Culture Shock

What is Culture Shock?

Culture shock can be a feeling you come across when traveling to Rome, Italy. This travel guide is here to serve as a guide for what to expect when entering a new environment such as Rome, Italy, and culture shock in particular could be a feeling you encounter. However, there is no need to worry, because I am here to advise you with ways to combat culture shock. But what is culture shock, and what are the phases?

Culture shock can be a difficult aspect of adjusting to an unfamiliar environment. “Culture shock is the feeling of confusion, insecurity, and anxiety caused by the strangeness of a new environment. It is the traumatic experience that individual may encounter when entering a different culture” (Wang, M. L. 2015). Likewise, whether you’re studying abroad, traveling as a tourist, entering a new work environment, or simply meeting someone with a different cultural background than you, you can encounter culture shock (Miller, K. 2022). I personally have encountered culture shock when traveling as a tourist in Rome, Italy. This was due to the unfamiliar feeling that I felt, along with the cultural differences that I endured during my visit. Luckily, there are ways to combat culture shock, but first, it is crucial to analyze the different phases of culture shock. Let’s apply my personal experience of culture shock to the four stage model so we can further comprehend what it’s like to experience culture shock.

Four Stage Model

1. Incubation phase: Similar to the “honeymoon” stage, this stage is the euphoric stage, where you are entering the new environment as an excited tourist who is noticing differences in culture, but trying to tolerate them right away because you are so thrilled to be there. This stage can last for the first few hours, days, or even last up to a month (Miller, K. 2022).
   • My experience: When I first got to Rome, Italy, I was thrilled to be there. I was especially excited to visit the Trevi fountain and the Colosseum. I felt euphoric in a sense, but began to notice and tolerate many cultural differences, especially communication differences such as language barriers. This phase lasted for the first few hours I was there.
2. Culture shock phase: In this stage you encounter feelings of stress, worry, anxiety, and homesickness. You also begin to feel physically tired and worn out, this is the heightened stage of danger and anxiousness that can conclude with isolation. In this stage, it is crucial to become aware that this is a normal feeling, and try to work your way out of it (Miller, K. 2022).
   • My experience: I entered the culture shock phase after a few hours of extreme excitement. I began to feel stressed and tired, as the notable cultural differences began to feel intolerable. Not being able to communicate effectively between cultures due to language barriers caused me stress and anxiety as I felt out of place. I started to admit to myself that these feelings were normal.
3. Adjustment phase: In this phase, you realize that the overwhelming differences you felt during culture shock, are ones you can handle. You begin to appreciate and value the differences between your culture and this new culture. You also begin to develop a sense of adjustment, and feel more willing to exchange conversations and build new relationships with others of that culture (Miller, K. 2022).
   • My experience: After giving culture shock some time, I entered the adjustment phase and began to realize that I can handle these cultural differences. Instead of isolating myself from others, I began to exchange conversations with others through accommodating to their language (I spoke Spanish, as it was closest to their language). Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the cultural differences, I began to appreciate whats done differently in this new culture.
4. Adaptation phase: In this phase most of the problems you were encountering are solved, and you experience a personal transition. You become more bi-cultural, as you learn to adapt to the cultural differences as this culture becomes part of your identity. Ultimately, you become competent with this new culture in addition to your home culture (Miller, K. 2022).
   • My experience: Unfortunately, I was not in Rome, Italy long enough to experience this phase. I was fortunate enough to experience the adjustment phase, and although I didn’t get to experience the adaptation phase I can say that with time and exposure to this new environment, you will be able to experience the personal transition of adapting this new identity. 

Strategies to combat Culture Shock

Now that you are able to fully understand what the four phases of culture shock are, it will be much easier to acknowledge these feelings if you encounter them when visiting Rome, Italy. If you do encounter culture shock, there are strategies that can help guide you through the initial culture shock phase, and further advance you to the adjustment and adaptation phase.

1. Gain knowledge and study the culture before you go

Like you are doing now, you can research about Rome’s culture before you go. You can research about their communication styles, what artifacts are important to them, their different taxonomy elements, stereotypes, and specific activities you would like to do while you’re there. Doing brief research about Rome, Italy’s overall culture can help you gain prior knowledge that can prevent some of these culture shock feelings. You can further expand your knowledge about Rome’s culture on this website, as it is a travel guide to Rome, Italy.

2. Have a non judgemental attitude

Having an ethnocentric attitude can prevent you from understanding members of a different culture as well as block effective communication, which can lead to prejudice and discrimination. Accepting and respecting another culture, in this case Rome’s culture, means overcoming the tendencies to judging another culture inferior to our own, and instead respecting the values and customs of Rome’s culture (Wang, M. L. 2015). Having a nonjudgemental attitude is important to combat culture shock so that we can make meaningful connections and understand the differences between culture’s without judging, or isolating ourselves.

3. Be flexible

To avoid culture shock feelings in Rome, it is important to stay flexible in communication situations. You can make adjustments to your personalized communication style, decoding and observing the communication styles of the other culture. You can also stay flexible in communication situations by avoid being self-cousious, anxious, and tense. Instead, anticipate the setting you will be in, stay confident, and maintain flexibility with how you communicate (Wang, M. L. 2015).

Final thoughts

Culture shock can be a very scary feeling to encounter when traveling to places such as Rome, Italy. However, understanding what these feelings are, what they mean, and identifying the different phases can help you know what to do if these feelings occur. Knowing that this is a normal feeling, you’re not alone, and giving yourself time to adapt and adjust can help you overcome these feelings. Utilizing strategies such as researching Rome’s culture before you go, having a nonjudgemental attitude, and staying flexible can help prevent any culture shock feelings of anxiety, worry, and stress. 

By: Lindsey Buchanan