The Borlaug Blog

Culture shock is a phenomenon that I did not expect to experience to the extent that I am feeling right now. I have been far away from home on my own more times than I can count, but this new experience has shaken me a lot. I understood what culture shock was before my departure, along with all its causes and symptoms, and I thought that I would be immune to its effects. What a rude awakening I was in for! Being around people who look like me but feeling out of place because of language and cultural differences is not something I expected. It hasn’t been all bad, but it is easy to let the negative aspects overwhelm you.

The differences start in my residence. Being the oldest of four boys, I am not used to being by myself for extended periods, so trying to adjust to the silence I can enjoy hasn’t been the easiest. However, as I progress through my work week, I am finding more things to be grateful for. I am the first in my family to not only leave the country but to go overseas, and to Africa of all continents, so I have a certain feeling of accomplishment. With this, I feel a responsibility to do a good job, and that feeling can get overwhelming. At times, that feeling gets frustrating and causes me to freeze up, which can hinder my productivity. I have been working to find myself and overcome that feeling of stagnation, not only to fulfill my purpose during this internship but also to discover parts of myself that were hidden before. I hope to come out of this summer with a better understanding of myself, a different culture, and how it operates, and hopefully incorporate that into my daily life.

When it comes to noticing cultural differences, most of these observations occur during my time on the farm and through interactions with my colleagues. I noticed the differences through some of the questions they asked me about the United States. A prominent instance was when I was asked about the upcoming election in November. As a legal voter, I have been asked who I plan on voting for when the time comes. Surprisingly, the conversation goes a step further because of their knowledge of how our country's voting system works. My interest was piqued when we talked about the Electoral College and I didn’t have to explain how it worked. I learned that many people keep up with current events not only in their own country but globally as well. This revelation opened my eyes to the notion that the world is bigger than my own backyard. I hope to incorporate the habit of keeping up with current events both domestic and international.

These are just the beginning of the numerous differences that I will experience during my time abroad. I welcome all the challenges and adversities that they may bring because I know that I am well-equipped to handle them. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be in this position in the first place.