Culture Shock among International Students in the UK Essay

Culture Shock among International Students in the UK - Essay Example One of the biggest contributors to culture shock is the climate in the UK where individuals who come from warm environments come to experience the dampness that is prominent in the country for the first time in their lives. This is especially difficult for them to deal with during the winter months because international students have never experienced it before. The need to wear heavy clothing in order to protect themselves from the cold is always cumbersome especially in situations where they are used to light clothing. In addition, there are situations where international students come to find that the food in the UK is strange and that the familiar foods that are prominent in their home countries are hardly ever available. There are instances where these students live in self-catering accommodation and as a result of familiar food not being available and their inability to cook for the unfamiliar food that is available, they end up relying heavily on fast food. Culture shock in th is situation arises as a result of these students’ eating fast food rather than the diet that is used to, making it difficult for them to adapt to their new environment. Language is another contributor to culture shock because a large number of international students do not speak English as their first language. When they come to the UK, they often have a difficult time communicating with the local people as well as with their fellow students and tutors. The constant use of and listening to a foreign language can at times be very tiring for international students because it creates a situation where they come to feel nostalgic for their own language. Not being around people from their own countries who can speak the same language in a strange environment is often difficult for international students because they feel isolated in an unfamiliar environment.