Whether you are moving to Czechia from South Africa, Slovenia, or even Slovakia, you will experience some degree of culture shock. And while “culture shock” can have a negative connotation, it doesn’t have to. Take it from me - an American expat living in Czechia since 2018. The United States and Czechia are no doubt culturally different (see the encyclopedia entry on: car culture, or socks-with-sandals). But today, this country is my home-away-from-home. Here are four tips to overcoming culture shock.
1. Embarrassment, Schmashmarrasshment: Gaffe, faux pas …Okay, this isn’t France, but you get the point - living abroad means living outside your comfort zone, which means awkward moments are inevitable. Once, while walking home as a teacher on the last day of school, I stopped into Albert with a ton of flowers that I had gotten from my students. I wanted to express to the security guard that I already owned the flowers. But, because of my elementary Czech, the man believed that I was offering him a bouquet. My face turned red as I clarified. Though it may have been slightly uncomfortable in the moment, I now know that these misunderstandings are a natural (and truthfully, amusing) part of moving abroad.
2. Learn the Language: Though I can chuckle about the time I accidentally courted a stranger, I want to be able to communicate with the people around me. Around 2021, I began to take conversational Czech lessons online through a platform called iTalki. There are thousands of teachers on iTalki teaching hundreds of languages. In the last five years, I have taken more than 100 lessons with five teachers. I enjoy our conversations, and we talk about everything from day- to-day life, to philosophy, to politics, to religion. The most important skill I’ve gained from these lessons is a sense of confidence. A sense of confidence to make an appointment, to ask for help, to join a conversation. A sense of confidence to say, “Dobrý den, ja jsem učitelka a dneska byl poslední školní den. Chtěla bych říct že ty kytky jsou moje - neukradla jsem je!”
3. Cultivate Culture: “Culture Shock” can be so destabilizing because so many aspects of a foreign country can be different. But inevitably, some aspects of a new culture will resonate with you. For me, that’s spending time in nature, which is a big part of Czech culture. A few years ago, I learned of “Steza Českem” - a hiking route that encompasses the entire country. So far, I’ve completed five short sections of the trail. I don’t know when (or even if) I’ll close the 2,000 km loop, but the experience has definitely brought me closer to Czech culture.
4. Make Some Kamarády: Another great resource in addition to iTalki is SlowCzech. They have great materials like transcribed podcasts, thematic stories, and online classes. Occasionally, they have meet-ups in Prague and Brno that are open to any language level. I’ve been to a couple of these gatherings, and can’t wait for more. Grab a pivo, meet some new people, and make some new friends!
So, did any of these tips resonate with you? What part of living in a new country scares you the most? Intrigues you the most?
Hiking the Stezka Českem in October
Seems Like Just Yesterday I Had My First Lesson on iTalki