Adapting to a New Country
Adjustment in a New Country
When you arrive in a new country with a different culture you can experience a wide variety of feelings and reactions.
For example, you may feel confused, nervous, irritable, uncertain and dependent on others, and you may miss your family and friends more than you expected. All these could mean you question your decision to come to Australia. Was it the right decision?
Coping with culture shock requires a special effort, but it is important to remember that you are not alone in your feelings of distress. Most people in their first weeks and months in a new country experience similar reactions - it is a normal response to a drastic change in your physical, social and cultural environment.
The following tips will help you adjust to a new culture:
Listen, observe and keep an open mind
You may be unfamiliar with the social rules in Australia. People show differences in their attitudes and behaviour. Try to listen carefully to what people are saying and observe their body language closely. In other words, concentrate on both verbal and non-verbal communication techniques. You may discover the meaning intended by observation and interpretation rather than assuming from past experience in your own culture.
If some of these non-verbal signals are insulting in your culture, don't take it personally. For example, smiling when you are introduced to someone may be a sign of respect in your culture; in Australia, if someone does not smile in this situation, it does not necessarily mean that he or she is not respectful.
Everyone can be proud of and comfortable with their own cultural background. An open mind and awareness of difference can help us to respect each other and learn from each other.
Ask questions, seek clarification
Ask yourself if the behaviour you are seeing makes sense within the Australian culture, even if it seems strange or wrong to you. Remember that you may have misunderstood something because you didn't have
When you arrive in a new country with a different culture you can experience a wide variety of feelings and reactions.
For example, you may feel confused, nervous, irritable, uncertain and dependent on others, and you may miss your family and friends more than you expected. All these could mean you question your decision to come to Australia. Was it the right decision?
Coping with culture shock requires a special effort, but it is important to remember that you are not alone in your feelings of distress. Most people in their first weeks and months in a new country experience similar reactions - it is a normal response to a drastic change in your physical, social and cultural environment.
The following tips will help you adjust to a new culture:
Listen, observe and keep an open mind
You may be unfamiliar with the social rules in Australia. People show differences in their attitudes and behaviour. Try to listen carefully to what people are saying and observe their body language closely. In other words, concentrate on both verbal and non-verbal communication techniques. You may discover the meaning intended by observation and interpretation rather than assuming from past experience in your own culture.
If some of these non-verbal signals are insulting in your culture, don't take it personally. For example, smiling when you are introduced to someone may be a sign of respect in your culture; in Australia, if someone does not smile in this situation, it does not necessarily mean that he or she is not respectful.
Everyone can be proud of and comfortable with their own cultural background. An open mind and awareness of difference can help us to respect each other and learn from each other.
Ask questions, seek clarification
Ask yourself if the behaviour you are seeing makes sense within the Australian culture, even if it seems strange or wrong to you. Remember that you may have misunderstood something because you didn't have