Reflect on the Culture Shock video and your own experiences and expectations of culture shock.
I believe that my major moment of culture shock was my transition into college life. I grew up in a fairly sheltered household and did not have much opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds outside of my high school. At the same time, my high school was not increasingly diverse either so I did not have much of an idea about people in the world. Upon arrival to the University, I initially felt overwhelmed by the seemingly homogenous atmosphere of the campus. I felt that I was in an interesting situation because I grew up with the habit of internalizing issues that I would face. I dealt with my internalizations without formally seeking support from family or faculty, but I luckily began to meet people who fostered a sense of community on campus. Also, I felt comforted knowing that there were so many genuine and supportive professors to help me navigate college life.
Because of this major transition, I believe that I felt more equipped and prepared for the unexpected on my first abroad experience to Barcelona. For the most part, I felt comfortable walking around the city and getting to know people. I accepted the fact that I would not know everything and decided to let myself have an open mind. Consequently, I believe that I have learned so much about the world and about myself. I am looking forward to more of these moments when I have to step outside of my comfort zone because they seem to be the moments when I learn the most about myself.
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