Culture shock is one of the most grueling experiences an individual has to go through when moving to a new place. In this week's journal, I'll talk about my experience with culture shock, how I overcame it, and compare my journey with the expat adjustment model. I had to endure this feeling several times before coming to London and Hult. As we moved a lot as a family, I often had to get used to a new environment. Every time I encountered a new environment, mixed feelings arose. We could call these experiences “mini-culture shocks” because they were not caused by a change in culture. The differences were only subcultural in nature, since we moved to Bavaria. The real culture shock, with all its effects, happened when I moved to the United States and, more recently, London. The symptoms I can relate to the most are isolation, irritability, and homesickness. I had to undergo each of these treatments on a weekly or even daily basis. Being irritated is one of the most common symptoms for me. This is not surprising since the norms and behaviors of individuals change not only from country to country, but also from region to region. This creates confusion because people approach many aspects of life differently. It didn't take long to make friends after arriving in the United States; it also didn't take long to realize major differences as well. I was invited to a Thanksgiving gathering. I met a lot of nice people and got along pretty well with them. Before leaving their house, I was invited to go ice fishing with them in the winter. They promised to call me as soon as possible. Needless to say, people never contacted me and so I never went ice fishing. This experience irritated me. If a Germa...... middle of paper ...... expected from me before. The weather didn't help with my culture shock phase either. Oddly enough, the weather in Germany is even worse, because it is even colder. The biggest factor contributing to this phase was missing my family and friends. Two weeks ago I noticed an improvement in my whole situation. I'm now almost completely settled, knowing the ins and outs of London a little better and so I've started to enjoy my new situation. This is why I would place myself at the beginning of the Gradual Adjustment phase. I realize that these steps need to be taken more than once. They certainly come and go again and again. In my opinion, it is important to have symptoms of culture shock. It not only helps you appreciate the little things you always took for granted, but also reminds you of the love you have for your family and culture..