24 Culture Shock

“Culture shock” is the term used to describe the disorientation that every student experiences to some degree when spending an extended period of time in a new culture. The common symptoms include homesickness, boredom, withdrawing from the culture by spending excessive amounts of time alone, excessive sleeping, compulsive eating, irritability, stereotyping or hostile feelings toward locals, weepiness, or even some psychosomatic illnesses (physical ailments that result from emotional or psychological stress). Although most students will inevitably experience some degree of culture shock, they likely won’t have all of these symptoms.

One of the best ways to combat culture shock is to stay busy and active, which is one of the reasons why IUHPFL has established a consistent routine and busy schedule.

The stages of culture shock are:

• Initial Euphoria. On arrival in the new culture, everything seems wonderful and exciting, and students are struck with how similar people around the world can be.
• Irritation and Hostility. The focus changes from the similarities between cultures to the differences, and the differences become irritating and frustrating. Small problems can seem like major catastrophes.
• Gradual Adjustment. The crisis of adjustment passes. The new culture seems more familiar, and the student moves more confidently within it. New friends are made. Students learn to interpret some of the subtle cultural cues.
• Adaptation and Biculturalism. Students are able to function in two cultures with confidence. They are so well adapted to the new culture that returning to the U.S. may provoke a “reverse culture shock.”

Ways students can minimize the impact of culture shock:

• Learn as much as they can about their host country before departure.
• Expect things to be different and attempt to see differences as interesting and fascinating rather than irritating or inconvenient.
• Keep an open mind. There will be many surprises, and the more open a student remains to them, the more exciting and wonderful the experience will be.
• Combine the best of your host country’s culture with all the good things in American culture. This “best of both worlds” approach will help you to get the most out of the cultural immersion experience.
  

Even though the term “culture shock” implies a jolting and immediate clash of values and norms, students more often react and adjust to their new surroundings in small steps over a period of time.