Realizations While Abroad

After reading some assigned readings it became clear to me that a common obstacle to overcome while abroad is to make new friends and to form relationships with the host culture. It is a tendency for international students to form tight knit groups with the people who they come abroad with or other students from the University of Maryland. Although, I find myself spending the majority of my time with my friends from school I have made an effort to meet new people in my classes. I have also asked my connecting across cultures teacher, Edgar, where are good places to get to meet locals. I think it is important to make an attempt to interact with the host culture in order to gain the most out of your time abroad.

            On another note and to touch base on another portion of the reading I have had a few friends who have been pick-pocketed on the streets and while using public transportation. Safety is an essential aspect of being a student abroad. If something tells me that the situation is not right, I try to listen to my gut feeling. Though, I have accustomed myself to the culture in regards to street calls being more common in Rome.  I have learned it is best to ignore the person rather than telling them to back off because I have learned that it will just make the situation worse.

  

View from the Spanish Steps

Girls on top of the Spanish Steps

            When thinking about the idea of culture shock I find myself wondering where exactly I fall on this spectrum. In my opinion, it is difficult to know whether or not you have been a victim of culture shock.  When learning the terms in the reading I tried to see where I fell. I believe that I definitely experienced culture surprise when I first arrived. I was aware of the startling differences between the culture in the United States and in Italy. I also was amazed at how I was living amongst ruins and monuments with so much history. However, as the second week approached I fell into the cultural stress category. I did in fact have a response to what is known as “stimulus overload.” At times I found myself getting annoyed at the Italians slow pace. I assumed that since I was going to be in a major city things would be fast paced, and although they are in some regard the culture in Italy is very relaxed and carefree. I think the majority of my stress stemmed from functioning in unfamiliar social settings. I felt at times that I didn’t have a clear understanding of the culture and I found myself modifying my behaviors to fit in. Trying to fit into the culture without actually understanding the “rules” definitely made me anxious. I found that for me the best way to cope was to take a step back and observe Italians and their way of life rather than jumping right in. Furthermore, I have been frustrated with the language barrier. I came to Rome thinking more people would speak English and when my preconceptions were incorrect this created stress as well.

            Although there are many obstacles to overcome while abroad I am making every effort to adapt to the culture and learn the language yet still stay true to my values and beliefs. Every obstacle I overcome and every new shock of the culture I experience I become more confident and independent. I have already made progress since I arrived three weeks ago and my ability to cope with cross cultural differences has improved immensely. I hope that this will continue throughout my abroad experience.

Inside the Pantheon

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