Culture Shocked

[Guest Anna_Overseas]

I'm about to go stark raving mad from what my TESOL book describes as "third stage culture shock". You know, when you start to hate everything about the country you're in.

I'm not hating China... yet. But I'm about to start climbing the walls for want of a good pizza and some cheese. I miss home, I miss my friends, I miss getting hugged for crying out loud.

I'm in a relatively small town (900 000 people), and I appear to be the only foriegner in the place. Short of hoping a bus and spending a few days in Nanjing (would that help?), does anyone have any suggestions for getting over this hump? I know it will get better, but it certainly doesn't feel like it will right now.

[Quest]

Maybe move to another city? One that has Pizza Hut or Domino's, one that has more foreigners. If you can't take the shock right away, try to stay in more westernized cities first?

[Guest Anna_Overseas]

Sadly not much I can do about that at this point. I like my school and my students, and I signed a contract.

I've been here since October, and I think I'll be booking come June. It's only 6 more months....

[roddy]

Westernized city? Where's the fun in that (he said safe in Beijing, 10 minutes walk from 3 24 hour stores, coffee and pizza . . .)

Take a trip to Nanjing if you can - change of scene, stock up on cheese and other goodies. If you are enjoying the job, and it sounds like you are, then you're halfway there.

Roddy

[pazu]

have no idea where you are not, but if you have no other ways to escape from that place, then just ask your family to send you some food from home, it may help. I met a Japanese who asked her family to send her some Soba (noodles) and instant noodles from Japan to Pakistan. hehe.

[Quest]

You seem more like homesick to me than culture-shocked, or is that part of the definition? anyways, what's your mission in China? Why did you come here in the first place? Think about that, and call home often, and most importantly try to make some friends.

[tara]

Sadly not much I can do about that at this point. I like my school and my students' date=' and I signed a contract.

I've been here since October, and I think I'll be booking come June. It's only 6 more months....[/quote']

You said it yourself, NOTWITHSTANDING the fact that you signed a "contract", you like your school and your students. Remember the main reason why you chose to take on this job and that should be enough to get you through. Yah, of coz it's cultural shock but I always believe one should never COMPARE, no matter how different your environment and people are. Comparing is the main source of unhappiness coz you are always expecting what you have experienced or have in mind. Well, if you can't change the environment, change the way you perceive things, it will help.

[smithsgj]

Hey cheer up the holidays are only just round the corner. Then you can go backpacking off to Yangshuo and Dali! Think positive, think banana pancake.

[Tsunku]

I agree. Take a holiday to a place that has a lot of other foreigners, hang out with them, and don't feel guilty at all about it. We all need a break sometimes, and small Chinese cities can be pretty intense. If you go to a backpacker place chances are you'll have fun and get the refresh on Western-ness that you're craving, but you'll also probably realize why you are living where you are and will appreciate it all the more.