Culture Shock Is Real!

No matter how well you have prepared, even if you have visited your host country before, you and your children will face some degree of “culture shock” when you move there to live (as opposed to a short visit). This transition stress is perfectly normal!

Knowing what to expect and understanding the causes can help you ease the transition for yourself and your kids.

Studies have broken down culture shock into 4 phases. Each person’s experience and timeline will vary, but this is roughly what you can expect if you are moving overseas!

 The first weeks are a “honeymoon” period when most people are excited at the new experiences.

Honeymoons don’t last forever, unfortunately, and the novelty will have worn off by the 3rd month or so. You and your kids will experience varied emotions during this “culture shock” phase. Homesickness, frustration with differences from your home culture, struggles with language and cultural norms, unfamiliar food and other discomforts will make this the hardest part of the transition. Your children may start demanding to go “home”.

The good news is that once you have persevered through this hardest phase, you and your kids will enter the adjustment phase and become more accustomed to the host culture. You will learn how to manage daily life and reach a phase that feels more normal and comfortable.

By about the 12th month after arrival, you will probably have adapted fairly well to the host culture. Beyond that, you will continue to learn more and understand the new culture as you live there longer.

Some tips to help you and your kids get through culture shock more smoothly:

• Be kind to yourselves – it’s normal! Don’t give up! Give yourselves time to adjust.

• Learn the language – this helps with daily life as well making friends.

• Learn from the local people – they know their environment and culture best.

• Bring comforts from home – a wall hanging, photographs, soft toys.

• Prioritise family time – support one another with empathy, activities, shared experiences, learning language.

And remember – these phases also apply to “reverse culture shock” when you eventually return home to Singapore!

* A Third Culture Kid (TCK) is someone who has spent a significant part of their childhood living outside their passport country.