Week 2: New Experiences and "Culture Shock"

As someone who is going through the sojourn experience, someone who travels to other countries to experience the countries culture and customs, then eventually return to my home country (Gudykunst, 1998 as cited in Remland, Jones, Foeman, & Arévalo, 2015), I am looking and evaluating the difference with my experiences.  Being able to experience different customs, lifestyles, and views has always been something I enjoyed.  I have always looked had a diverse view and have never had an ethnocentric view because to me, there has never been a right or wrong way.  This is probably why I feel that I have not experienced culture shock.  Culture shock is a state of confusion of experiences and emotions to reaction due to the sudden transition to a new country (Remland et al., 2015).  I have moved around ten times before I settled at WVU, so new communities and experiences have always gone hand and hand with me.  However, this was an entirely new experience for me.  Never leaving America before, I have never really experienced a different perspective of the world before first handily.  I usually experienced different cultures through others discussing their experiences or through media.  However, through this experience, I was in shock in awe with the excitement I have felt, but I have felt culture shock, specifically through confusion when I try to speak German to others.  During these moments, I start to stutter or become a little more reserve during this time because I am not as experienced as others when it comes to speaking a different language.  During these moments, I have interacted with two different types of people.  Those who are accommodating and are willing to work with me because I am willing to try and they understand that I am happy to experience their country.  Then there are those who wish for me to just say what I want to say and not give me the time of day.  However, I have learned to adapt, by learning through my experiences and I started to talk with my new friends, who are the German students who are participating in the SPICE program for more assurance and support as I practice.  In all honesty, in the three years of taking Spanish and the three semesters I had taken when I was an undergrad, I think I am doing a better job of learning German specifically because I am experiencing the language first hand. 

Going through the phases of the Sojourn Experience, I have so far experienced the first three stages, where the fourth phase will occur on my way home.  First, the days before leaving for Germany were filled with excitement and anxiety.  Specifically, because I was preparing and partaking in my comprehensive exam to finish my Master's program, but due to the excitement of what this program can offer me.  Next, during arrival and settling-in phase, I took the liberty to try to get to understand the lay of the land of the first day we were here.  I learned how to get around the city pretty quickly due to the maps and the help of the German students.  Especially Lara, she was great help on day one… even though we missed our stop to our apartments.  Finally, for the third stage is the living in the new culture.  On our very first full day in Erfurt, I pretty much slept for the full day due to jet lag and the lack of sleep I experienced on the plane and the train here.  However, I have always argued that the best way to experience the new culture is through food and drink, so on day one and two, I had different German food.  My experience did not always focus on food, but I got to explore a bit of Erfurt as well through their history and culture around the city to understand more about their culture.  At this point, I feel comfortable in my experiences and adjustment in the German culture where I can say I have experienced Cultural adaption.

With the new experiences that I have had so far, I have noticed a few things.  First off, I will say I tend to be a quiet soul sometimes, but I have noticed a few things.  When watching the others (American Students) talk, I have noticed they tend to be a bit louder than other Germans.  It seems like Americans tend to value being heard while the Germans tend to focus on their conversation.  At the same time, when talking to some of the new friends I have made from Germany, one thing they want to ask is specifically the difference between America and Germany, but most of all, they want to talk about their perspective of the President.  (This is a note to my mother: Sorry, I talked about politics).  The students are extremely fascinated with my thoughts and experiences with American politics.  I told them that I do not have a pro or anti-Trump perspective, I just gave them my general idea and view.  They were extremely eager with talking more with me about their views from their perspective of the rise of nationalism to watching funny political commentary videos.  This experience was a unique in the sense that it was more like a teaching experience since all their information they receive comes from news and media, but they get to hear a different perspective from how the decisions can affect me.  When looking more at how our cultures differ and are similar is through expenses and constraining area.  Right of the back, in America and compared to German prices, I feel that German is a bit cheaper, but that is mostly due to the economy.  I have currently felt that I have barely spent anything, but I still need to control what I should buy and what I need to buy.  Finally, in tight areas like on the tram, no one talks.  This feels similar as for how people in America act when on a tram/PRT, an elevator, or a bus.  People just want to get from point A to point B with no distractions.

Experiencing Germany for the first time and my short time experience has been almost life-changing, but week one is currently over and now we are off to week two.