EY Y04 L36 Culture Shock

This week’s Questions

Culture shock is the feeling of confusion and discomfort experienced by someone when they suddenly find themself dealing with an unfamiliar culture, way of life or set of attitudes. Have you ever lived in or travelled to a foreign country? If yes, what surprised you the most? If no, what difficulties do you think you would face?
What is or what do you imagine would be the hardest part about living away from Japan if you moved to another country?
If you had to move to another country for work or study, which country do you think would be the easiest for you to adapt to? Why?
What do you imagine is the hardest part about living in Japan for foreign people? Why?
Have you ever felt confused or shocked by the actions of a foreign person in Japan? Have you ever heard complaints on the news about tensions with individuals or groups coming to Japan to settle or work?
Many Japanese people have children abroad when on a work placement and come back to Japan with "returnee" kids. Has anyone in your family or neighborhood had to go through the process of returning to Japan after a number of years abroad? What do you think the positives and negatives were for them, being able to experience two cultures?

This week’s Responses

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Teacher’s Compositions

by D'Vonne Brock

October 5, 2022

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Question 1

When I first came to Japan I was really excited and had a very open mind about everything. I didn't think I would experience any culture shock. For the most part I was right, but I didn't realize how lonely it could be here without my family and long time friends. Making new friends wasn't so hard, but it seems like we are much busier in Japan or it's not as convenient to meet like in my hometown where everyone had their own car.

Question 2

If I were to move back to the US I think the hardest thing to adjust to would be the general atmosphere. I really love the mountains and fresh air here, how we can walk or bike with little worry, and go about our business virtually unbothered. In the US, at least in larger cities, I feel like I have to be on guard and stay aware of my surroundings.

Question 3

If I had to choose another country to live in I would probably choose New Zealand. It seems pretty laid back and has plenty of places to explore. I really love the mountains and wildlife there.

Question 4

It really depends on the person, but the hardest part for me, staying long term, is losing friends. Many people come here to work for a year or two and then go back to their home countries. It's very hard to have long term foreign friends since most people don't plan to stay forever.

Question 5

During my first year in Japan I was constantly thinking about how Japanese people view foreigners and always tried to be on my best behavior. I always am anyway, but I was especially self aware in the beginning. One evening I went to a bar with my coworkers and we had some drinks. After that, we were walking outside and one guy was being very noisy and pushed a bicycle over. I became very angry at him, scolded him, and made him pick it back up. He was surprised and apologized for his behavior. I told him to be more aware of his actions in the future. I hope he was.

Question 6

I don't have anyone in my family or neighborhood who is a returnee, but I have worked with several children who are. They were quite intelligent and outgoing. We often talked about their experiences abroad. It felt as if I was having a conversation with a western student rather than a Japanese one. I think it's a very good experience for children to live abroad and see the world from another viewpoint.