culture shock

[nelsonr]

It's my first time to live in a foriegn country and so far, I think the culture shock has really hit me.

Before coming to Indonesia to teach, I read a lot on the country and spoke with quite a few current teachers thru forums and chat. So I thought I was ok and had well prepared.

Now I'm here in Jakarta teaching English to a class of 30 ten year old's. Ok, the teaching is tough, but that's not all.

There is so much different here than what I'm accustomed to back home. Hygiene really scares me along with the traffic and pollution. The only time in my day that is normal is when I'm asleep. My waking hours are strange and stressful. The heat is terrible. 2 minutes after stepping outside, I'm saturated in sweat. No body understands me and I can't speak a word of Indonesian or Chinese.

Any foreigners that can relate with this. What were your solutions? I'm really going crazy here.

[nelsonr]

Just testing my signature if it works.

[gfell]

Signature working fine nelsonr

Culture shock is always tough on those who have never lived overseas before. Even if you went to a western country, I'm sure there would still be a degree of culture shock or displacement as it's not your normal surrounds.

Bear with it as it happens to us all. In my case it was 3 months before I overcame the culture shock. I would recommend the following:

• Try and learn the local language
• Get out and meet some people your age. Pubs, clubs, sports groups etc.
• Get a cheap phonecard so you can call home and just chat for hours without worrying about breaking the bank.
• Get internet connection asap - that way you can read the newspapers you would read back home

Give yourself time and hang in there. It will get better.

[felini]

Get this for culture shock!

Cambodia is where a freind of mine used to buy live fruit bats and turtles at the local market and then keep them as pets; they were intended as food.

But he is no vegetarian. As an English teacher, his students came up with the fun game of "What will teacher eat?" a daily parade of food horribles intended both to introduce him to local cuisine, and to test his stomach. He was fed snakes, tarantulas stuffed with nuts, dogs, toasted grasshoppers (which he claims to have enjoyed the crispiness of) and all sorts of other treats.

I asked what was the worst thing his students brought him. The cockroaches, he said. The cockroaches were the worst. I ask him what was so bad about the cockroaches, and he said that a lot of things were bad about them; for one, they were still alive when you ate them, so you could feel them wiggling in your mouth until when you bit through their hard shell. And it takes a lot of effort to bite through the shell, so the giant bugs are wiggling on your tongue for quite a while.

So if teaching in Cambodia, I recommend being a vegetarian.

[english grammar man]

Argh... sounds awful. Cockroaches for dinner

[Melissia]

I believe that it is normal to experience culture shock. I am getting ready to adventure into the world of International teaching. I am very scared because I have to learn a new language but the way I look at is "Some people are made to be teachers and no matter what we do, teaching is the only thing that is going to makes us happy". Look at in the point that even though it is scary you are touching peoples lives in ways it is hard to image. "You" are changing their lives by giving of your yourself.
Good luck and I promise it will get better.
Melissia

[ESL Teacher]

Nicely summed up Melissia. Yes, teaching is very rewarding!

You have a unique opportunity to teach. You have a unique opportunity to shape future generations if teaching children. Even adult students will look up to you and look to you for guidance, not only in the language but also as a person.