I Can’t Belize It’s Not That Shocking

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of culture shock is “a feeling of confusion, doubt, or nervousness caused by being in a place (such as a foreign country) that is very different from what you are used to.” I think that is a fairly reasonable feeling. You grow up surrounded by your own culture, it’s what you are comfortable with. Traveling to new places takes a person out of their comfort zone which often leads to the feeling of culture shock.

While spending a month in foreign country very different from my own, I started to think about why culture shock is an issue while traveling. It’s the end of the month and I’ve been looking back throughout the trip to see if I experienced it. I haven’t. I started to think of why I haven’t when so many others do. Was it because of my laid back personality? I always go with the flow so it is relatively hard to shake me. While it seemed like the most likely reason, I felt the need to dig deeper for an answer. After some digging, I think I now understand. How you spend your time abroad can really affect the experience.

Often times when people travel, they stick to the stereotypical tourist attractions. I’m not saying this about everyone. But the reason these attractions are so popular is because of the amount of people that go to them. Attractions are a good way to explore a country and also usually fun. Unfortunately, they are not a good way to really experience the culture of that area. They are often tailored to specific group which can separate it from the culture. This leads to people not truly experiencing an areas culture. So when they do have a more cultural experience, they are not prepared which leads to culture shock.

During my month abroad all we did was immerse ourselves in the traditional culture of Belize. Right from the get go we were learning about the language and music, eating traditional food, and learning the history of the country. While this sounds like a good way to cause culture shock, all you need to do is remember that the culture is different and that that is okay. Having an open mind is very helpful in any type of new and unfamiliar situation.

I believe the way to get the best traveling experience you can is to immerse yourself in the culture of the area you are in. You will have a unique experience outside of the tourism industry. If you get too overwhelmed at any point, you can find something that reminds you of home. Just remember, have an open mind and you won’t be away from home forever.

By Emma Fallon