Dialogue of Civilizations Priority Application Deadline is December 2nd!

Blog
Student Reflections

Cambridge: Culture Shock

Nicholas Napolio
August 29, 2017

Overall, I have not experienced much culture shock here in Cambridge. The culture is quite similar to Boston’s. In fact, Cambridge feels much more like than U.S. than it does continental Europe. I don’t think I really went through the typical stages of culture shock: honeymoon, frustration, adjustment, and acceptance. Maybe just because I was only here for eight weeks, but I feel a combination of honeymoon and acceptance now, where I feel part of Cambridge but still enamored of it. I didn’t feel much frustration at any point. I did feel – and continue to feel – adjustment, but I don’t think it’s caused by being in a new culture. Instead, I think it was from starting new classes every four weeks and from finding new things to do here.

I’m sure I would feel a greater culture shock if, for example, I struggled with the language. But I think given all the media attention the U.K. gets (both entertainment and news) in the U.S., I knew what to expect (even if those media portrayals are generalized and a bit stereotypical). Also, a lot of U.K. culture seems to be congruent with U.S. culture. So, really I didn’t feel a huge shock.

Cambridge