There are four recognized stages of culture shock. Do not worry if you feel the symptoms of these different stages during an elongated stay! It is common to go through all the phases, and come out the other side an adjusted individual.

The first stage is the honeymoon phase. During this time, many of the appealing aspects may be very apparent, and it can seem like a magical new culture to be a part of. This is followed by the hardest part, the actual culture shock. While initially things seemed incredible, you start to notice some differences between the new location and home, and start to miss the familiarity. Six meals a day in Madrid may initially sound great, but maybe after some time you’d begin to prefer the standard American 3.

After a time, however, you can begin to adjust and appreciate what the culture has to offer again. Maybe you aren’t eating cheeseburgers every night, but light tapas can make for fantastic conversation! The fourth and final stage is adjustment, where the new culture becomes routine and normal. It may be tough at first, but believe me, you will get there, and become a true Madrileño!

WANG, M. (2015). Culture shock-one of common problems in intercultural communication. Retrieved April 02, 2021, from http://www.cscanada.net/index.php/ccc/article/view/7399

McCluskey, L. (2020, January 20). Culture shock stages: Everything you need to know. Retrieved April 02, 2021, from https://www.now-health.com/en/blog/culture-shock-stages/