I found Adriane Stoner’s lecture relatable to my own
interests, because I would like to study abroad in Spain and her research
pertained to studying abroad and the use of new media. I agree with what
Adriane said in regards to the impact that she sees new media consumption
having on the study abroad experience. Culture shock may not always be the most
pleasurable experience, but I agree with the value that can be obtained by
learning to maneuver through the obstacles that arise as a result of culture
shock.
As was brought up in class, even
moving to a new city or starting a new job can illicit some of the same
physical and mental states that occur due to culture shock. The apartment that
I moved into six months ago is only an hour away from where I grew up, but this
was my first time living on my own. Before Adriane’s lecture I had never really
considered the role that new media had played in my transition to living in a
new place. Even though I don’t see my friends and family nearly as much as I
used to, they are still accessible to me in many ways. I use my phone and
computer on a daily basis in able to stay in contact with my friends and
family. In many ways I take this for granted and after listening to Adriane
speak it made me consider just how different my experience would have been if I
didn’t have such easy access to these means of communication with my friends
and family back home. I wouldn’t say that I want to disconnect with my friends
and family back home, but at the same time I think there is something to be
gained in personal development by not being so reliant on these technologies.
Last year I went on a camping trip
to Michigan as part of my speech class. This was after having only had two
class sessions with the people I was going on a trip with. There was no access
to phones or Internet while on this trip either. Even though this wasn’t a long
trip I learned something about myself when I was cut off from new technology
and staying in a new environment with near strangers. There was plenty of
anxiety and frustration that I encountered by stepping out of my comfort zone,
but looking back this was one of my favorite classes that I have taken in
college.
I think the camping trip is very interesting. That is something I would voluntarily do just to get away from social networks and texting. It wouldn't be like a culture shock to me, but more of a break and an opportunity to enjoy something new.
ReplyDeleteI can completely relate to your shock to living on your own for the first time. I commuted by freshman year but two years ago, my sophomore year, I finally moved out and into the dorms at UIC. I discussed going to the middle east for a few months at a time in my post and I have to say that reading this made me compare my experience moving out of the house for the first time to that and I think that knowing that I would be back at home in a few weeks almost made being abroad easier than moving out (even though I'm only 30 minutes away from home!) to live at school because it felt and was more permanent, I haven't lived at home since so I am used to it but I know that it was a scary feeling, like your childhood was slipping away or something. It was definitely a shock, a change in lifestyle, etc.
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