Grounded Abroad: Managing Culture Shock Mini-Course

Culture shock isn’t about grocery stores being closed on Sundays, milk coming in bags, or how to use public transportation. It’s about disorientation, identity, and the emotional weight of living in a world where the rules you’re used to don’t exist anymore.

This 90-minute, 4 lesson mini-course helps you understand what culture shock really is, how it shows up beneath the surface, and how to move through it with awareness instead of self-blame

Drawing from cultural intelligence (CQ), real-life intercultural experiences, and research, this course explores why culture shock happens, how expectations and ethnocentrism intensify it, and what you can do when the honeymoon phase fades and things feel hard.

You’ll learn to recognize culture shock in yourself and others, understand how cultural values shape everyday behaviors, and identify the internal work that makes adaptation possible. Rather than “fixing” discomfort, this course normalized the discomfort and helps you make sense of it, so you can stay grounded and curious while living, working, or traveling across cultures.

By the end of the session, you’ll walk away with a lot of “aha” moments, reflection prompts, and clear next steps to support your cultural adjustment in unfamiliar environments.