Culture Shock
From AFSWiki
Contents |
Understanding the impact of cultural differences
It is nearly impossible to give a concrete roadmap for dealing with issues that arise out of cultural differences, as each case is different. Here we’ll give a general overview of the definition of culture, an outline of the phases of cultural adjustment and some information regarding homesickness and culture shock. We hope you will find this useful as you attempt to assist participants and families recognize cultural differences and cope with the manifestations of culture shock.
What is culture?
CULTURE is a way of looking at, living in, and interacting with the world and other people. One country may include several subcultures, and conversely, one culture may span several large geographic areas and contain several countries.
Culture is an integrated system of learned behavior patterns that are characteristic of the members of a society. Culture reflects the total way of life of particular groups of people. It includes everything that a group of people thinks, says, does and make its customs, language, and material of attitudes and feelings. Culture is learned and transmitted from generation to generation. —Robert Kohls, Educator
CULTURE is learned and transmitted from one generation to the next. Much of our culture we are aware of—but there is a large part that we have assimilated without conscious awareness. When we encounter a new culture, we come face to face with that portion which is visible and easily understood (movies, dress, food). The more involved we become, the more we begin to encounter those parts that are not readily seen—aspects that are sensed, but difficult to describe or even name (gender roles, use of time). It is these hidden perspectives or aspects of a culture that lie below the surface of awareness that pose the greatest difficulty in adjustment. The hidden dimensions of a culture include patterns of verbal and non-verbal communication (gestures, facial expressions, posture), values, beliefs, attitudes, customs, modes of social interaction, and basic assumptions that are normally acquired in the course of growing up as a native member of the culture. Individuals are unlikely to be fully aware of the hidden dimensions of their own culture thus making it all the more difficult for them to truly understand the differences between themselves and others.
Culture shock
What separates members of a culture from outsiders is that members instinctively know how to deal with situations involving the hidden dimensions of their own culture. This lack of instinctive behavior is what results in CULTURE SHOCK — a sense of frustration, isolation, and homesickness. Students new to our culture don’t instinctively know how to recognize and interpret our culture. And we, as members of our culture, may not initially recognize cultural challenges that those outside our culture may go through.
Symptoms of culture shock
- Everything is an effort.
- Participants really miss familiar surroundings, they long for the comforts of home.
- Participants feel very critical of their host country, culture and family.
- Participants may even develop physical manifestations: headaches, stomach aches, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping.
- Participants feel isolated.
Handling symptoms of culture shock
- Recognize the symptoms as legitimate conditions that neither you nor the host family have caused and are not responsible for making go away. Provide relief and minimize any additional stress.
- Early on, discuss culture shock with your participant, and throughout the process, normalize culture shock behavior and assure him or her that it doesn’t last forever (e.g. “It’s okay,” “What’s happening is normal,” “The feelings are there, and they are okay”).
- Encourage “reaching out” behavior (e.g. establishing more contacts with people outside of the family).
- Encourage the participant to pick an area of interest they have always had and to pursue that area in-depth while they are here—or to pursue something new.
Ways to help ease distress from culture shock
- Allow for “time-out” periods. Culture shock comes and goes. One day a participant will be fine, the next day, miserable. During this time, keep the pressure off; postpone “learning” situations.
- Expect periodic withdrawal. It may occur because the participant is feeling confused, exhausted, or homesick. Don’t view it as a sign of rejection.
- Expect disagreements between the host family and the participant and between the host siblings and the participant and respond to them.
- Be prepared for judgmental remarks. If a participant if feeling very critical of his or her host community, they may make very negative or judgmental statements that they don’t really mean and which don’t represent their true feelings about the U.S. or their host family.
- Encourage extra rest.
- Avoid “no-exit” (ultimatum) situations.
- Tolerate your participant’s intense feelings. Anticipate some tears and accept them without feeling guilty.
- Minimize complications and stress as much as possible. The participant may be already functioning at maximum capacity for the moment.
Common sources of stress
These are not necessarily avoidable—often, they are part of daily life.
- Change — any change (positive or negative) results in a degree of stress.
- Being alone for long periods (e.g. parents/siblings working outside the home).
- And conversely, not having any time alone.
- Attending high school (where they often feel like they are “living in a fishbowl”).
- Pressure for academic achievement (particularly when a sibling achieves high academic status).
- Going on trips or to parties with new stimuli to respond to and the effect of “being on display.”
- Being introduced to relatives and family friends where there is considerable pressure to “make a good impression.”
- Being told s/he cannot call home or talk to co-nationals.
- Being pressured to “recover” quickly from culture shock.
- Teasing or joking about their culture shock behavior.
- Being asked to give talks or slide presentations to large groups.
Reverse Culture Shock
One of the biggest challenges for students who participate in study abroad can be the difficulty in re-adapting to the realities in the United States (otherwise known as "re-entry"). Many students who studied abroad went through many changes, re-examining their priorities, their values, and what they think of themselves and the United States. The "reverse culture shock" may be more difficult than the "culture shock" you felt while abroad.
Just as culture shock can differ greatly from person to person, reverse culture shock is just as personal of an experience. Upon return to the United States, you may find many things are different from how you left them. You may be more critical of the United States, while you now view your host country in a more favorable light. From language adjustments to depression to a simple trip to the supermarket, reverse culture shock can hit you in more ways than you would expect.
- What is Reverse Culture Shock?
Often students expect to be able to pick up exactly where they left off. A problem arises when reality doesn't meet these expectations. Home may fall short of what you had envisioned, and things may have changed at home: your friends and family have their own lives, and things have happened since you've been gone. This is part of why home may feel so foreign.
The inconsistency between expectations and reality, plus the lack of interest on the part of family and friends (nobody seems to really care about all of your "when I was abroad" stories) may result in: frustration, feelings of alienation, and mutual misunderstandings between study abroad students and their friends and family. Of course, the difficulty of readjustment will vary for different individuals, but, in general, the better integrated you have become to your host country’s culture and lifestyle, the harder it is to readjust during re-entry. This is where reverse culture shock (sometimes called re-entry shock) comes in to play.
Stages of Reverse Culture Shock
Reverse culture shock is usually described in four stages:
- Disengagement
- Initial euphoria
- Irritability and hostility
- Readjustment and adaptation
Stage 1 : begins before you leave your host country. You begin thinking about re-entry and making your preparations for your return home. You also begin to realize that it's time to say good-bye to your friends abroad and to the place you've come to call home. The hustle and bustle of finals, good-bye parties, and packing can intensify your feelings of sadness and frustration. You already miss the friends you've made, and you are reluctant to leave. Or, you may make your last few days fly by so fast that you don't have time to reflect on your emotions and experiences.
Stage 2: usually begins shortly before departure, and it is characterized by feelings of excitement and anticipation - even euphoria - about returning home. This is very similar to the initial feelings of fascination and excitement you may have when you first entered your host country. You may be very happy to see your family and friends again, and they are also happy to see you. The length of this stage varies, and often ends with the realization that most people are not as interested in your experiences abroad as you had hoped. They will politely listen to your stories for a while, but you may find that soon they are ready to move on to the next topic of conversation.
Stage 3: You may experience feelings of frustration, anger, alienation, loneliness, disorientation, and helplessness and not understand exactly why. You might quickly become irritated or critical of others and of U.S. culture. Depression, feeling like a stranger at home, and the longing to go back abroad are also not uncommon reactions. You may also feel less independent than you were while abroad.
Stage 4: which is a gradual readjustment to life at home. Things will start to seem a little more normal again, and you will probably fall back into some old routines, but things won't be exactly the same as how you left them. You have most likely developed new attitudes, beliefs, habits, as well as personal and professional goals, and you will see things differently now. The important thing is to try to incorporate the positive aspects of your international experience while abroad with the positive aspects of your life at home in the United States.
