In examining the cultural shock experiences, coping strategies, and the significance of empathy in intercultural communication, the present study looks at the challenging but fascinating process of adapting to Japanese culture when studying abroad. Cultural differences become personal when I reflect, follow the mindset change process, overcome communication barriers, and search for common ground. It declares empathy a necessary skill in eliminating cultural barriers and establishing genuine relationships. Along with our journey and as we are among different environments, we also boost the importance of empathy for intercultural interactions and a creative and kind society.
Culture Shock Experience
My culture shock experience while studying in Japan and being an international student was relatively easy but highly excellent! Along the way, coming across the U-Curve Conglomerate, it was almost like shaking hands with various up and down emotions. At the outset, luscious gardens, sparkling temples, intricate calligraphy, and rhythmical music filled my eyes, ears, and heart with awe and wonder. Bright streets were full of lively people in colorful clothes whose hubbub was intoxicating. I was accepted so beautifully by the natives and celebrated for my impeccable manners and rich culture without anyone pausing to insult or consider me a foreigner. This blended well with my life there. While the honey passivation lasted, every experience appeared like a new adventure, and I was very excited to take in all the new unknowns around me.
On the one hand, this experience was a mine of potentialities, and it opened up many new vistas before my eyes, allowing me to gain more awareness of various cultures. At the same time, it required me to go through the intricacies of cultural differences and the many unpredictable aspects of day-to-day living. Every day, tasks I memorized and did by heart back home involved such difficult hardships in a new environment. The language issue notably was a significant obstacle; it was so huge that, occasionally, even simple communication was like trying to talk to oneself in a foreign language.
I went through a period of excitement. However, it was followed by a stage where I felt annoyed and disappointed. The mysterious facets of the Japanese way of life had once seemed fascinating, but I slowly started to feel upset by it all, and I wanted to be home again. However, making friends was easy; the responsibility and responsibilities of everyday life in Japan humbled me and made me feel like an outsider. Regardless of the daily issues and problems, I overcame them step by step. As I gradually merged into the culture, I looked for a place where I fit in this frontier society. Every day in Japan, I learned Japanese customs and traditions more closely. Because of that, I created unique relationships with local people and other expatriates. With time, the shocks I received and my bewilderment vanished and were gradually replaced by the acceptance and even the appreciation of the cultural heritage of Japan. This was a challenging process, as I had to endure many hardships. There were moments of doubt and uncertainties, but in the end, it was undoubtedly a fantastic transformation that made me a better person. Looking back on my stay in Japan, I see that there were many complications and problems. I understand they were remarkable as they taught me such qualities as resilience, adaptability, and the joy of cultural exchange. (Journey, 6:49).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=opeBeB7c4io.
(Culture & Identity, pg. 8)
https://uwmilwaukee.studioabroad.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Link_ID=A4444C67-C7A6-1E8A-2D744B0E67C7A781
Causes of Culture Shock
I had the most fantastic time; culture shock was among the most complex and testing life’s journeys. It frustrated all the adaptability and resilience I thought I had as I had never been before. The fact that I strictly did not get the language fine got in my way much more than the other problems I dealt with. Although it went smoothly for me in Japanese during high-level conversations at business meetings and conferences, I had to put much time and effort into mastering it for day-to-day exchanges. Communication, which smoothly followed one another in the past, has now become a form of struggle that ended in senseless arguments and, in some cases, even led to misunderstandings. Dueling with social norms forms one of many difficulties of my culture shock, which further added to my adaptation difficulties. Every day’s activities figured as a routine, and I awkwardly danced, struggling to get familiar with unrecognizable gestures and signs. For example, the notions of personal space and social behavior in the society I was used to were radically different from what I was experiencing there, leaving me thoroughly confused and out of place all the time.
It was the overwhelming challenge I had faced in Japan as I tried to get used to a highly intense life, the fact that I had to work tough day and night, and I also had to struggle with the strict demands of academic performance. The indignant contrast between the complex city sceneries and the tranquil traditional scenes made me dazed and unable to find balance. Often, I had to try and face this new situation while keeping in mind my instincts, forgetting about which I was utterly exhausted. Such emotional fatigue left me even more isolated and made me miss home comforts more than ever. Funny as it may seem now, I forget about my initial mistakes and feel still young and inexperienced. I cannot tell you how many things happened to me there, and my emotions were also potent. However, they were a mixture of feelings, which resulted from some very peculiar features I despised then but became a love story for me. However, amid all that chaos of adaptation, I found and met some of my natural strengths and broadened my view of the world to save something in my heart.
(Tyson, pg.30)
(Tyson, pg. 19)
Strategies for Managing Culture Shock
Regarding my experiences, I now understand that many options would have helped me handle the difficulties of culture shock. I could have suggested taking precautions such as preparing myself psychologically for cultural diversity beforehand. My involvement could have been through, among others, the mastery of language, understanding of social culture, and knowledge of environmental expectations. I could have gone through participating in language exchange programs or attending cultural orientation workshops. Interacting with these assets would have eased my adaptation and allowed me to understand the host community better. I could have viewed the situation from the perspective of having an open mind and a natural curiosity independent of my judgment. Being exposed to a broader view and opening up to diversity considerably accelerated my assimilation process.
(Pearl, 11:31)
Video, 13 June 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPu_h0l4MZo. It was accessed on 10 Mar.2024.
Building a Bridge of Communication
Communicating between new cultures with empathy resonates powerfully as a channel of understanding. Empathy requires putting myself in other people’s shoes to understand their views better and recognize the true nature of their experiences. Empathizing with individuals from different cultural backgrounds is one way to boost tolerance, trust, and respect in society. This method of caring not only enables them to form lasting relationships but also supports them to keep open communication across different cultures. I favor empathy since it produces humility and a high level of understanding and openness to learning from others, qualities that I consider unparalleled in their value for detecting and solving problems. At its heart, integrating empathy into intercultural communication significantly ensures inclusivity, raises cultural awareness, and provides grounds for the establishment of relationships free of discords in a world where interconnectivity is the order of the day(Raina, 20). However, many studies on the opposing sides of empathy are not too much, but these studies reflect a different opinion than the commonly accepted empathy-is-always-good perspective.
Empathy lessons are crucial as they can be applied to different situations. In the workplace, the learning environment, or the social background, we must employ empathetic communication to traverse the gaps and create paths toward understanding. Thanks to my keen listening to people and their opinions and feeling their sorrow and happiness, I have seen how compassion can level the playing field and unite people. Empathy brings about the rise of consciousness, and the discomfort must be faced, let alone the assumptions and biases. As I delve deep into cultural landscapes, I need to keep an open mind and heart, knowing I am just peeking into that mysterious puzzle(Diner et al.pg4). My research topic is the obstacles and communication between Manado and Japanese cultures in Japan. Therefore, I need to discover the cultural backgrounds of Manado and Japan because they have different values.
Empathy should remain a practice that also involves self-evaluation. It is about reminding myself that we are all one human race that should relate to each other equally, no matter what they look or believe. Through empathy in my interrelations with others, I have a positive influence rather than making it easier to form deeper connections, create sustainable environments of mutual respect, and build inclusive and equitable spaces. Narrowing the communication gap through empathy is a strategy and a lifestyle. Through empathy, when we communicate with others, borders and stereotypes will be removed, forming a friendly and agreeable world. To move forward, I firmly believe in fostering compassion at all levels of my life. Only through empathy can we overcome the walls that separate us and cultivate a world rich in compassion that rivals our boundaries.
In conclusion, I experienced many cultural shocks. However, I also responded well to them and developed empathy for the foreign culture, which enabled me to have a beautiful intercultural experience. Through the trials of dealing with cultural tensions and communication obstacles, empathy as the means of eliminating the barriers between people and forging constructive relationships has been identified as a critical element. While we pursue the cultivation of empathy in our interrelations, we accomplish understanding diverse lifeworlds and shaping society in empathy and compassion. Heartfelt empathy can provide a perfect ground for a humus of negotiation and an opportunity to realize peace and consistency in the global village.
Work Cited
“Culture & Identity>Center for International Education.” Studioabroad.com, 2021, https://uwmilwaukee.studioabroad.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Link_ID=A4444C67-C7A6-1E8A-2D744B0E67C7A781
Pearl, Oriental. “Japan Culture Shock: My Top 5 Shocks Living in Japan.” YouTube, YouTube Video, 13 June 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPu_h0l4MZo. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.
Raina, R. “Moving Crisis to Opportunities: A Corporate Perspective on the Impact of Compassionate Empathic Behaviour on the Well-Being of Employees.” International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, vol. 17, no. 2, Springer Science+Business Media, Jan. 2022, pp. 239–55, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42943-021-00040-w. It was accessed on 10 Mar. 2024.
Diner, L., Zulaeha, I., Subyantoro, S., & Supriatnaningsih, R. “Barriers and Strategies of Intercultural Manadonese and Japanese Communication in Japan.” Languages, vol. 7, no. 3, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, Sept. 2022, pp. 232–32, https://doi.org/10.3390/languages7030232. It was accessed on 10 Mar. 2024.
Journey, Japanese. “Culture Shock in Japan.” YouTube, YouTube Video, 2 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=opeBeB7c4io. It was accessed on 10 Mar. 2024.
Tyson. “Guide to Culture Shock in Japan – What to Expect in Japan.” Japan Switch, 24 Nov. 2020, japanswitch.com/guide-to-Japanese-culture-shock/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.
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