The plane finally landed after the full, emotionally draining day of traveling and as I peered outside the crack of the tiny window, I saw the place I would call home for the next four months, Sevilla, Spain. The place was familiar, as I had come here a year ago to visit my sister, Morgan; however, I still felt an extreme sense of curiosity of where these 4 months would take me. I was completely thrilled for the adventure; I was equally terrified of how I would adjust and even whether I would be the same “Paige” when I returned. The preceding days before I left America, was when I began to question how this experience would transform me, in both good and bad ways, as I had witnessed with Morgan. The thought of being separated from family, friends,
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People accumulate certain stereotypes from the media, our schools, and the people around us about other cultures. These stereotypes have created narrow barriers that separate ‘us’ from ‘them.’ Yet, after speaking with other students who have studied abroad, it is evident that these barriers are not indestructible in fact they can be broken. In fact study abroad or any international journey is a wonderful way to challenge many of those stereotypes. However, before breaking stereotypes, an individual or a group must manage culture shock. Although people can adapt to their host country through the use of various coping techniques, preparation might have dramatically reduced the effects of culture shock experienced (Patron, 2007, p.137). The drastic change in environment was something that even with training sessions and advice from former study abroad students I was never going to be fully prepared for. The few orientations sessions I had, one with JMU and the other with CEA, provided limited discussion of culture shock. The most beneficial part for preparing for culture shock was hearing my sister’s experience first hand. However, even she warned me that every person’s experience is unique expressing, “You have no clue what is like, until you are there? I can only tell you to open your eyes and your heart”. Culture shock was a reality for me but not to the degree that it might be for people that have been entirely sheltered from cultural experiences. I could not prepare for the specific changes and adjustments that were going to come, but my limited awareness on the culture of Seville led me to be open to explore. Simply being aware that culture shock will occur, allowed me to have an overall more optimistic and open-minded view when I
People accumulate certain stereotypes from the media, our schools, and the people around us about other cultures. These stereotypes have created narrow barriers that separate ‘us’ from ‘them.’ Yet, after speaking with other students who have studied abroad, it is evident that these barriers are not indestructible in fact they can be broken. In fact study abroad or any international journey is a wonderful way to challenge many of those stereotypes. However, before breaking stereotypes, an individual or a group must manage culture shock. Although people can adapt to their host country through the use of various coping techniques, preparation might have dramatically reduced the effects of culture shock experienced (Patron, 2007, p.137). The drastic change in environment was something that even with training sessions and advice from former study abroad students I was never going to be fully prepared for. The few orientations sessions I had, one with JMU and the other with CEA, provided limited discussion of culture shock. The most beneficial part for preparing for culture shock was hearing my sister’s experience first hand. However, even she warned me that every person’s experience is unique expressing, “You have no clue what is like, until you are there? I can only tell you to open your eyes and your heart”. Culture shock was a reality for me but not to the degree that it might be for people that have been entirely sheltered from cultural experiences. I could not prepare for the specific changes and adjustments that were going to come, but my limited awareness on the culture of Seville led me to be open to explore. Simply being aware that culture shock will occur, allowed me to have an overall more optimistic and open-minded view when I