Imagine that you are an American college student going to study abroad in Australia for the summer. You are excited to take your first trip overseas and cannot wait to go. You figure that since it is an English-speaking country, it won't be that different from America.
Once you step off the plane, reality sets in. You realize that although it was summer when you left home, it is winter in Australia. You have trouble following the language and find it hard to fit in. You feel alone and lonely, especially on the 4th of July when you would normally have a huge party with family and light fireworks. You cannot connect with any of the locals and feel like no one understands what you are going through. You cry at night and wish you were at home. What you are feeling is culture shock.