Culture_Shock

Culture Shock SOC120 Due Day 5 If I was visiting and studying the Yanomamo, I would do extensive research regarding their way of life. In a situation such as this one, I believe that although Chagnon probably studied the Yanomamo culture for quite some time, there was very little he could have done to prepare himself for what awaited him. The way of life of the Yanomamo is very different from ours. In my case, I would have done extensive research to try to gain a better understanding of the Yanomamo. I would invest time in the environment they live in, their neighborhoods, and the way they live their lives. Even considering, going on a visit to South America, just to get a feel of what I would be dealing with for those 19 months would be helpful in preparing for the culture shock. A few years ago, my aunt took me to the Dominican Republic; this was the most shocking experience of my life. I was a young girl and could never forget the way of life of the people in the village we visited. My aunt’s husband is Dominican and his family lives in the Dominican Republic. My aunt traveled there often to take them clothing and food. During one of her trips, she decided to take me with her. Upon arriving to the Dominican Republic, it seemed like any other place I had visited. Little did I know that the family she was visiting lived in a small village, a four hours distance. After a two hour drive in the car, we were informed to can’t go any distance further. We had to commute on foot for two hours no cars were allowed any further. After a two-hour hike, we finally arrived at the village. When I looked around I soon felt this overwhelming sadness come over me. The villagers had no shoes, their clothes were dirty and broken and their homes were made of tin. There was no water running, power or lights, beds or bathrooms; literally nothing at all. The villagers cleaned themselves in the cold river. This was an experience I was not familiar with. The people in the village were nice; different families gave us some food and showed great hospitality. My aunt gave the children gifts wrapped in boxes. The children was elated with the new clothing they received, even knowing it was second handed. There is one thing for sure these children were so humble. Similar to what Chagnon went through, they are as well “one of the most technologically simple societies on Earth” (Macionis, 2006, p. 39). The meaning of culture shock is hard for people to understand. The expression culture shock is a sociological term used to define the many ways other peoples culture (reality) can affect our physical and mental states. Many of us have an understanding of the world based on the perspective and views of what we believe as “real” or “natural”. Sadly, most of us take this socially constructed reality for granted and when faced with a drastically different reality, it can be a shocking experience. We must keep in in mind that, “although cultures vary greatly, they all have common components, including symbols, language, values, and norms” (Macionis, 2006, p. 39). In addition, respect, research, understanding and prediction are definitely a part of understanding other cultures. References Macionis, J. J. (2006). Society: The basics (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.