A Cure for Culture Shock...

So let's be honest, a full load of classes in a foreign language, along with the realization that you are going to be in a foreign country for another 5 months, with people you don't really know yet, in a house that's not yours, unable to actually communicate your feelings, and having your body finally react to the incredible amount of stress you've been putting it through does not make for a good week. More of a...curl up on your bed and read a book or watch a movie kind of week. Luckily, we had been warned that culture shock would be creeping up on us about this time, and although it wasn't any fun, I knew not to worry. Luckily I found the perfect cure, and am now fully in the swing of Tico life.

For any of you planning on spending a good deal of time in a foreign country, here's my recommendation for culture shock...go to the beach.

Preferably with some people you really like. And pick a beach that's not too crowded or touristy.

Spend your first afternoon lounging on the beach and playing in the waves, to help get rid of that stress and really let it hit you that you're in an amazing place. Top that off with a good dinner, and then head to the only bar in town. It helps if you know how to dance,  or at least enjoy attempting to dance, because you can plan on spending the next few hours with regaton, salsa, and meringue music and some exceptional dancers...they live in a small beach town and have lots of time to practice.

Don't stay out too late though, because the next step is to take surf lessons. If you're in Montezuma, Costa Rica, like I was, I highly recommend Chris, a fifty-something hippie who had a mid-life crisis and decided to move to Costa Rica and become a surf instructor. He'll pile you and your friend into his car, drive you along a beautiful coastline, feed you delicious snacks, teach you how to surf, and ensure that you get a couple of pictures looking good on a board.

After this, spend some time taking care of yourself, I recommend a big lunch and a nap on a porch overlooking the ocean. Some afternoon ice cream may be in order, and then find a nice spot on some beach rocks to watch the sun set over the ocean. When you get hungry again, bring your dinner out to the same spot and spend a few hours talking with your friends.

After a good night's sleep, head out the next morning to walk to the waterfall and enjoy the beauty around you. In the event that you have a 2 o'clock bus back to reality, like I did, finish off your weekend with a round of fresh fish tacos and pack up and head for the bus stop.

You will know if you've adjusted to culture shock by your ability to handle the ride home. If you miss the first bus, but are able to communicate and find a taxi to the next town up the street, and are able to get home with no other major setbacks, this is a good sign. It also helps to make some new friends, such as a Lebanese philosophy professor on a speaking tour and an Australian prosthetic's specialist in town for a conference. People like this help to keep the 8 hour journey home a little more bearable.

Arrive home, happy, and not too sunburned, eat a big dinner and go to bed. You'll find that when you wake up for your class the next morning that you're still faced with the same problems you had the week before, but this time, you've got it under control.

At least, that's what worked for me...