This research explored the attitudes and motivations of first-year students of English enrolled at the Faculty of Letters and Humanities of Sfax, Tunisia, during the academic year 2018-2019 towards learning English as a foreign language. Attitudes and motivations were investigated according to three variables: culture shock, interest in the English language, and ethnocentrism. Analysis of the relationship between language and culture paved the way for examining students' reactions towards learning English as a foreign language. Students feel very differently about English as a way of knowing the world, networking, and living a full life of a global citizen. Attitudes range from discomfort, anxiety, and confusion. A questionnaire was used to collect data about students' attitudes and motivational orientations towards learning English as a Foreign Language. The study indicated that most students do not like English-speaking people and reject some of their cultural values. It also showed that these students choose to learn English primarily for instrumental reasons. This paper concludes with solutions aiming to reduce the difficulties teachers of English as a Foreign Language encounter in the local Tunisian cultural context.