Cross Cultural Adjustment

Cross cultural adjustment can be defined as trying to live and struggle in another country with another culture. The process of living in the different culture can be an exciting and stimulating experience. It is also a tremendous challenge as we realize that our “normal” way of perceiving and behaving may not be appropriate in the new cultural setting. The process of cross cultural adjustment somehow can be stressful as well because there is the insecurity and ambiguity of not knowing what is appropriate, coupled with a potential inability to understand feedback from the environment due to the lack of knowledge of language or culture.

Initially, you are surrounded by elements in your own culture that influence how you behave, act and relate to this world. As you have grown up with this culture, you feel comfortable with it. Your values have been shaped by our experience in your native culture. What happen when you suddenly lose these values? What happen when facial expression, gesture, and words are no longer familiar? Of course you will become frustrated and irritated as you find your previously accepted ways to be in conflict with the lifestyle from those who live around you. You may feel anxious about the sudden loss and change in your familiar surroundings. There are no longer the thousand non-verbal cues you unconsciously rely on to you how to act or behave. You realize that it is now necessary to change, to adapt, and to adjust.

The very first thing you need to remember is that experiencing these stresses is a normal part of the cultural adjustment process. The best defense is educating yourself about the host culture prior to departure, recognizing the symptoms, and developing healthy strategies to help you process what you are experiencing and learning. Also remember that your adjustment will vary with the length of your program, the level of your immersion and your own background knowledge and experience in the host culture. Below are the stages of cultural adjustment.

The first stage is called “the honeymoon period”. This is the stage that occurs when you first arrive and everything is exciting and new. You may have a heightened sense of enthusiasm. This stage is that of the “tourist” has a very minimal involvement in local traditions and a superficial knowledge about the culture. You might focus on the similarities between your home and the host countries.

After two or three weeks living in the host country, the personal, social and cultural differences intrude more and more into your life and you become frustrated and realize how difficult your life has become. The problems such as; housing, transportation, food, language, and people may begin to immerse. You may wonder “why am I here?” You may also try to avoid to contact with local people and complain about “stupid way they use things” or anything else. You may rely on familiar activities and your same country friend and question your own values and those of the host country. This stage is called “culture shock”. The alternatives responses to this are neither to reject own culture nor the way the host culture does. It requires you to pay close attention to your surroundings. You must be willing to take the risk and make some mistakes in order to adapt.

The third stage is called adjustment. This stage happens when you are beginning to adjust to the language and culture and realize that things are not as bad as you think. Everyday activities such as housing, going to school and adapting the food are no longer big deals. Even though you are not yet so fluent in the language, basic ideas and feelings can be expressed with the second language better that before. During this period, you can learn and make friend with the local people as your understanding of their culture has been increasing.

After several months of living in the host country, now you begin to feel kind of comfortable life. This is the last stage-acceptance and comfort-. You begin to reconcile who you are within the local culture, and to recognize the changes in yourself. You have developed meaningful way of coping with the stresses that are placed upon you by cultural differences. You can derive pleasure from your relationships you have and give meaning to experiences in ways that are relevant to others as well as yourself. You are now not only an observer of the local culture, but part of it. You may be reluctant to think about “going back home”. Also, in this stage you feel like you are in your home since you know the people and environment as well as the culture. The host country has belonged to you. As you have passed these four stages, wherever you go you will successfully adjust the country with the foreign culture and never have to feel any culture shock anymore.

References:

Hung-Wen, L.(nd). Perceptive of expatriation and Cross-Cultural Adjustment. National Chiayi University.

Smith, D. K. (n.d) Cross-cultural Adjustment. University of California.

http://educationabroad.unl.edu/cross-cultural-adjustment