Around the World...and then some

Stage 3 Sanity

During Orientation, we had a presentation given to us about culture shock. They told us there are generally three stages of culture shock. In the first stage, everything is new and exciting and you just want to take it all in. When something goes right it’s the most wonderful thing in the world, and when something goes wrong, it’s ok because it’s all a “cultural experience”. Stage 2, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of Stage 1. You’re sick of Russia, you want to go back to America. You can’t understand why they do anything the way they do it, and when even just a little thing goes bad, it goes really bad. I believe they said this stage was characterized by “unexplained fits of crying”, to which we all nervously laughed… Then, Stage 3 is the sane stage, so to speak. You understand why they do things they way they do things here, whether or not you like it. You may even start to think some things are done better here than they are done back home. And you begin to think of things you’re going to miss about Russia when you leave. Each person experiences the stages differently, of course, and it's possible, especially if we're only here for a semester, that we only hit Stages 1 and 2. Or even that we stay in 1 the whole time. Or that we skip 1 and go straight to 2. Anything is possible, as they say.

What has been the most interesting for me, though, is that I feel like I've hit all three, right on the button. For the first few weeks that I was here, there was a lot of jumping back and forth between 1 and 2. I'd have an awful day, and then a wonderful day. I'd feel like I couldn't speak a single word of Russian, and then I'd feel like I was going to become fluent by the time I left. And then there was definitely a period of solid Stage 2. There's really no way to explain it, and I must say I'm more than glad it's done with, but it mostly consisted of a lot of (unexpressable) frustration.

And now, almost three months since I arrived, I believe I have finally entered Stage 3. There are still Stage 1 and 2 moments, of course, but I think those moments exist in everyday life, no matter where you are. The Stage 3 realization came while I was traveling in Finland, actually. I can't say that I missed Moscow, because I didn't. I didn't miss the city, or the language, or the metro, or the people. But somehow, I missed Russia. I missed the feeling of the country, and the culture. I missed having tea waiting for me at every meal. I missed the way they're always wishing you things - Bon appetit, Have a good trip, Have a good day. I missed the food. It's not that I love Russian food, but there's a feeling in food that just reminds you of a place. A hot dog is just about as American as you get, just like potatoes and borscht are as Russian as you get.

I have yet to really fall in love with Russia, and I doubt whether I actually will. But I think I finally understand, and sometimes even enjoy, the feeling of Russia. That doesn't say anything to whether or not I'd like to return for an extended period of time, cause I still am not sure (although I know that if I do return, it will be to a different city than Moscow...). All it means is that I understand, which I guess is really the point of studying abroad anyway. I came to Russia to get to know the culture and, regardless of what I like and what I don't, I know it. It makes my time here feel like a success, even when I'm homesick and wishing for just one night at Proctor at 5:45.

posted by Becky @ 10:02 AM