Culture shock

[Joel Halfwassen 0]

Okay...I have been reading up on what to do to minimize culture shock, the symptoms, the remedies, etc. But what I’m not finding is just WHAT is going to be shocking about living in America. I have been to the Ukraine. I know what was shocking to me. However, I think that the things I found shocking she will enjoy when she gets here (ie EVERYPLACE takes debit). Now…I live in Phoenix so there is the whole desert thing, the mountains, and the drinking margaritas by the pool at Christmas time so I can see that being an issue. What parts of America, in general, have you (or your spouse) found tough?

Joel

[arwensun1965 0]

Joel, America is a beautiful country an as you rightly said nothing shocking about that, what I have found is the shock of how long it takes to get to any place, I suppose I am quite lucky that the nearest shop is about a mile away, for many it is longer. Also for many woman its the loneliness of being somewhere new for the first time, especially if you are not allowed to work. With your husband gone all day or wife for that matter it does take its toll on things. Then for me personally I had to learn to drive on the opposite side of the road and after driving for more than 20 years on the left all that was a major shock, although I have passed my test now it is still something I am getting used to.

Janice

[gtigiant 0]

for my fiancee it is going to be the shock of winter in cleveland. she is upset with 50F right now, it is going to be quite the show when she sees 10F for 2 weeks straight.

i think other shocks we are preparing for is the of course the need to always use english, change in diet, learning a new transportation infrastructure, sticker shock, etc. and the being at home without being able to work part as mentioned above is def going to take its toll.

[luvaLimey 0]

In phoenix, she's going to have climate acclimation to deal with as well as any culture shock. You know what I mean: when you see someone driving down the freeway wearing oven mitts you think "hey, that's a great idea!"

Probably the biggest thing will be not knowing how things are generally done. In some countries it's customary to queue up when purchasing something, but in the US a lot of times the lines are less structured, and there'll be people waiting to be helped at the counter standing next to someone else instead of behind them. Things like the fact that in most restaurants you wait for the server to pick up your payment, whereas in a diner, you just take your check up to the front to pay.

Tipping could cause embarrassment if she doesn't know what is considered the proper amount or that it's customary here to also tip a bartender (in addition to waitstaff and hairdressers).

After the first couple of sunburns, she might start putting on the SPF50 without thinking about it, but you may want to warn her that the sun is a bit more intense in AZ, especially in the summer.

There are pockets of russian&ukrainian immigrants in the valley. I'm not sure where to start but maybe a google search might give her some contacts, people she can speak her native language with and who might have tips for coping with the differences.

Thats all I can think of right now.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Okay...I have been reading up on what to do to minimize culture shock, the symptoms, the remedies, etc. But what I’m not finding is just WHAT is going to be shocking about living in America. I have been to the Ukraine. I know what was shocking to me. However, I think that the things I found shocking she will enjoy when she gets here (ie EVERYPLACE takes debit). Now…I live in Phoenix so there is the whole desert thing, the mountains, and the drinking margaritas by the pool at Christmas time so I can see that being an issue. What parts of America, in general, have you (or your spouse) found tough?

Joel

Speaking for my wife, the people. People in India are much more approachable and talkative. That is both good and bad, as I always remind her.

[ariest 0]

When I first came on a year-long exchange program to the US I was also wondering what's suppposed to be shocking, but I guess I didn't have any culture shock everyone was warning about. (it's more that I had an "unculture" shock when I came back - I am also from one of the former Soviet Union countries).

I guess one of the things that surprised me was that everything requires so much advance planning from doctor visit sto purchasing show tickets to organizing an event on campus, so there is not so much space for spontaneuity (but I guess with the long immigration process your fiance is now ready for that). Another thing is that in most places in America people just don't walk on the streets, and there is no way to get comfortably around except in a car. Also, depending on your fiance English knowledge, she may find she can't understand a word of what people are saying - being an English student myself (though learning mostly British English) I was almost deaf and numb at first, especially that I ended up for my first 2 weeks in Alabama. Well, in fact, 2 things that did strike me as shocking were the amount of unhealthy food people are eating (no wonder so many obese) and the medical costs. Hope that was helpful.

[Joel Halfwassen 0]

It help a lot! Thank you guys! Anyone else?

Joel

[pja002 0]

If she is leaving a close family relationship that is going to be very hard. Thank God for the internet, e-mail etc.

Even tho' she'll be with you, she may become very lonely for something familiar. Or she may take to Arizona like a duck to water.