What Are Culture Zones?

What are culture zones? And an even better question, why do they matter?

Simply put, culture zones are a division of the world by grouping similar cultures together. Anthropologists are still debating about exactly how many cultural zones there are, but when I was first introduced to this idea, the research I read claimed there were three zones: 1) European (including North and South America) 2) African 3) Asian (including the Middle East and Polynesia). For example, I was born and raised in a European culture zone (USA), but I live in an Asian culture zone (China).

But why does it matter?

My first year in China I did a lot of research about culture shock. Obviously, culture shock is something we’re all aware of, and if you’ve lived in another country, then you’ve had the unique pleasure of experiencing it. In my studies, I stumbled upon an article describing culture zones in the perspective of culture shock. The article claimed that if you move to a country within your culture zone, your culture shock will most likely be weaker than if you move to a country in another zone. For instance, if I moved to England or France, of course I will still experience culture shock, but it wouldn’t be as strong as the culture shock I would experience in Ethiopia or Japan. 

What intrigued me the most, however, was the article’s connect to fighting culture shock. If you live outside of your culture zone, the article said you should leave the country twice a year, and go back to your culture zone once a year. For me, that means I should leave China twice a year, and go to the Americas or Europe once a year. If you’re living within your original culture zone, you should leave your city at least twice a year, and leave the country once a year. So, for an American living in Italy, he should leave his city twice a year and leave Italy once a year. 

When I first read the article, I thought it was interesting, but was it true? I decided to put it to the test. During my first year in China, at the half-way point, I visited Thailand (still in the Asian zone) and at the end of the year, I returned to America (my original zone). My culture shock that year? Not so bad. I felt like I experienced a normal, manageable amount of culture shock, so the following year, I decided to test the article. 

My second year, I stayed in China for the entire year. I did travel to different cities, but I did not leave the country until the end of the year, when I returned to the States. My culture shock that year? Wow. That was not an easy year. At the half-way point, I thought I was fine, but once I started that second half, culture shock hit. And it hit hard. It wasn’t only me, either. One of my American friends traveled with me inside China, and we both struggled that year. From then on, I swore I would follow the article. 

Fast forward to year number six and seven. I’d followed the article from years three-five, but during year six, I stayed in China again. It’s currently my fifteenth month without leaving the country. For you math wizzes out there, that’s almost a year and a half, and culture shock is back in full-force. 

I wish I could find this mysterious article to share with you, but since I’ve long since lost it, all I can do is pass on the information this way. It seems a little unbelievable, and I don’t know how much science is able to back this up, but if you’re living abroad or planning to, please take this advice to heart. No one needs more culture shock in their life! And, hey, it’s a great way to see the world while you’re at it!