Culture Shock

So I've been living in the Philippines for a little over 3 months now and according to cross cultural statistics, I can anticipate entering the "culture shock" phase of living overseas. Typical signs of culture shock include homesickness, loss of interest (appetite, sleep, concentration, etc), fatigue, anxiety, guilt, and anger. Honestly, I think culture shock came early for me because I feel like I'm just coming out of it. The holidays made being away from home much harder and there have been times where I've experienced some fatigue, anxiety, and loss of concentration. But I feel like I'm beginning to hit my stride once again as adjustments in my perspective and expectations have been made.

It's true that since arriving here I've been introduced to a number of differences in the way life is lived ranging from the superficial (like proper toilet use), to the super deep (like conflict resolution in the non-Western world) to the supernatural (like saint worship and honoring the dead). Even within a metropolitan city like Manila, the multiple layers of cultural differences have in some ways been mind bending and disorienting. For example, I'm not used to the sheer numbers of people everywhere you go in Manila and the lack of personal space. Even when there is space, Filipinos tend to congregate together in one group and they don't seem to mind it at all--something that my individualistic/Western style has had to adjust to. While at the same time, I grew up in a home that reflected more of an Asian persuasion in thinking than an American one. The longer I'm here, the more I see some of my deeply held values being more readily lived out in Asian culture. It's fascinating how much you can learn about yourself when you live among those who are different from you.

Another observation that I've made as I live with roommates from the Southeast Asia Region is the necessity of eating meals together to build relationships and a sense of community. (Asians can eat!) I'm sure this principle is true for nearly every culture, but it seems to be especially true for Asians. Eating and enjoying food together goes a long way in building bridges to their hearts. Lucky for me, I enjoy eating too!