4 Stages of Culture Shock - Foreigners living in Japan
The Four Stages of Culture Shock
1. Honeymoon
2. Anxiety
3. Adjustment
According to studies, this usually happens around six to twelve months. You will finally find your rhythm and know your way around.
For us, it was all about food more than anything. Food is life!
We now know where and when to buy ingredients for our dish. We know the best kind of soy sauce & vinegar for our Adobo dish. We go to different grocery shops to get inexpensive fruits, fish, vegetables, and meat. As such, we've finally come up with a reasonable monthly budget.
We finally know which money transferring service offers the lowest fee but the highest exchange rate and settled with one.
This was also Christmas break. We did not feel homesick because our family came from the Philippines and the US. We traveled around Japan and I was proud of myself because I was able to use the little Japanese that I know.
4. Acceptance
- Stand right, walk left on escalators
- When biking, no one uses the bell to inform that you are cycling behind people
- Bowing, bowing, and bowing some more
- Wearing a surgical mask when you are sick (even before the pandemic)
- Automatic taxi doors - never touch the door handle!
- Saying "onegaishimasu" when paying for something at the store and saying "Arigatougozaimasu" after. It was awkward at first because "Please" and "Thank you" are quicker to say.
- I can fluently say "Eigo wa hanaseru hito ga imasu ka." Which means, Is there anyone who speaks English?
- Paying an extra 400 -600 yen for dishes you did not order as "seating fee" at Izakaya's
- All cell phones alarming and vibrating late at night for an earthquake alarm. I can even hear my neighbor's!
- House molds in the winter and more molds during the summer
- Mosquitoes during the summer are very sneaky and very ouchy!
- The deafening sounds of the Cicadas are now fascinating
- Local grocery shops carry different brands of snacks
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