Ever Lived Abroad? The Adaptation Process
I'm studying abroad in Paris right now. I landed yesterday morning, and I haven't been happy since. I realize that it's part of the culture shock. They talked to us about it before we left and gave us all of the warning signs. It isn't the language, and it isn't the people, streets, or roads that have got me down in the dumps.
I feel completely out ( Read more... )
I feel completely out ( Read more... )
And it was hard. Incredibly hard to adjust. I think for much of my first year even, in hindsight, seems like a gray blur as if I wasn't entirely sure of what was happening around me. Now I recognize it as depression but it was difficult. The college I went to is very elite and that was a huge culture shock, not even speaking about the extravagance of US culture in general when you come from a place like mine. And the East Coast is not the most welcoming of places. And winter, crikey.
But, after that bleak intro, it DOES get better. It can be easy to get bogged down in all of these things, the logistics of getting settled can be overwhelming, and often there's nothing more anxiety-producing than money issues in a foreign country when you have little to no support network. But just take it one day at a time.
I was lucky in that there were other international students with whom I got along, who made me feel that I wasn't on this alone. If you have that in your housemate or a few other study abroad folks, treasure it. There is always someone who is going through something similar to you, you might feel alone, but that may not be the case.
And even if I was sometimes depressed in those first few months, it was also one of the most exciting, exhilarating learning experiences of my life. I'm one of those people that now really thrives on a sense of discomfort, and new, scary, crazy, bizarre experiences because it forces me to really define myself and to -- well, grow up. There is so much to experience in Paris, in a new place, new people, new cultures, so many positive things to learn -- even if it feels at first very... blech, I think you'll have a fabulous time. Open yourself up to that, even the littlest of things.
And, not to be trite,but life always has a way of working itself out. I used to roll my eyes when people said that to me -- but it's so true. You'll be choosing your schedule soon, you'll be a little more acclimated on how to get around, and meeting new people etc. so it WILL get better, and those nitpicky, logistical things will sort themselves out. And then you can get on with the business of being a student of the world and exploring and learning, and that will be fabulous :)
I know it's getting better for you already but I thought I'd share anyway.
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Did you study in the U.S. for a year or more than a year?
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Oh that's really good that there are others going through it with you!
I studied in the US for 3.5 years, and spent a semester studying abroad somewhere else -- it's kind of addictive, lol. So yeah, undergrad essentially.
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