Going from one culture to another is not only exciting but can also lead to “my experience with culture shock,” a very stressful and eye-opening journey. When you move from the realm of your own culture, where everything is familiar, to a completely new set of customs, the impact is often profound. My experience with culture shock has been marked by the range of emotions described by experts: anxiety, feelings of frustration, alienation, and anger when faced with an unfamiliar culture. Many of the customs of a new culture may seem strange or uncomfortably different from those of your home country. Being in a new and unfamiliar place can be difficult even for the experienced traveler, and it's normal to feel frustrated and isolated. Different people experience culture shock differently; some barely notice, while others find it very difficult to adapt to the new environment. If you come from a cultural context very different from that of the United States, the behavior of Americans may initially be very strange, annoying or even shocking to you. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay But to better understand what I mean, I will have to give you a little information about myself. I grew up in Kazakhstan, where most of the information I had about the United States came from Hollywood movies. Hollywood's purpose has always been to entertain viewers, while the details of American life may not be accurately portrayed. I have dreamed of coming here for so long, but I never expected to have culture shock in America. The first thing that puzzled me about American culture was how Americans tend to be very friendly. They will strike up a conversation with passengers on the bus, smile and wave, give a casual compliment to strangers on the street, invite a new acquaintance to a birthday party or lunch. Americans find it easy to make casual friends. They become friends first and then build trust, if at all. Americans make friends and befriend people suddenly and occasionally. They make friends and become relatively close in the blink of an eye, but it's easy for them to disappear from each other's lives in an instant. This aspect of American culture was a little confusing and frustrating for me. In my culture, we believe in building friendships and staying connected after you've built trust. In Kazakh culture it is essential to be able to trust each other and maintain that trust. Kazakhs must believe that someone is good and honest before having a harmonious relationship. That's why we may seem cold and reserved at first because we have to get to know someone to open up, but once we do we are very warm and hospitable people. Only after arriving in America did I realize that my self-identification as a shy and reserved person was part of my cultural identity with Kazakh culture. Another aspect of American culture that I found different from my own culture was the sense of privacy and personal space. Americans don't like their personal space invaded. They find it uncomfortable when others stand too close and unconsciously move away. In America, when friends or family greet each other, they shake hands or hug briefly and immediately step aside to maintain some distance for the conversation. Furthermore, Americans have a strong sense of privacy and believe that everyone has the right to it. They don't like being asked about their age, weight, salary, personal family matters, political opinions, or religion. In Kazakhstan there