! Americans are less patient but also less fussy than Brits!”

“You have a ready-made community and support network at Arcadia’s London center, so make use of it! Ask for help, come to social events, and don’t be afraid to say if you’re struggling.”

Polly: “When I was in Canada I went to a very average restaurant. The bill came to around $24 so I left $25 and left the restaurant. The server followed me out and told me I was very rude and that in Canada you should leave a tip of at least 10%, and my $1 was certainly not acceptable. I felt upset that I had made him so angry, but also very hurt and embarrassed by the way he had addressed it with me! (I never went back there!)”“The British are not as up-tight as they seem, they’re just not very forward. If you ask f people are usually more than willing to help you.”

Hayley: “I began to get really frustrated having to look a different way or direction when crossing the street. I found that I was always rushing around and not really appreciating the surroundings. I think the best advice is to take in every moment and then you begin to appreciate the new culture around you.”

Nicollette: “I adapted really quickly to London culture and loved it a lot more than my small town, but the one thing that shocked me was the difference between British and American food. For starters, the sizing of British portions was all wrong in my opinion - it was way too small. I later realised that the portion sizes were regular and American portions are just extra extra large. I also thought there was a lack of flavour in the food initially. The "flavour" I was talking about was a codeword for "salt". My reverse culture-shock situation when I returned back home was biting into Burger King fries and then spitting them out due to the high-sodium content. Again, I came to the realisation that it wasn't the UK's fault, America just loves to dump salt into their food. Lastly, I was shocked by how quickly food expired over here. Again, I started to shake my fist at the sky saying "Why, Britain?" Then a Brit pointed out that it's probably a good thing that food expires faster over here, because it lacks any preservatives or chemicals that American foods contain. If students are really craving a taste of the USA, just head down to the International Food section at Sainsburys/Tescos/etc. A jar of peanut butter or box of Mac n Cheese always did the trick for me!”

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