rewriting assignment on culture shock

Ashima Choudhary

Level – 105 (Kyle)

07/14/07

Rewrite Homework Assignment – 3

Topic: - Experience on Culture Shock

It was 9 in the morning my cell phone rang, “Ting – ting – ting – ting.” “Hello hi Rishi (my husband) what happen dear?” I asked. “I am sorry; I really forgot to inform you about this program yesterday night. We are going for dinner today in the evening with my friends. My friends arranged this party for us especially for your welcome in Los Angeles.” He informed me. “Yes I am okay with this.” I replied to him. Very promptly he said “Thank you dear.”

After his call, I felt awesome, “Wow! Rishi’s friends are organizing a party for me. How nice these people are?” I was very happy and excited to meet with them. But at the same time my body was shivering with feeling of shyness and strangeness. I became anxious. I was feeling awkward and scared to meet with his friends. I wondered, “How could I behave with these unfamiliar people. I feel out of place. I really don’t know what will I do there?” During the day, I was thinking about Rishi’s friends and dinner.

Later in the evening Rishi came home to pick me up for dinner. I am afraid to meet with new people. It caused my legs to shake. I broke in a cold sweat. “Are you fine dear?” he asked me. “Yes, I am fine. I am happy and yet, I am scared to meet yours friends.” I replied to him. “Don’t worry everyone will be nice to you,” he said. I was talking with Rishi on the way to restaurant.

At last the moment arrived when my husband and I stepped inside the restaurant. I saw that everybody was waiting for us. Then my husband started to introduce me to his friends. And suddenly I felt awkward and odd. When one of his friends hugged me and kissed me on my cheek, I wondered “What is this?” Again one of his friends hugged me and kissed me on my cheek. Then one by one all of them, they hugged me and kissed me on my cheek. I felt so embarrassed with their unfamiliar behavior. I blushed, my cheeks became red. My eyes stopped blinking. My mind was full of irrational thoughts. “Why are they behaving so strangely?”

Moreover, at the dinner table everybody was amiable on the very first meeting. It was as if I knew them very well and they knew me well too. I thought “Americans are very friendly.”

Finally, after finishing dinner my husband and I came home. I was full of wonder, surprise and hesitation of their unknown custom. I asked Rishi, “Why didn’t you stop your friends when they were hugging me and kissing me on my cheek? Are they behaving with me mischievously or is this normal here? Nobody behaves like this in India; at least when you are meeting with somebody at first time.” He smiled “No, no”. I asked again, “So are they all giving me some special treatment to make me feel comfortable? If that is so, then I am afraid to tell you that I didn’t feel comfortable there. I felt embarrassed. He gently smiled and said “This is normal here.” He explained to me that hugging and kissing is one type of greeting here and this is typical when you meet your friends and family members; it takes time to adjust in a new culture and environment. I realized I had had a culture shock. I have read about culture shock in books but now I got to experience it.