CUTLURAL ADJUSTMENT

TOPIC  3

2/17/2024

Did you identify with any of the cultural adjustment stages that YiChen in Postcards experienced? Describe your experience. Think of a time you or a friend experienced culture shock. What did you do to help yourself or your friend? In your opinion, what are (or could be) effective ways to culturally adjust at the University of Richmond?

 

On July 20, 2023, I embarked on my very first journey abroad to pursue my studies in the United States. The excitement of receiving an acceptance letter from the University of Richmond was beyond measure. I was very happy when I got to the US, the weather, environment, and technological development were mind-blowing. Before, coming to Richmond for school, I visited my aunt in Chicago, Illinois and it felt like back home in Ghana since I mostly stay at home, enjoy Ghanaian foods, and visit a lot of fashion shops, and restaurants and also get to experience how beautiful the skyline in Chicago downtown is.  I was welcomed and I felt that my presence was valued just as back at home so, I was eager to explore the unfamiliar environment when I got to campus.  However, as I soon discovered, the transition from Ghana to the United States came with its fair share of challenges when I got to campus, and weeks later my honeymoon phase as described by Oberg ‘ cultural shock‘, started drifting away. I encountered series of challenges and experiences that left me feeling disoriented similar to Yi Chen, cultural shock.

My initial hurdle was the language barrier. Communicating effectively and understanding the other students from different races proved to be quite challenging. It was more of me not being able to comprehend what they were saying and vice versa and adjusting to this new linguistic environment was a humbling experience. I mostly repeat myself whenever I talk several times which made me feel like not participating either in class or any group discussions, especially in classes where I am the only black student since I have a strong Ghanaian accent. Another significant challenge I encountered was adapting to the American food system. The culinary landscape was markedly different from what I was accustomed to in Ghana. Moreover, the differences in social norms and academic expectations made me feel isolated since I struggled to navigate daily conversations, interactions, and cultural variations making me feel homesick.

To cope with this cultural shock, I confronted a  junior-year Ghanaian on campus to help me navigate the foods in the dining hall. I followed his recommendations for some days but I realized that I kept on eating the same food which was also slowly affecting me. But this took a fortunate turn during one of my FYS classes, my professor asked us about the challenges we are facing as an international student. So, I told him what was going on, and a few days later, I received an email from the dean of Westhampton Way asking for a meet-up.  During our meeting, she told me that my FYS professor referred me to her and she wanted to help me so, she connected me to the Language department, and the school dietician to help me look for foods that would help me and connected me to other campus resources.

This meeting helped me adjust slowly to this new culture by utilizing the resources she emailed to me to develop strategies to connect with others and learn more about American culture. But most importantly what helped me personally was that I embraced diversity and valued everyone’s differences which made it easier for me to cope with other students.

In my opinion, the best way to culturally adjust at the University of Richmond is firstly to seek support from your academic advisor, deans, mentors, and professors. There are a lot of resources available on campus to help international and exchange students struggling with cultural and social adjustments.

Also, know that everyone has a unique background and experiences that will be different from yours so, step out of your comfort zone, be open-minded, and explore new experiences. Whether it’s trying new foods, attending campus events, or joining student clubs and organizations on campus, embracing growth can enhance cultural understanding and personal growth.

Lastly, Practice self-care. Remember to take care of your emotional, physical, and mental well-being such as exercises (the gym is free make good use of it before you leave campus), relaxing, and managing stress (hang out with your friends to relieve stress), doing this will promote resilience.

 

I have attached some pictures of me and my friends trying new restaurants off campus and some campus activities that I attended on and off campus and made new friends.