Moving between cultures / 2

As promised, here's the stage of cultural transition that I'm in now:

Transition
Neither 'here' nor 'there'. No sense of belonging. Limited roles and responsibilities. World revolves around own needs.
No one knows who you are or what you can do. Not part of any structure or network. All past personal history and education seen to be irrelevant in new environment.
Anxiety, loss of self-esteem, grief from loss, confusion as to identity. Problems and tensions exaggerate out of proportion. Sense of chaos.

I had this bad when I moved to Sydney, but even though this experience is far more challenging and intense, things are so much better. I think this is because God is grounding me and granting me his strength and peace. Maybe I'm also more sure of my belonging with him and of my value in his sight. On top of these things, I still have my identity as an Australian, and I've been welcomed by and included in the SIM team here, and am getting to know Felipe and Emy's friends and family. I'm a long way off feeling Chilean though, and I do find myself getting a little more stressed than usual by the unanticipated difficulties and demands of my new life.

Here's a sneak peek at the next stage, which I believe I'm already partially in now:

Entering
Observer of people, places, and events. Superficial relationships develop. Aware of what is different and why.
Growth in understanding and ability will be observed and noted. Invitations will be extended and 'bridge people' will help the formation of new networks of information and relationships.
Still ambivalent about roles, status, and relationships. Growing ability to take risks in order to learn. Feel less vulnerable but still uncertain of who or what to trust.