Did you know that the term “culture shock” was introduced for the first time in 1958 to describe the anxiety produced when a person moves to a completely new environment? I personally have experienced this feeling, and I still do. The story of coming to the United States was a complete risk for me. I was 26 years old, a hard working software engineer who had graduated from a very good University in Iran, when my father handed me my passport to go to Dubai to obtain my Green Card. On December 25, 2004, I landed in the “Land of Opportunities” and I faced the difficulties of the new place on a very first day.
When I first arrived in Irvine, I went directly to my sister’s house. She had to leave for work early in the morning and come back late at night. Therefore, I was all alone, trying to find a phone card to call my friends and let them know that I have arrived safely. I had to explain the new situation and tell them how this part of the world looks so much alike the North part of Iran. Then I planned to walk out side and go to the nearest shopping center, but this decision did not turn out to be right. I was frustrated when the cashier asked if I had a club card and I realized that I could not understand a word, after she repeated the question a few times I literally figured out the words, but I did not know what the club card is. As soon as I got out of the grocery store, I walked fast and looked down so that nobody could ask me another question. After a few minutes, I realized that I was lost; I had no idea why all the streets and houses were similar to me. Since then, my sister has left a broom on the balcony to follow it as a sign.
After the first few weeks of coming to the United States, I felt the lack of direction, the feeling of not knowing what to do or how to do things in a new environment, and not knowing what is appropriate or inappropriate. I used to have enough power and capability to take care of myself in every situation in my own country and language. Now, I changed to a handicapped person who is not able to solve even very basic problems in a new environment.
After the first three months, I had enough courage to take the DMV exam and get my driver’s license. Thankfully, I passed on my first attempt. Now, it was the time to go out and discover new things. I am not going to say how many times I got lost on the freeways and nobody was there to ask. However, I felt comfortable looking for something to do like going to the computer classes. I found a private college called “Stanbridge.” I signed up for MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) classes. On the first day of school, while I was sitting near an American guy on the first row, the professor started to ask questions and he threw out the question to me because I was the first one: “Where do you come from?”
I replied, “I am Persian.” After a second, the class burst out laughing for another few seconds, and then he stated, “That is nice, but what is your background in computers.” I was so humiliated that day, yet I decided to enroll in the whole session without saying a word. As the days passed by, I started to have negative feelings about almost everything and everyone.
Those negative feelings, lead me to lose my confidence, and to experience dissatisfaction, sadness, loneliness and melancholy. I was dissatisfied with not only people, but also food. I believed that the food was making me sick, and it smelled. Gradually, food became an obsession. Nevertheless, I found some ways to combat the stress produced by culture shock. After taking some classes, finding a good job, and adding a regular form of physical activity in my routine, I felt much better.
The majority of individuals and families that emigrate from other countries have the ability to confront the obstacles of a new environment, and it is different for every person. Indeed, I still have those problems more or less, yet I value my goal and the risks I have taken to accomplish it. I am trying to accept the new culture and focus my powers on getting myself through the transition.
