--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was very surprised when I first started…" description: "\"I was very surprised when I first started spending time in America. The culture shock was something I wasn't prepared for. I had a lot of work to do to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/clare-hope-ashitey-23337_america_i-was-very-surprised-when-i-first-starte_2393483.jpg" --- # I was very surprised when I first started spending time in… ![“I was very surprised when I first started spending time in America. The culture shock was something I wasn't prepared for. I had a lot of work to do to try to begin to understand this enormous and complex country that I thought would be an easy process.” quote by Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/clare-hope-ashitey-23337_america_i-was-very-surprised-when-i-first-starte_2393483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/clare-hope-ashitey-23337_america_i-was-very-surprised-when-i-first-starte_2393483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/330/clare-hope-ashitey-23337_america_i-was-very-surprised-when-i-first-starte_2393483.jpg) > “I was very surprised when I first started spending time in America. The culture shock was something I wasn't prepared for. I had a lot of work to do to try to begin to understand this enormous and complex country that I thought would be an easy process.” [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker experienced unexpected cultural differences in America, realizing understanding a large, complex nation requires effort and openness. **In simple terms:** America felt more complex than expected, needing effort to understand. Key Takeaway Approach new cultures with humility and willingness to learn. Themes culture shock adaptation learning humility Mood reflective thoughtful Type personal narrative insightful When to use this quote - travel - immigration - workplace integration - education - community building Key Concepts cultural intelligence complexity personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How can you prepare for cultural differences before arrival? - What steps help you deepen understanding of a new society? A Different Perspective Understanding a culture is an ongoing process, not a quick fix. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Culture shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture-shock/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Spending time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending-time/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“I help up my left hand. The sapphire and diamonds sparkled. “Oh my God,” my mom said and fell out of her chair. “Mom?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micalea-smeltzer/i-help-up-my-left-hand-the-sapphire-and-diamonds-sparkled-oh-my-god/) [Micalea Smeltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micalea-smeltzer/) > [I was surprised when I started getting old. I always thought it was one of those things that would happen to someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-was-surprised-when-i-started-getting-old-i-always-thought-it-was/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The U.S. is a complex country. It has a high predominance of immigrants who have been eminently successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/the-u-s-is-a-complex-country-it-has-a-high-predominance-of-immigrants/) [Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/) > [We have to understand that India is a complex country. Everything takes time for the real impact to get translated to the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kochhar/we-have-to-understand-that-india-is-a-complex-country-everything/) [Chanda Kochhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kochhar/) > [Russia itself is an extremely complex country, and sometimes I feel like all of that comes back to haunt me. I can see why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-yelchin/russia-itself-is-an-extremely-complex-country-and-sometimes-i-feel/) [Anton Yelchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-yelchin/) > [India is a complex country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/india-is-a-complex-country/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [Because of differences in geography, density, socio-economic patterns, each of our states are very different. A one-size-fits-all federal approach won't work. Our economy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/because-of-differences-in-geography-density-socio-economic-patterns/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [I think America is a really interesting place. In New Zealand, we don't sue each other really commonly. There's a really specific reason, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-farrier/i-think-america-is-a-really-interesting-place-in-new-zealand-we-don-t/) [David Farrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-farrier/) > [America has a culture of not saying sorry. I think there are a lot of people who will never admit they're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yu-darvish/america-has-a-culture-of-not-saying-sorry-i-think-there-are-a-lot-of/) [Yu Darvish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yu-darvish/) > [I don't understand anything about America's culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-don-t-understand-anything-about-america-s-culture/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I come from South America and it's part of our culture to speak out. It's a lot healthier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-miller/i-come-from-south-america-and-it-s-part-of-our-culture-to-speak-out/) [Gina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-miller/) > [I believe that the faith heritage of this country is actually a very important part of America's culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-believe-that-the-faith-heritage-of-this-country-is-actually-a-very/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [A lot of what is wrong with corporate America has to do with a culture filled with antibodies trained to expel anything different. HR…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/a-lot-of-what-is-wrong-with-corporate-america-has-to-do-with-a/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [America's economy cannot be disentangled from the free labor that built it, just as America's culture cannot be unbound from the black artists who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/america-s-economy-cannot-be-disentangled-from-the-free-labor-that/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [I'm not suggesting our music is the only music, but I am suggesting that there are certain elements in America's culture that are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-otis/i-m-not-suggesting-our-music-is-the-only-music-but-i-am-suggesting/) [Johnny Otis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-otis/) ## More by Clare-Hope Ashitey > [Sadly, I think that 'Children of Men' has only become an increasingly relevant and realistic portrait of where we are in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/sadly-i-think-that-children-of-men-has-only-become-an-increasingly/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I can't imagine how hard it must be to invest in a community... when you don't feel heard and when you don't feel seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-can-t-imagine-how-hard-it-must-be-to-invest-in-a-community-when-you/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I'm very instinctive when I choose my roles, and usually, the number one thing has to be the director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-m-very-instinctive-when-i-choose-my-roles-and-usually-the-number/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [Try to understand that behind every headline, there are individuals, families, and communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/try-to-understand-that-behind-every-headline-there-are-individuals/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [With so much racial tension and issues between the police and black and minority ethnic groups, there needs to be more in-depth conversations if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/with-so-much-racial-tension-and-issues-between-the-police-and-black/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [Between Trump's election and Brexit, there were all sorts of opinions coming out of the woodwork that I thought had died out a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/between-trump-s-election-and-brexit-there-were-all-sorts-of-opinions/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [Scripts specify 'minority' when it doesn't seem necessary. Given this is a traditionally liberal and progressive industry, it's surprisingly backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/scripts-specify-minority-when-it-doesn-t-seem-necessary-given-this-is/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [You look around, and you think, 'Given the chance, if we can get away with it, people are going to be nasty to each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/you-look-around-and-you-think-given-the-chance-if-we-can-get-away/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [From the smallest misdemeanor up to the biggest crime, everyone is brought before a judge. And that means there's a huge backlog in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/from-the-smallest-misdemeanor-up-to-the-biggest-crime-everyone-is/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [It's not so important to me where I work. A lot of good writers and directors and actors come out of Hollywood, so obviously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/it-s-not-so-important-to-me-where-i-work-a-lot-of-good-writers-and/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [If you are watching a fairy tale, that's why you go to fairy tales: you want these uncomplicated stories and uncomplicated characters. But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/if-you-are-watching-a-fairy-tale-that-s-why-you-go-to-fairy-tales-you/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I think we've all done things that are a detriment to ourselves, and we've all made good choices that have brought good things for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-think-we-ve-all-done-things-that-are-a-detriment-to-ourselves-and/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [You meet people, and you're like, 'I don't know how I feel about you,' and someone does something surprising that changes your mind. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/you-meet-people-and-you-re-like-i-don-t-know-how-i-feel-about-you-and/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I went downtown to the courthouse pretty late at night, and arraignment court was on. You have these prosecutors and public defenders and judges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-went-downtown-to-the-courthouse-pretty-late-at-night-and/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) > [I think people have always had ambiguous relationships toward the police because of the position in society they occupy. But that anxiety and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-hope-ashitey/i-think-people-have-always-had-ambiguous-relationships-toward-the/) [Clare-Hope Ashitey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) [Explore all 26 Clare-Hope Ashitey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-hope-ashitey/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was very surprised when I first started spending time in America. The culture shock was something I wasn't prepared for. 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