Adjusting - Culture Shock (Denver: transplants, living, moving)

[StoneThrower]

I have been reading these forums for the last month, so I am a bit of a newbie. However, one common thread seems to be people complaining about their new situation very early into the game.

Culture shock is not just what happens when you go into another country, it happens when one moves into a new community too. The main difference is that people expect culture shock when they go overseas but assume that they should not have similar adjustment problems when they move from say Florida to Denver.

That being said, every time you move expect some culture shock. It will take about a year to really get adjusted and understand the local culture. If you are finding things not to your liking about 5 to 6 months in, than you are following the culture shock time line perfectly.

Also, people's "friendliness" is completely relative. Everyone has different thresholds of what they like and don't like when it comes to friendly behavior, and it is a very relative term. Just food for thought.

[DenverLawGal]

Great post. I too wonder what the deal is. Do they come here with overly high expectations? Are they waiting for this to be their utopia and savior of all problems? WTF?

I'm wanting to move to Florida, and while any time I mention this, I get a load of crap, I know that it's because those people left for those reasons (bugs, humidity, crime, crowded city). I don't think that if I move I'll be on the set of Miami Vice, but I do think it'll be quite a struggle for me. One I wholeheartedly embrace.

And yeah, at least a year needs to be spent in order to decide if life there is truly for you.

[denverian]

I think I've mentioned that too - that it really takes about a year to adjust to a new city.

I didn't go through "culture shock" coming from California to Denver, but then I'd lived in Denver for 3 years before, and I really don't see any big difference in culture between Denver and SoCal.

"Western" culture really isn't all that different from Denver to Seattle to San Diego, from what I can tell. Unless you're into a very specifice sub culture, like "surfer culture" in California or something like that. The only real culture shock I've experienced is in small, rural towns, and especially in the South. But then I'd never move to the South (Miami is south of "The South" and doesn't count WTME!) or a rural area. Northeastern culture could be a bit of a shock, but I would get over it fast.

[DenverLawGal]

HA! I know Miami isn't really the "south", although if you go too far outside of Miami....

I think real culture clashes are between the east and west. A lot of east coasters come out here and there's the clash. I'm sure it'll be the same with me.

[Scott5280]

Ya, I think Miami is a culture shock for an ex- Coloradoan moving there, but that's part of the fun is that everything doesn't closely mirror a place you just moved from..I think with the right set of favorable variables going there WANTTSTOMOVE.. and you will consider South Florida a paradise..at least there will be a honeymoon period..Miami
as I understand it --is one of the more complex populations in the country,racially, ethnically,transplants from every where..example ex NYC, Italian,Jewish ect..unique climate, location..as only continental US. city with close proxemity to the defined tropics...Actual white sandy beaches not quite as laced with contaminents like West Coast...Hell I wanna Go...LOL

[DenverLawGal]

It is exciting Scott. I bet the struggle is first, then maybe some honeymooning. As a person who fully enjoys immersing herself in cultures outside of this country, I'm thinking Miami will be a joy. It's the big city stuff that might get to me. Like I said, gotta try it. I can't spend forever here.

And back to topic, maybe that's what others are doing by moving here, but yay to the OP, be realistic!

[StoneThrower]

What's interesting is that how people make transitions affects their ability to overcome the change. Most people go to another culture and reject it as inferior to their own or something that they know - which, of course, is a sure-fire way to not really get to know a new place by putting up barriers to understanding.

Other people completely try to adapt to the new culture, which can be good, but it also leaves them with a sense of loss because they aren't acknowledging their own experiences as much. The final type are those that embrace some of the new and bring with them some of their own histories. I would argue that most people who have transition issues within the U.S. do so because they go from different social-economic groups when they move to a new city more than as a result of a new U.S. regional flavor.

Which is why I embrace my internal granola-yuppie personhood and look for those communities whenever I move! Lol.

[downtownnola]

WTME: I just got back from Miami/Ft. Lauderdale about a week ago. I thoroughly enjoyed myself- there is alot to do down there. I could see a move to Miami being a bit of a culture shock coming from Denver, but I'm sure you'll adjust just fine.

I tend to agree that Californians and people from other parts of the west have a much easier time transitioning to Denver. Like Denverian mentioned, the culture in southern California isn't radically different than the culture in denver. I've found that people from the east coast seem to have the most difficult time adjusting. I'm sure that the adjustment would be just as difficult for someone moving from Colorado to the northeast.

[DenverLawGal]

downtown: It sure is a wonderful, bustling city. I'm an adventurer, so this might take me some time to conquer!

[downtownnola]

I agree: Miami has a very fast, bustling feel to it. Have you had the "pleasure" of driving down there yet?

I really liked that area. Miami has a very cosmopolitan, international feel. Just avoid the bad areas, and I think you'll really enjoy living there. If nothing else, at least it's a change in scenery!