How to Overcome the Period of Adaptation in a New Country (Part 1)

“I don’t know the city at all. I have never been there. What if I get lost?”

“What if people start staring at me trying to guess where I am from? How should I react?”

“What if I don’t like something in the behavior of my new roommates? Shall I tell them about it?”

I think these are some of the most frequent questions that arise when you are going to another country, especially for a long time (to study or to work for example). These are the questions that can make us feel anxious and get into panic. These questions are surely very important but be sure you’ll not find the answer until you are already in that country.

So, what should you do in order to keep calm and not to inspire yourself with false assumptions.

-          Before going to the target country try to get in contact (via e-mail, Skype or facebook) with people who have already lived in that country. For example if you are participating in student exchange program ask the coordinators for contact of other participants from previous years. You can tell that you just want to get acquainted with them and ask some details about living there etc. Be sure that coordinators will not reject your request.  

•         You can also ask your friends whether they have any friends or may be relatives living in the country you are going to. You can also get in touch with them and ask some details about life in that country.

•      Find the map of the city you are going to live in and try to find some most important places there. You will probably have the addresses where you will stay, study or work. Find those streets in the map so that then it’ll be easier for you to orientate.

•    In some countries there are special web pages of public transport, i.e. you can type there starting point and your target point and click search. Then you’ll have numbers of buses, trams you can take to get to that target point. One example is Polish www.jakdojade.pl .

This was so called practical part of overcoming adaptation period in a new country. Information is based on my own experience.

About psychological aspect of adaptation especially about starting a conversation for the first time or telling your new roommate  not to do something as you don’t like it and so on, you are welcome to read in my next post very soon.