When one moves to a different country, a radically different one from their home country, and they live there for a while, they experience something called culture shock. What is culture shock, you may be wondering.
Well, it's essentially how one reacts to the culture they are placed in.
There are usually four stages: 1. the honeymoon phase (everything is great and I love it here!) 2. the negotiation phase (god this is so different from home I hate it) 3. Adjustment phase (it makes sense!) 4. The "understanding" phase (everything is put into place, and one is able to become a functioning member of society and enjoys living there).
For everyone, the time periods between these stages are a bit different. But for me (and a large part of my group) the honeymoon phase is definitely over. Right now, there are parts of living here that are irking me more than they used to, and perhaps more than they should be. But it's nice to be coming out of the "rose bubble". I like to be seeing things with a realistic glass, you know?
And I am starting to miss things in the United States more. Mostly the freedom that the United States offers its citizens. I miss being able to wear whatever I want. I could wear whatever I wanted to here, but not only would that be incredibly culturally insensitive, it would also receive a lot of unwarranted attention from people on the street. I guess part of the reason I'm realizing all these emotions right now is because Halloween is right around the corner. In the States, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays....and people in Morocco don't celebrate it.
Mumkin I'm being a bit dramatic, but hey this is my blog, I'm allowed to rant.
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Morocco....yet. No no, I kid, I kid. I don't think I'll ever hate Morocco. But some things might continue to bug me. The trash on the street, the glue-sniffing street youths, the constant stares, the fact that I'm unable to connect with my host sister at all despite the efforts I'm making, the smell that ALL my clothes in Morocco have and the fact that I'm unable to make it go away...that's just a few of the things that bother me.
I know that in the future these things will start to irk me less, but for now they will continue to irk me and I will try to ignore them.
Alot of people say that study abroad is fun, and its nothing but good experiences. That is one of the biggest lies that I've ever heard. Sure, study abroad is fun, but there are difficulties. One thing is that you're learning what you have to immediately apply. There is no "understanding" period. There are no breaks. There is no bullshitting your way through class. You have to understand what you're learning, or else you're stuck in situations where you dont understand what is going on. Then again that is about 85% of your study abroad experience.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that study abroad isn't all fun. It's challenging, like almost everything else you choose to embark on.
I would suggest it to most people because it is a good way to understand your limits and what you're comfortable doing.
Sorry for the super long post but these were things I needed to get out, also they are facts about study abroad that not many people talk about.
Bsalama for now!
Well, it's essentially how one reacts to the culture they are placed in.
There are usually four stages: 1. the honeymoon phase (everything is great and I love it here!) 2. the negotiation phase (god this is so different from home I hate it) 3. Adjustment phase (it makes sense!) 4. The "understanding" phase (everything is put into place, and one is able to become a functioning member of society and enjoys living there).
For everyone, the time periods between these stages are a bit different. But for me (and a large part of my group) the honeymoon phase is definitely over. Right now, there are parts of living here that are irking me more than they used to, and perhaps more than they should be. But it's nice to be coming out of the "rose bubble". I like to be seeing things with a realistic glass, you know?
And I am starting to miss things in the United States more. Mostly the freedom that the United States offers its citizens. I miss being able to wear whatever I want. I could wear whatever I wanted to here, but not only would that be incredibly culturally insensitive, it would also receive a lot of unwarranted attention from people on the street. I guess part of the reason I'm realizing all these emotions right now is because Halloween is right around the corner. In the States, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays....and people in Morocco don't celebrate it.
Mumkin I'm being a bit dramatic, but hey this is my blog, I'm allowed to rant.
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Morocco....yet. No no, I kid, I kid. I don't think I'll ever hate Morocco. But some things might continue to bug me. The trash on the street, the glue-sniffing street youths, the constant stares, the fact that I'm unable to connect with my host sister at all despite the efforts I'm making, the smell that ALL my clothes in Morocco have and the fact that I'm unable to make it go away...that's just a few of the things that bother me.
I know that in the future these things will start to irk me less, but for now they will continue to irk me and I will try to ignore them.
Alot of people say that study abroad is fun, and its nothing but good experiences. That is one of the biggest lies that I've ever heard. Sure, study abroad is fun, but there are difficulties. One thing is that you're learning what you have to immediately apply. There is no "understanding" period. There are no breaks. There is no bullshitting your way through class. You have to understand what you're learning, or else you're stuck in situations where you dont understand what is going on. Then again that is about 85% of your study abroad experience.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that study abroad isn't all fun. It's challenging, like almost everything else you choose to embark on.
I would suggest it to most people because it is a good way to understand your limits and what you're comfortable doing.
Sorry for the super long post but these were things I needed to get out, also they are facts about study abroad that not many people talk about.
Bsalama for now!
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