While browsing the net I found an interesting text about culture schock (on a website called Australians Abroad - Aussies in Sweden and from a text written by Duncan Mason) that I thought I would share with you since I could totally recognise myself in this, been there and felt this.

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People's negativity can often be placed in context when you think about which stage of culture shock they might be in. It's also very useful to know that the negativity and homesickness you feel is also only temporary.

Culture shock sounds like something you get when you go to Sibera or Kashmir or somewhere, but you can just as easily get it when going to to -Sweden , the UK and the USA or Canada - they are after all, different cultures.

There are four stages of culture shock (and sometimes even a fifth):

1. Honeymoon period - when everything is wonderful
2. Rejection - when everything is terrible
3. Regression - when the grass is oh-so-much greener back home
4. Recovery - when the new life begins to feel normal.
5. Reverse culture chock
   

Everyone goes through them to different degrees and at different speeds.

Phase 1: Honeymoon period

During the first few days of your stay in a new country, everything usually goes fairly smoothly. You are excited about being in a new place, where there are new sights and sounds, new smells and tastes. You may have some problems, but usually you accept them as just part of the newness. You may find yourself staying in hotels and find that "the red carpet" has been rolled out - you are taken to restaurants, movies and tours of the sights. Unfortunately, this euphoric honeymoon phase can come to an end fairly soon, as you start dealing with day to day problems, e.g. getting your kids’ favourite foods. It may feel like people no longer care about your problems. You might even start to think that the people in the host country don't like foreigners.

Phase 2: Rejection

This can lead to the second stage of culture shock, known as the rejection phase- You may begin to feel aggressive and start to complain about the host culture /country. However, it is important to recognise that these feelings are real and can become serious. This phase is a kind of crisis in the 'disease' of culture shock. It is called the rejection phase because it is at this point that you start to reject the host country, complaining about, and noticing only, the bad things that bother you. At this stage you either get stronger and stay, or get weaker and go home (physically, or more often just mentally).

Phase 3: Regression

If you don't survive stage two successfully, you may find yourself moving into stage three: the regression phase. The word regression means moving backward, and in this phase of culture shock, you spend much of your time speaking your own language, watching videos from your home country, eating food from home. You may also notice that you are moving around school or around town with a group of students who speak your own language - and you may spend most of your time together complaining about the host country/culture. Also in the regression phase, you may only remember the good things about your home country. Your homeland suddenly seems very attractive. All the difficulties that you had there are forgotten and you find yourself wondering why you ever left. You think of your home country as a wonderful place where nothing ever went wrong for you. Of course, this is not true, but an illusion created by your culture shock 'disease’.

Phase 4: Recovery

If you survive the third stage successfully (or miss it completely) you will move into the fourth stage of culture shock called the recovery phase or the "at-ease-at-last phase." In this stage, you become more comfortable with the language and you also feel more comfortable with the customs of the host country. You can now move around without a feeling of anxiety. You accept the food, drinks, habits and customs of the host country, and you may even find yourself preferring some things in the host country to things at home. You still have problems with some of the social cues and you still don’t understand everything people say, however, you are now 90% adjusted to the new culture. You start to realise that no country is truly better than another - it is just that each has a different lifestyle and different ways to deal with the problems of life. Finally you have become comfortable in the new place.

Phase 5: Reverse culture schock

Much later, you may find yourself entering the fifth phase of culture shock. This is called reverse culture shock or "return culture shock" and occurs when you return home. You have been away for a long time, becoming comfortable with the habits and customs of a new lifestyle and you find that you are no longer completely comfortable in your home country. Many things may have changed while you were away and - surprise! surprise! - it may take a little while to become at ease with the cues and signs and symbols of your home culture.

Culture shock can be very difficult and distressing. There is a risk of sickness or emotional problems in many of the phases of culture shock. Remember to be kind to yourself all the time that you are overseas, and when you get home, give yourself time to adjust. Be your own best friend. Seek help if you think you need it. It is often enough just to know that others have been through it and know how you are feeling!