Culture Shock: Morocco Edition

As I've mentioned before, I studied abroad through a program called Semester at Sea, in which we traveled around porting in various countries throughout the summer. It just so happened that our very first port was in Africa! Casablanca, Morocco, to be exact. Talk about culture shock!

Before going abroad, I was prepared to experience some level of culture shock because I had never been to Europe before. However, I don't think I was prepared for the culture shock that I stumbled upon during my time in Morocco. I would have to say, of all the countries we visited, Morocco was the most different, in comparison to anywhere I had been before. First of all, it was blazing hot (I should have expected that since we were in Africa, but I didn't). Not to mention, Morocco is a muslim country so the dress code is very strict. Therefore, I was forced to dress in long pants and long-sleeves everywhere I went. This was definitely a new concept to me and took some getting used to. 

The food was also extremely different than what you would find in the United States and water was hard to come by. My entire stay in Morocco felt like a quest for water because I had to be extremely careful about the water I drank and where it came from. We were instructed to only drink out of bottled water and to even be careful then because the seals are often broken. Brushing my teeth was a struggle as well because I needed to have bottled water on hand every time I wanted to brush my teeth. Culture shock seemed to be setting in fast and let's just say, my time in Morocco wasn't my most hygienic days. 

The culture shock I was experiencing doubled when I decided to take a walk through the local market in Casablanca. It was quite the sight. There were live chickens being beheaded and hung out in the open as I strolled through the market. At that point, I wasn't sure what I had gotten myself into, but I knew I wanted to get out. 

Additionally, I spent a few days in a Berber camp in the Sahara desert. As you can imagine, water was, once again, hard to come by and we were living in the stifling hot Sahara desert. Oh, and did I mention that our only mode of transportation was riding camels? Yeah, that was quite the surprise and only enhanced my culture shock. Although my time spent at the Berber camp was a once in a lifetime opportunity, I was certainly ready to leave by the last day.

Once we arrived back in Marrakech, I was so excited to finally be back in civilization. Our last night in Morocco was looking up as we had planned to stay in a hotel in the city and go out that night. However, like most travel plans, things didn't go according to plan. The first disappointment of the night came as we checked into our hotel and were informed there was no air condition or WiFi. Let me just tell you, those were the two things I was most excited about after spending three days in the Sahara.

Although I knew air conditioning was hard to come by in Europe and certainly Africa, I held hope we would be in for a treat. Unfortunately, we weren't. After accepting the no A/C or WiFi fact, we decided to make the most of the night and visit a local grocery store to pick up some alcohol before going out. And here's where disappointment number two comes in....

Unbeknownst to us, Ramadan was in full swing and there was no alcohol to be found anywhere. It's important to note that the only reason this was such a big deal was because it was our first opportunity to go out since we had been abroad. And there we were again, faced with just another element of culture shock, as it is unheard of for alcohol to be scarce in the United States. 

Looking back on my time abroad, Morocco wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't been our very first port. If I had previous exposure to different cultures and customs before visiting Morocco, I think I would have experienced a much smaller level of culture shock.

Study Shock

Embrace the world, and you may grow. Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Excitement, anticipation, curiosity, happiness, thrill...culture shock? These are just some of the emotions a student feels when traveling abroad to study with their University. Studying abroad can be extremely rewarding and one of the most memorable moments of a lifetime, but it can also involve incidents or frustrations that will leave you longing to catch the next plane home.

When traveling a student may encounter many cultural differences which can lead to culture shock. In our own culture, there are many elements that surround us, and that influence who we are as people and how we perceive the world. This native culture is what shapes us as a person. 

Different cultures, different experiences. Lock on the love wherever you go. Paris, France. 

When this feeling of comfort or symbols of familiarity of the native culture are lost, a person falls into a state of culture shock. This culture shock is a psychological discomfort that is felt when faced with foreign situations. Culture shock is a natural logical reaction, and just one of many phases students will face when getting accustomed to their new culture and surroundings.

The phases a student will experience include: Being fascinated with all the new things you are experiencing, feeling uncomfortable because you feel as if you don't belong, rejecting and labeling the foreign culture and people as being strange, learning to decipher foreign behavior and customs, and accepting and enjoying the foreign culture. 

When studying abroad, throughout the phases, a student will experience a wide range of emotions. They will be fascinated and excited by their new surroundings, and may then take more notice to anything, "Un-American." This could lead to some hostility towards the new culture which is another form of culture shock. 

In order to prepare for this journey, before going abroad, students may read up on where they are traveling (i.e international newspapers, guidebooks, novels, etc.), talk with friends who have traveled to the same location or an international student, and/or ask their study abroad office for an advisor. 

Overall, it is simple to get past culture shock as long as one uses their mind. Make sure to always keep a positive attitude, be optimistic and open to new ideas. These mixed with some time will help people adapt to cultural differences. These differences may even become preferable to that which one is used to in the United States. The steady balance of new culture experience and the native culture, will help people to grow culturally and become more diverse in thinking. Before you know it, you won't want your study abroad trip to end. 

Prepare to Be Shocked

According to the Merriam- Webster dictionary, culture shock is defined as "a feeling of confusion, doubt, or nervousness caused by being in a place (such as a foreign country) that is very different from what you are used to."   

This can come in many different forms and originate from many different places; including language, customs, foods and general behaviors of the people who live in the country you are visiting.   This feeling can range from minimal to extreme depending on previous travel experiences as well as the home culture of the individual. 

Personally, I experienced intense culture shock when I traveled to China a couple of years ago.  There was an obvious language and culture barrier but I also had an intense feeling of uncomfort during the majority of my trip.  Being blonde and white, I stuck out immensely among the thousands of people in Beijing.  Where in America, the most shocking reaction to somebody who looks different than you would be a stare or slightly rude behavior, I was nowhere close to warned about what I would experience. 

Throughout my trip I was constantly touched, gaped at, taken pictures with and followed.  I came to learn that this was actually not uncommon at all and other people I was traveling with experienced the same behaviors.  Although I never really got used to random people running their fingers through my hair when they walked by, I tried my best to ignore it as the time went on.  There are certain things that they do not tell you in travel manuals and on the internet; this was definitely one of them. 

If I could offer one overarching piece of advice regarding culture shock, it would be to expect the unexpected.  And if something happens that you are not used to or seems odd to you, do not react negatively to it and use it as a chance to learn!  Every place has its quirks so appreciate them!

Reversing the Shock

Many of you have heard of the term "culture shock" meaning the feeling of confusion, doubt and nervousness in an unfamiliar place that is very different from what you are used to. Most people experience this when staying in a foreign country for an extended period of time, such as studying abroad. It can be a result of not being used to the time difference, weather, the social norms, laws and the way people are and how they interact on a daily basis. On the contrary, reverse culture shock is the feeling of returning to your home culture and country after growing accustomed to a new one. This happens because you get used to the place you have been living in and have difficulty settling back into every day life at home. You may feel like you have an idealized view of what home is like and there becomes an inconsistency between expectations and reality. Also, you may feel an expectation of total familiarity in that nothing has changed while you have been away. 

There are many ways to deal with reverse culture shock. First, share your experiences with others. You may feel like constantly sharing stories about your trip will bother your friends and family, but they are there to listen and want to hear about your many experiences and memories. One way is to show them your many pictures and what happened in each. Explain what you did in the picture, where you were and the feelings you had. Also, starting a blog to explain your trip abroad will help cope and you will soon receive an audience that will listen intently. 

Severe reverse culture shock usually occurs with people who have been sent off to war or who have moved away from their home country for an extended period of time such as a couple of years. For ones that study abroad for a couple of months to a year, they do not experience the same reverse culture shock that those other people that have been away for longer time. 

So, once you return home from an adventure of a lifetime, do not get overwhelmed with the reverse culture shock! It might be hard to ease back into the life you used to have in America, but your family, friends and familiar surroundings will definitely help the transition.