Cultural Shock

When you go abroad youre going to experience new cultures, people, food, music and a new language.
All of the newness combined with the lack of things and people that you are familiar with might cause
you to have some anxiety.
Culture in the broadest is cultivated behavior; that is the totality of a persons learned, accumulated
experience which is socially transmitted, or more briefly behavior through social learning.
Cultural shock is a related anxiety, expressed by a personal disorientation, insecurity a person may fell
due to immigration or a visit to a new country, or even changing social environments that can lead to the
loose of identity, isolation from society.
1. Honeymoon: During the first few weeks, most people are fascinated by the new culture. They
associate with nationals who speak their language, and who are polite to the foreigners. This period is
full of observations and new discoveries.
2. Shock: There are so many differences in this country that you dont know how to deal with them. For
example, communication difficulties may occur, such as not being understood. In this stage, there
may be feelings of discontent, impatience, anger, sadness, and helplessness.
3. Negotiation: You learn to deal with the problems set before you and try to integrate a new way of
thinking into your own beliefs (respect and understand them). You may experience a new feeling of
pleasure and sense of humor. You may start to feel balanced and less lost as you become more
familiar with the environment and want to belong. You also begin to think about your values from
home versus the values of your new culture.
4. Acceptance: You are able to live well in the environment. In this stage, you realize that the new
culture has good and bad things to offer. This integration is accompanied by a more solid feeling of
belonging. n the mastery stage assignees are able to participate fully and comfortably in the host
culture.
5. Reentry: This occurs when going back to the country of origin. You may find that things are no
longer the same, and some of your newly acquired customs and beliefs are not in use in your home
culture.
Symptoms of culture shock may include:

Feeling very angry over minor inconveniences

Withdrawal from people who are different from you
Extreme homesickness
Sudden intense feeling of loyalty to own culture
Excessive amounts of sleep, or inability to sleep
Upset stomach- Overeating or loss of appetite
Sadness, loneliness, depression
Loss of ability to work or study effectively
Unexplainable crying
Feeling sick much of the time

How to Overcome Culture Shock in a Foreign Country:

1. Keep an open mind.

Do not automatically perceive anything that is different to be "wrong". Withholding judgment will allow
you to be an objective observer and will facilitate the process of cross-cultural understanding. Also, if you
are going to a country with which you know close to nothing about, do a little background information.
As you learn about the country in which you are going to, keeping an open mind is necessary, and, who
knows, you may find the reason for something you may not understand.
2. Make an effort to learn the local language.
This increases your communication skills and it helps you to integrate with the local community. It also
demonstrates your interest in the new country.
3. Get acquainted with the social conduct of your new environment.
Do not assume or interpret behavior from your own cultural perspective or "filter". Behavior is not data.
For example, Americans often use the phrase "How are you?" to mean "hello" or "I acknowledge your
presence as I pass you in the hall." A foreigner may wonder why Americans don't respond in detail to this
question about one's well-being. Thus they may interpret the behavior of walking away before one has a
chance to respond to the question to be "uncaring", "superficial" or even "rude". An American knows
otherwise and would probably not be offended that someone did not take the time to respond to this
question. Remember: If in doubt, check it out!
4. Make sure you get to know people in your new environment.
Respectfully ask questions, read newspapers, and attend a variety of festivals and events.
5. Try to achieve a sense of stability in your life. Establishing a routine will give you a feeling of safety.
6. Most importantly, maintain a sense of humor!
Don't be too hard on yourself if you make a cultural gaffe or don't know what to do in a social situation.
Laugh at yourself and others will laugh with you. Most individuals will admire your tenacity and effort to
understand their ways, especially if you are devoid of judgment and cultural comparisons that subtly and
perhaps unconsciously convey a veil of superiority.
Tips
Be patient. It takes time to adapt to new surroundings, a new culture and a new lifestyle.
It's always good to keep in touch with family and friends back home. However, spending too much time
communicating with them can exacerbate homesickness and delay the acculturation process.
When one experiences culture shock it is natural to withdraw to the comfort of what is familiar. Try not to
give in to the temptation to isolate yourself.
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