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If you’re always expecting the unexpected, will anything come as a “shock?”
When I left California to start school at Louisiana State University, I was warned about all of the differences.
The food, the common beliefs, the way of life. It was all going to be different.
I traded mountains and the beach for flat lands and the bayou, but it was time for a change.
Right away, I was told I’d experience culture shock.
But that’s exactly what I was craving. I wanted to chase after change because I was tired of feeling comfortable. I wanted to go to a place where I wouldn’t feel stability right away. I already knew comfortability from my hometown and needed something different.
I knew I’d have to adjust, but I was never stressed about adapting to these cultural changes.
Even if I came across something entirely new within my first weeks at LSU, it was all part of the journey toward growth.
Because I had an expectation that there’d be differences, I wasn’t overwhelmed by the change. I was excited to experience something different. I appreciated the cultural diversity, so I could expand my horizons.
There was no shock to me because I expected I wouldn’t know everything all at once about this new city.
Now after living in Louisiana for two school years, I feel comfortable. I’ve built my routine as a college student and the newness of the area has settled.
So, I needed a new challenge that would push me out of my comfort zone.
After getting accepted to the Olympics Project, I knew France would test my boundaries and offer exciting opportunities.
I didn’t know too much about French culture, but I was curious to learn the traditions and day-to-day quirks.
When I got to France, this curiosity worked as a buffer for culture shock.
I wasn’t expecting the people to live exactly how Americans do, and I wanted to learn the differences.
In France, like in Louisiana, I embraced the unfamiliar. The language, the food, the social norms—each difference was a lesson, an adventure.
French culture didn’t scare or shock me. But I also wasn’t chasing comfortability or stability; I craved understanding and immersion.
This approach to new experiences has convinced me that culture shock is not real – if you don’t let it be. It’s a concept born from a fear of the unknown. If you embrace change and expect diversity, you won’t be shocked.
With these experiences, I hope to adapt and thrive in the next environment I push myself toward. I look forward to change. But, I don’t crave change for change’s sake. I crave the growth that comes with it.
Each new place is an opportunity to learn and see different sides of the human experience.
There’s no shock or surprise necessary because I’m ready for new to come my way.
Maybe after visiting more regions, America will be the place to actually shock me.
