Listening to lectures on culture shock in my English class is actually proving to be quite relevant to me as well. The reader of the passage, being played from a CD, mentions 4 main stages of culture shock: Excitement, Rejection, Acceptance, and Acculturation. When someone takes the leap of faith and moves to another country they generally travel through these 4 phases, depending on how long they are away. Initial excitement about the possibilities that lie ahead is followed by rejection of all things new and different; once the realization of cultural nuances set in you accept your surrounding and appreciate them. The final stage, acculturation, comes after some time and is when you are fully acclimated to your surroundings and consider yourself a “part” of this foreign culture.
As I played the lessons aloud to the class I was internally debating my own stage of progression. I have probably just left the Rejection stage and am now in the beginning stages of Acceptance. I no longer question things when they happen, despite how irreconcilable they are with some of my own values and desires. I have learned to maintain an open mind and see things for what they are, not what I would have them to be. There are obvious pros and cons, but the vital point from the lesson, in my opinion, is that cultures are not worse or better; just different.
About 6 months into my Kurdish adventure I am now really finding my groove. I not only have a set routine, but my group of people I can rely on is expanding more quickly now. I not only feel comfortable out and about in the community, but I feel as if I am becoming more and more a part of that community. Granted, the language barrier still glares down upon me, but it has taught me the value of patience. One of the lagging factors in my acceptance of the society was the lack of fun extracurriculars to partake in. At home I would indulge in a regular bevy of activities which included: basketball, football, bars, nights out in the city, sporting events, video games, ice skating, you name it. In Kurdistan my options have been constrained to soccer, the gym, or restaurants. However, to the chagrin of my attempted purity, I have found some new friends to play poker and enjoy beers with; and there is a possibility that I won’t be quite as lonely either (due to cultural sensitivities, I will stop this part here). NOW I can finally enter the acceptance stage.
Speaking of poker, I have to show these pictures of where we played. It honestly felt like a room from the movie “Taken.” It was shady, fairly run down, compartmentalized, and in a dark corner of the street. There were about 7-8 little rooms of a trailer, each equipped with a small table, a few chairs, and a heater. Each room is served by a bartender and you are left completely to your own vices. You could drink, gamble, whatever; all things that run counter to Islam. It seemed that many a Kurdish man found a quiet escape in this dark building. Despite the shady ambiance of it all, it was actually really fun.
One last tidbit, here are some more pictures of Chucky. I love that dog, but man does he shed. He took many naps in bed with me in the two days he was here, and when I had guests for American style hamburgers ( thick and juicy as opposed to pancakes) , I made one for him as well. When he left I was a little sad as he really is an awesome dog, but once I cleaned up a wigs worth of hair from the floor the feelings subsided. I think I’ll stop here for today, but my trip is coming up and I CAN’T WAITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!
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