May 22, 2004: Headlines: COS - the Gambia: Culture Shock: Personal Web Site: I experienced the never ending fury of culture shock. Everyday - literally - brought with it new challenges

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Gambia: Peace Corps The Gambia : The Peace Corps in the Gambia: May 22, 2004: Headlines: COS - the Gambia: Culture Shock: Personal Web Site: I experienced the never ending fury of culture shock. Everyday - literally - brought with it new challenges

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-115-42.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.115.42) on Monday, May 24, 2004 - 8:11 pm: Edit Post

I experienced the never ending fury of culture shock. Everyday - literally - brought with it new challenges

I experienced the never ending fury of culture shock. Everyday - literally - brought with it new challenges

I experienced the never ending fury of culture shock. Everyday - literally - brought with it new challenges

My initial excitement of living on a small island and in a family compound that had electricity, a television, and a water tap just outside of our compound vanished quite swiftly as I experienced the never ending fury of culture shock. Everyday - literally - brought with it new challenges. After about 8 months at site I'd switched jobs, as well as compounds and was on my way to finally feeling settled and more at ease

At this present time, I feel more at peace here in The Gambia. It took a while for me to realize that just as easily as I pointed fingers and accused people of offending me, they to had the very right - and even more so - to do just the same. I realized that American culture is just one of many; all with their advantages and disadvantages; morals and values; rights and opinions. And no matter how much one agrees, or disagrees, respect is due, especially when occupying another mans land. So my present days are spent attempting to do just that: maintain balance between what I respect, believe in and am comfortable with while, as much as possible, being culturally sensitive.

I now feel a new sense of serenity and peace as I have grown to appreciate so many things here, especially those things that are more difficult to attain in America. Not only have I learned a great deal about Gambian and West African culture, but about myself in general. The times that I have missed my friends, family and sorors at home, my mom's home-cooked meals, my times in the AUC and the like have been incomparable to the revelations and growth I have experienced here.




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Story Source: Personal Web Site

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - the Gambia; Culture Shock

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