Culture Shock

“Culture Shock” is the term used to describe the psychological effects of being immersed in a new culture. The process of adjusting to a new culture, language, and new ways of doing things can be an exciting and rewarding experience. However, it can also be frustrating at times.Though every person’s experience is different, most people go through an adjustment process that takes six months to a year. Awareness of this process can help you understand your own feelings as well as those of your friends, making adjustment easier. The phases of Culture Shock are different for each person. Some people experience these stages in different degrees and some may take much longer to get through the process than others. The 4 stages can be described as:

Cultural Euphoria:

Takes place right after arriving in the new country; things that are new and different are viewed positively. You generally feel excited and enthusiastic.

Cultural Confrontation:

You slowly begin to feel that you do not “belong” or that you are an “outsider.” Differences stand out that cause misunderstandings and feelings of alienation. At this stage, you may be very critical of the new culture and have feelings of depression.

Cultural Adjustment:

Interest in and sensitivity towards the new culture and people emerge. You begin to feel more comfortable, and the ability to joke about new experiences and difficulties returns.

Cultural Adaptation:

A meaningful understanding of the new environment occurs. You will stop assessing the new culture by using your own culture as a model and accept the culture and people for who and what they are…not better or worse, just different. You begin to feel a sense of belonging or “being at home” in the host culture.

How to Adjust to a New Environment

The following are some suggestions of things to do if you feel particularly anxious, confused, or discouraged:

• Eat and sleep at regularly scheduled hours.
• Exercise.
• Do something you enjoy like going to the movies, the zoo, a museum, etc.
• Join a club or group on or off campus. Do not isolate yourself.
• Take advantage of the support services available to Edgewood students. If you feel depressed for more than two or three weeks, schedule an appointment with a counselor in the Personal Counseling Office or with someone in the Center for Global Education.
• Communicate with your family back home about your “new life” in the U.S.

REMEMBER: Although schoolwork and improving English are important, it is also important to take care of yourself! You will not be able to do your schoolwork efficiently if you don’t feel well. If you feel like you are not adjusting well to U.S. culture or to Edgewood, please use the Center for Global Education as a resource to assist you through this transition period. We are here to help!

Money and Banking

You don’t necessarily need to open a bank account in the US, but having a US bank account would save you money in withdrawals and payments. Many international banks charge customers a fee every time money is withdrawn in a foreign country or even every time a credit or debit card is used.

In the US, savings and checking account plans vary a great deal depending on the bank. It is a good idea to check out several different banks and credit unions before making a decision about which is the best for you.

Here is a list of things to consider when making a decision about opening a bank account:

• Fees associated with obtaining and using an automatic teller card (ATM card), which may also be called a debit card.
• The minimum account balance required to avoid service charges
• Amount of service charge if the minimum balance is not maintained
• Monthly or yearly service charge for checking account
• Fee for each check written
• Interest rates for checking and savings accounts
• Penalty for insufficient funds (when a check “bounces”)
• Fees for wire or electronic transfer of funds from your home country
• Fees for transferring funds between savings and checking accounts by phone or through the internet
• Certificate of deposit interest rates (May be something to look into if you have money you know you will not need for six months or a year.)

When using a personal check to pay for goods in a retail store, you will often need to show some form of identification such as your Wisconsin Driver’s License or Wisconsin ID. Not every store or business will accept personal checks as a form of payment. The chart below lists a few bank options in Madison that are relatively close to Edgewood. To open an account, visit the bank of your choice and bring the documents required to open an account.

UW Credit Union
www.uwcu.org
1435 Monroe Street Madison, WI 53711 Tel: 608-232-5000. Passport and I-20 or DS-2019 are required to open account
NOTE: Process to open account will take about 30 minutes.
Checking with no minimum balance but must start account with $55, FREE debit card with unlimited ATM transactions with no fees. NOTE: Must also open a savings account with a minimum balance of $5

Associated Bank
www.associatedbank.com
1720 Monroe Street Madison, WI 53711 Tel: 608-259-2000. Passport and identification card are required to open account. NOTE: Process to open account will take about 30-45 minutes.
Student Advantage Checking: No minimum balance, minimum opening deposit of $100, Free debit card, Unlimited free ATM access at Associated Bank ATMs. NOTE: must pay three online bills or deposit of $500 a month to keep the account.

Chase Bank
www.chase.com
Capitol Madison, 22 E Mifflin St. Madison, WI 53703 Tel: (608) 282-6020. Passport and I-20 or DS-2019, and Address Verification which can be obtained from an official bill such as your fall tuition bill or by visiting the Residence Life office on campus.
Checking with no monthly fee or minimum balance, no ATM service charges when using Cahse Bank ATMs.

Edgewood Financial Literacy Services
www.edgewood.edu/NIFEL 
For more assistance we encourage you to contact Edgewood’s Financial Literacy Services Office. Utilize this free service to learn more about U.S. Banking and making wise consumer choices while studying abroad. Financial Literacy Services staff have assisted many international students with car purchases, lease agreement questions, inexpensive travel tips, budgeting, credit and general banking questions.

Transportation

Cars:

For those who do plan to drive a car in Madison, a valid driver’s license and insurance for the vehicle you are driving are necessary. For more information on how to obtain a driver’s license please view the Getting a Wisconsin Driver’s License page.

Edgewood College Transportation:

Edgewood College offers a FREE parking shuttle for all students, faculty and staff as an alternative to parking on campus. The program has been designed to reduce the stress associated with parking and commuting to campus. It also gives members of the community a way to save money and help the environment.
Please visit the Edgewood College Transportation website for more information.

Bus Service within Madison:

The bus system of Madison and surrounding communities is called the Madison Metro. Buses are clean, safe and very convenient to get to most areas of the city from 5:00 a.m. to midnight. The first time you ride a bus, you will be able to pick up a “Ride Guide,” which lists all routes and pick-up times. You can use Google Maps to find bus routes. Also, you can check routes and download the “Ride Guide” from the City of Madison Metro Transit website.

Edgewood College provides for all students a discounted Madison Metro Bus Pass. Go to the Security Office with your Edgewood College ID to obtain a bus pass. The pass is only valid for one semester, so you will need to obtain a new pass each semester. Students need to be enrolled and have paid all fees for the current semester to obtain a bus pass. There is a $25 fee to replace a lost pass.

Each time you board a Madison Metro bus with an Edgewood Pass, you need to show the driver your Edgewood ID and then slide your bus pass through the magnetic “pass reader.” In the summer if you are not taking a class at Edgewood or are not working on campus, you can buy boarding passes each time you board the bus or purchase a pass from Madison Metro. If you have any questions regarding the bus service, you can contact Madison Metro directly at their Customer Service Center (608) 266-4466 or visit http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/metro/metro.html.

Bus Service To Nearby Cities:

While living in Madison, you can easily travel to the following nearby cities: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Chicago, Illinois, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. You can purchase tickets for the following bus companies at The Campus Arts Ticketing Box Office located on the first floor of the Wisconsin Union at 800 Langdon Street (608)265-2787.
*Note: The ticket prices listed below are subject to change. Please contact the Wisconsin Union for the most current prices.

–Van Galder Bus:
Daily service to Downtown Chicago, O’Hare Airport, Midway Airport, Janesville, Beloit and Rockford. Tickets can be purchased online but the discounted students tickets are only available in-person at The Campus Arts Ticketing Box Office on the first floor of the Wisconsin Union. UW-Madison, Edgewood College, MATC, Wesli students and Union members can purchase the special $47 round trip tickets to O’Hare and downtown Chicago. One-way tickets may be purchased to O’Hare airport and downtown Chicago for $30. One-way tickets to Midway may be purchased for $32. Tickets to Janesville, Beloit and Rockford are also available.

–MegaBus:
Megabus is the first, low-cost, express bus service to offer city center-to-city center travel for as low as $1 via the Internet. Since launching in April 2006, megabus.com has served more than 30 million customers throughout more than 100 cities across North America. The luxury single and double deckers offer free wi-fi, at-seat plug ins, panoramic windows and a green alternative way to travel. The bus leaves from University of Wisconsin Memorial Union with destinations such as St. Paul, Minneapolis and Chicago.

–Badger Bus: 
Tickets are available at The Campus Arts Ticketing Box Office on the first floor of the Wisconsin Union. One way tickets to downtown Milwaukee (Goerke’s Corners/84th Street) for $20 or round trip for $40. They also sell ticket packages, to Milwaukee—$145, and to other palces.

Taxi Service:

Taxis in Madison can be very expensive depending on where you need to go. Remember that you always need to call a taxi company because you cannot hail a cab.

Union Cab of Madison Cooperative
Green Cab of Madison Inc.
Badger Cab Co Inc.

Weather in Wisconsin

In Madison you will experience four distinct seasons of the year. As a result, you will need to be prepared for all kinds of weather. Each season has both positive and negative aspects.

Winter

The average temperatures in January and in February, the coldest months, are around 20F/-13C, but the temperatures can easily drop below 0F/-18C. Also, it is often windy in the winter causing it to feel even colder; this is called the “wind-chill factor”. There is frequently snow and ice on the ground, roads, and sidewalks. Usually, it will only snow a few inches at a time, but it may snow a foot or more. Because all the buildings are centrally heated, it is best to dress for winter in layers, so you can remove the outer layers when you are inside the buildings. You should have a warm coat, hat, mittens or gloves, and boots no later than the end of October when the first snow may come. Bitter cold is dangerous and can result in “frostbite” (frozen skin) if you are not dressed properly. Covering your head and hands is especially important.

Spring and Fall

Spring and fall have very pleasant temperatures; however, weather and temperatures can vary a great deal from day to day. Rain is possible anytime during the year when the temperature is above 32F/0C. It is always a good idea to carry an umbrella with you during the spring and fall seasons.

Summer

The average temperature from July-August, the hottest months, is around 75F/24C, but temperatures ranging from 80-90F/27-32C are common. Humidity is relatively high during the summer, which makes the temperature feel even warmer. For this reason, most public buildings are air-conditioned. In such hot and humid conditions, it is important to drink lots of fluids. In summer, there are occasionally thunderstorms and sometimes tornados.

Time Zones and Daylight Savings Time:

There are four time zones in the continental United States: Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific. Madison is located in the Central time zone. (When it is 12:00pm in Madison, it is 1:00pm in New York, 11:00am in Denver, Colorado and 10:00am in San Francisco, California). This may be important to remember when you are making a telephone call to someone in another time zone, making travel plans, etc. (Note that nearby areas, such as Milwaukee and Chicago are also in the Central time zone.) The United States follows “Daylight Savings Time.” In late April, everybody must set their clocks forward one hour (e.g. 12:00 to 1:00). In late October, clocks are set back one hour (e.g. 1:00 to 12:00). Newspapers, radio, and televised news programs publicize the exact date, but the date is always a Sunday. Remember to “fall back and spring ahead” or you may be too early or too late for your Monday classes!

For more information about weather in Wisconsin visit The Weather Channel website.

U.S. Holidays

Below is a list of important holidays in the United States. All banks and federal government offices are closed and mail is not delivered on any of the days listed below. Edgewood College is closed only on those holidays marked with an *.

Academic Calendar

*New Year’s Day January 1
*Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday closest to January 15
Presidents’ Day Third Monday in February
*Easter Sunday Varying date
*Memorial Day Last Monday in May
*Independence Day July 4
*Labor Day First Monday in September
Columbus Day Second Monday in October
Veterans’ Day November 11
*Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November
*Christmas Day December 25

Listed below are other holidays that do not affect college, business, or government schedules, but are commonly celebrated in the United States.

• Valentine’s Day February 14
• Saint Patrick’s Day March 17
• Mother’s Day Second Sunday in May
• Father’s Day Third Sunday in June
• Halloween October 31