Most people are hooked to American life as shown on television and movies. Should you decide to move to America to learn, the United States to study in another country, you might find that American life can be full of unanticipated surprises.

Living with a host family is a common way to transition to life in the USA and the most friendly people you can think of. But, even if the family will do their best to ease your fears, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t get surprised by some American customs or expectations.

For example, did you realize that the portion sizes of meals and drinks in American restaurants can be higher than those of a family-style meal available throughout Europe as well as Asia?

There are cultural differences in the USA, knowing about the expectations that you must be prepared for when you study abroad will assist you to settle within your American house stay. In this article, we’ll examine the four major cultural experiences that you might encounter.

Click here to read the 5 stages of culture shock.

What do you mean by Culture Shock in America?

A person who is experiencing cultural shock might be uncomfortable in a new country, such as America.

This could appear in a variety of ways as you adapt to your new surroundings. It could be in the way that Americans interact with each other and the range of food items that are available in grocery stores, or daily necessities like the weather, public transport or even.

The transition to a new culture can be uncomfortable initially. Here’s our opinion of the top four American culture shocks for students from other countries and the best strategies to lessen the impact of the cultural shock.

Click here to read stories from travelers around the globe who experienced culture shock.

Americans are extremely explicit in their style of communication.

Americans generally communicate directly. This implies that they ask questions about various things or communicate ideas in a way that is clear and precise. If you’re from a region that’s known for its indirect communication, which can be defined as a courteous conversation that relies on the context in which it is understood and comprehended, you may think that Americans’ directness is rudeness however, often isn’t the case.

There is a chance that the family you’re staying with isn’t adept at comprehending what you are trying to convey through indirect communication.

People whom you meet, friends and even your host family are Very Pleasant

Students who go to other countries to study, are usually pleasantly surprised by the way in which Americans can be in a range of settings. Expectations to engage in small-talk, also known as informal conversations are commonplace when you are living with the host family, or in social situations.

For example, if you were making tea in the kitchen of your host family when someone from your host came in, for instance. They might ask, “How’s it going?” Instead of expressing your feelings in-depth, it’s better to reply to them with “Fine! How are you feeling? “

Americans are also able to engage in discussions about the weather, talk about specific happenings in the region and even share their thoughts on current events (for instance, it’s not uncommon to talk about how long you’ve been waiting in the grocery store). Prepare yourself for the exchange, and you may possibly make friends.

Visitors to the United States are surprised by the phenomenon called”the “American smile.” Americans are known to smile more often than other cultures, particularly on photographs. It’s believed as rude in a lot of situations not to smile while you’re eating. While smiles that are wide may be thought to be an expression of extreme respect, American workers are typically trained to smile widely when people greet their customers. It’s not necessary to smile more when greeting someone in a cafe however, you may want to display your teeth on photos your family members back home want you to bring to them.

Your teacher, host family or professors should not expect formality.

In both the home and school settings. Both settings may be surprised by the casual manner in which Americans conduct themselves towards their superiors or elderly cousins. In particular, there aren’t any formal way of speaking in American English regarding respect for relatives who are older. This does not mean that Americans are rude to people who are in the same position as their parents or their older relatives, but rather they strive to establish an amicable relationship built on the authenticity the actions they take.

A scenario that is typical to encounter with your hosts. The host family might suggest that you address guests using their first initials, but you might believe that you should use “Mr.” and “Mrs.” to show a gesture to show reverence. But, this implies that your host family wants to get you familiar with one another and not talk in a formal way to one another. If your host family doesn’t provide a specific method of contacting them or in a specific manner, please feel free to ask.

It is important to be aware of the degrees of formality can differ from location depending on the location. Thus, for example, if you’ve become accustomed to the hospitality of those located in the South, don’t be surprised if residents of West Coast communities West Coast aren’t as welcoming. Of course, the fact that they’re not as friendly isn’t unexpected. The United States is a huge nation, and the rules of the culture differ from one region to the next and even from place to place.

This Host family is friendly and straightforward, but they still respect privacy.

Americans are friendly and open. You could believe that they’re transparent about everything in their lives. However, this isn’t the case. Americans are extremely private in a lot of areas of their lives.

The second is the fact that Americans like their personal space. This means that although they might be capable of hugging you to greet you but they prefer to be physically separate when they are engaged in a debate when they are in a group, or sitting in a line. Think about, for example, your host mom. When she initiates the exchange with you, then you shouldn’t behave exactly the same as you would be to relatives in your home country. Americans may feel uneasy in the sense that they’re within the same space as others’ body “bubbles. “

This privacy-consciousness is evident in the topics of conversations. It’s an American phrase that suggests that to conduct a conversation in a manner that is polite it is not appropriate to discuss matters of money, politics or religion. This is definitely accurate. Americans do not like discussing their health, weight or age So try to stay clear of these subjects of conversation.

The bottom line is that Americans are very cautious of their private spaces. Although your family members have shared rooms for you to use such as an open kitchen and living room, you’ll not be able to keep personal items in those rooms.

If you’re not certain of what you are allowed to do in these areas, you could ask. The same as it’s not advised to disrupt Americans their private spaces of the residence, including their bathrooms and bedrooms. If, for some reason, they keep their bag contents journals, datesbooks, or other items within a space that is open they could be viewed as unprofessional to browse or look through these things.

Transitioning to life in America United States With a Host Family

If you’ve gone through the cultural shocks that foreign students face, and you’ve perhaps a better appreciation of what you can discover about American Culture. One of the benefits of studying abroad is that you can discover different styles of living. It is possible to observe what’s similar to others and also teach students a few things about the culture of the country in which you live. They could be equally amazed by your actions the way you were theirs!

Cultural shock is an extremely challenging experience and can make you feel like you’re not certain how to behave in certain situations. This is why SRS Concierge is extremely thorough in conducting a thorough assessment of the families that we host. We can make sure we find families who are compassionate and kind in helping you get to know your new environment.

The people you share a home with will be happy to help in navigating American social expectations. If you’re uncertain of what you should do at the family at home, at school, at a restaurant, or in any other place, don’t be afraid to ask. They are aware that you’re in an area that may appear quite different from the place you’re from. They’d like to make your experience in America United States the best it can be.