Adaptation in a new country: problems and difficulties and methods for overcoming this
When deciding to move to another country for the purpose of employment, a person does not always realize what difficulties he may encounter. This blog does not address housing, wages, or job-related or task-related issues. But no less important is the mental state of a person in a new country, his ability to adapt to new conditions and internally accept everything new and unknown.
One of the main reasons why a person wants to find a job, realize himself as a specialist, and receive a decent salary for his work is to ensure a comfortable life for himself and his family and children. Therefore, he decides to leave his comfort zone and go to another country, leaving his family, children, friends, and familiar surroundings in his native country.
When planning a move, the person first of all worries about a new place of work, his place of residence, what salary he will receive, whether he will be able to understand the employer due to his lack of knowledge of the Finnish language, and whether he will be able to perform work tasks. After starting work, the first anxiety passes, workdays begin, and it often turns out that the person is not psychologically ready for changes in his life. Culture shock and homesickness: how to cope?
Culture shock
In a new country, almost every foreigner feels culture shock. The biggest challenge is the language barrier. Not understanding what people are saying around you and not being able to express your thoughts and desires yourself can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. In a new country, there are differences in traditions and cultures. Other norms of behavior may cause misunderstandings or even dissatisfaction. There are also always differences in education, work methods and atmosphere, relationships between colleagues and company management. Everything around is different, new, strange.
Culture shock can negatively affect a person’s state of mind and manifest itself in the form of a constant feeling of anxiety and uncertainty, turning into depression. It is also common to have difficulty sleeping or eating, headaches, stomach pain and fatigue. A person feels boredom, loneliness, alienation from the whole world, and sometimes even his own inadequacy. Life no longer brings him pleasure and happiness.
However, remember that culture shock is usually temporary. Open conversations with local residents and colleagues, studying cultural characteristics through reading books, watching movies, and communicating on forums with local residents in your native language will help you understand local traditions. Also you can start learning Finnish in your home country, at the stage of planning your working career. There are many free platforms on the Internet for teaching Finnish. In Finland, you can continue learning the language in courses, or join conversation groups.
Getting used to a new environment, a new job, can be very stressful and takes time. Give yourself time to adapt and gradually master new conditions. Don’t be shy about your feelings, feel free to turn to specialists for help and support. Staffgate staff are always ready to help, both during the working relationship and during the planning stage of the move.
How much more a person is ready for change, how much more open he is to everything new, the faster adaptation occurs. When you, as a foreigner, begin to understand the new culture and people around you, the feeling of discomfort decreases and you begin to enjoy new experiences and perspectives.
Homesick
Homesickness is expressed as a longing for the familiar and comfortable places of one’s home country. This includes missing loved ones, family, friends; your home (apartment, house), comfort, room, bed; food and hobbies. A person may miss a sense of national identity, cultural customs and values.
To cope with homesickness, you need to regularly communicate with your family and friends through phone calls, video chats, and social networks. A person should not feel that when he left, everyone forgot about him and did not need him. However, a person does not need to dwell on his old connections, because this may prevent him from forming new connections and integrating into the new environment.
Try to make friends with locals and other expats. Join interest groups or clubs, participate in social events, move, don’t sit at home alone. Be curious, respect the differences you encounter. See new things as opportunities to learn and grow, not as threats or barriers. Try not to judge or compare local cultural practices with your own culture. Accept everything as it comes, try to understand the reasons and meaning of the behavior and values of the people you meet.
To successfully adapt, it is important to be prepared for new challenges, to be open to new experiences, and to be willing to learn and adapt. Don’t resist the new, but be interested, accept, communicate, make friends.
Remember that there is no right or wrong way to live or do things. Just there are many other different ways, methods, traditions, cultures that it’s time for you to learn about.
