Cross-cultural Adjustments

= CROSS–CULTURAL ADJUSTMENTS ''' '''=

The prospect of spending a significant amount of time living abroad is hard to imagine. Will it be a dream come true or a lonely, uncomfortable nightmare? Will it match up with glowing anticipation or with hidden fears and apprehensions? Will you be prepared academically, linguistically, socially or emotionally for the stress of studying abroad? These are reasonable and useful feelings, and the right place to start. Most students who participate in Center for Experiential Learning programs say afterwards that it was the most important experience of their lives up to that point. Never before have they had such a variety of sensations, survived so much pressure, met such different people and learned so much about themselves.

But few students describe their time abroad as pure excitement and fun, especially while it is happening. This most important experience in their lives is also the most strenuous, the most difficult, and the most uncomfortable. The greatest achievements are often described as learning to cope, to function as a native and to endure the uncomfortable for the sake of enjoying the possible.

Those who succeed, who get the most from the time abroad, are those who come with a realistic understanding of themselves and of the culture in which they will live.

To cultivate and strengthen a realistic, sophisticated approach to your term abroad, you may want to try these tactics:

• Make a list of concrete goals and objectives. What do you want to achieve with academic courses, friends and acquaintances, housing, travel, your personal development?

• Decide what help or cooperation you will need to have from others: American classmates, Loras College staff, native students, teachers, administrators and others. What attitudes and behaviors will you need to show to get that help?

• Find one or two international students at Loras. Ask for an account of their expectations and their actual experiences at Loras.

• Find one or more American students who have studied abroad. Ask about all aspects of their overseas experience. What surprised, frustrated, upset them? How did they endure or cope?

• Do some reading about the country where you will be living. Look not only for information about geography, history and cultural traditions, but also for clues into what might be called the “mentality of the people.”

Finally, remember that while there is much that separates two cultures, there is also much that brings them together. Your own willingness to take the plunge, to stay abroad to complete your program, and to make the best of it is a praiseworthy constructive step. So is your careful preparation and your effort to anticipate problems. With patience, endurance, common courtesy and goodwill you can make the coming term important and memorable.

CULTURE SHOCK: FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH ANOTHER CULTURE

The first days, weeks, even months, will probably be exciting, stimulating and alive. All you see will be new, strange and rich with tradition. Sounds, smells, gestures and movement will crowd your sensory antennae, leaving you exhilarated and exhausted. This is a honeymoon period. Enjoy it.

At the same time, you may begin to experience the first symptoms of culture shock, that unpleasant disorientation which afflicts every visitor who enters a strange world. It is unfair, but often true, that the more eager you are to enter into the host culture and really understand what its people are like, the more severe your shock may be. Tourists who come only to gawk, taste and move on are insulated from the shock. They use only English, live in hotels and go home in a few weeks. But you will try to live like a local student, in the real world, and you will find it hard at first.

Falling victim to culture shock does not imply the existence of any psychological or emotional shortcomings on your part. Undergoing culture shock is in itself a learning experience that you should take advantage of, for it is a way of sensitizing you to another culture at a level that goes beyond the intellectual and rational. Just as an athlete cannot get in shape without going through an uncomfortable conditioning stage, so you cannot fully appreciate the cultural differences that exist without first going through the uncomfortable stages of psychological adjustment.

Culture shock is also what happens when your expectations do not match up with reality. You may be disappointed with what you see. You may even be disappointed in yourself. No one can avoid that first culture shock, but you do not have to endure it like a headache. Steps can be taken. Here are some that have worked for other participants:

'''UNDERSTAND OUR CULTURE '''

Being abroad will help you understand U.S. Culture. In every country, in every culture people have figured out different ways of looking at life. Before you are able to understand another culture, it is important to understand your own. Understanding the American culture is an important first step when studying abroad so that you are able to analyze differences without making judgments on other cultures.

The following are generalizations on the U.S. Culture:

·       Individualism—most Americans think they are responsible for their own destiny. Americans admire individuals who are self-reliant, independent, or successful despite adverse circumstances. Consequently, it is not wrong for one to take care of oneself and one’s property before the community.

·       Equality—Americans are taught that all people are created equal.

·       Privacy—Most Americans have a highly developed sense of privacy. It is assumed people need time to be alone and for private space for themselves.

·       Self-Help and Achievement—Americans believe individuals should help themselves and strive for a better life.

·       Work and Materialism—Americans admire people who work hard and successfully complete tasks. They view accumulation of quality material possessions as a sign of success and often define others by their job types or by their wealth.

·       Informality—Americans tend to be informal in their speech, dress, and posture.

·       Assertiveness and Honesty—Americans value frankness, openness, and directness in dealings with other people. They believe in being honest with others and telling the truth. They often settle conflicts by talking directly to the people involved.

·       Cleanliness and Hygiene—Americans regard a clean workplace, a clean living space, and a clean look as positive qualities.

''From “Building Cross-Cultural Connections”; Luiza Dreasher, Stephanie Loeschen, Michelle Szabo, Sidi Tandia; Iowa State University, 1998 ''

'''EXPLORE THE TERRITORY '''

Find a map and strike out, preferably alone or in a small group. Get lost and then ask directions. Ride the public transportation and ask questions. Discover old or important structures, stare and ask admiring questions (everyone is proud to explain the landmarks). Do all this, and your language will improve, your ear will grow keen, and you will feel at home.

'''Pick up the Silent Language '''

Go sit in the park or a sidewalk café; stand in a market or store and watch. How do people greet, visit and say goodbye? How do friends act? How does one show respect? What are good table manners? What seems to be standard dress for what age groups? Can you spot an American? What are the American giveaways in dress, movement, voice, gesture (never mind the accent)?

Check your observations with your friends. Do they agree? Then check observations with your national or international friends to see if your interpretation rings true.

The final act comes when you try to behave like a national, using the same silent language, blending into the culture. Even if you cannot quite make it, try. Then compare the results, the way you are received and treated against what happens when you behave as the complete American.

Don’t Limit Yourself to Your American Friends

Take a cue from what you have seen on your home campus. Remember what you felt when you saw foreign students, ethnic groups, athletes or sorority sisters walking, talking and eating together? They clearly preferred each other. If you hope to form acquaintances—much less friendships—in the short space of a semester, you must show yourself to be alone and looking. You must make overtures, accept rebuffs and try again.

Every time you speak English, laugh, relax and enjoy companionship with a fellow American, you send a loud message that you prefer American friends. The message will be heard because, to tell the truth, the nationals also prefer their own friends. If you cannot stand the isolation, at least avoid the insulation created by an American group or gang. Keep your friendships down to one American and move about as pairs—not a big, loud American mob.

Hammer away at the Language—Get Fluent

If you are studying in a country where English is not the official language, nothing gives away your international flavor so fast as your speech. Nothing wins trust and respect so quickly as language fluency. So, force yourself into situations where you must talk, no matter how awkward or humiliating. The natives will appreciate your effort and comment on it. The payoff will come months later but will be worth it.

Keep a Journal—Watch Yourself Change

Be a good social scientist and observe your own reactions. Be a guinea pig and a skillful self-analyst at the same time. Keep a daily record or at least a weekly review of what you observe and how you respond to it. Look particularly for events or sensations that provoke a strong emotional reaction. Over a period of time, do you change or do the emotions persist? Record your interpretations of what you observe. Later on, reread and see whether you were perceptive or superficial. You will be impressed with your progress.

Blend into the Culture—Don’t Fight It

Many students going abroad are still fighting the battle for personal independence and autonomy they were conducting at home against parents, institutions and authorities. Forget it. The battle is to get inside the culture, not transform it, ignore it or defy it. This culture has its own traditions, customs, manners, rituals and written and unwritten laws. This culture will not grant an American rebel the dignity of integrity and a search for identity. Instead, the student is seen and dismissed as an oaf—an uncultured slob. To get inside the culture, speak its language and understand its structure, a student must show the highest kind of personal maturity and control. The student does not give up American values or sacrifice personal integrity, but rather subordinates both with poise and skill in cross-cultural perception and communication.

CULTURE SHOCK: PHASE II 

Phase two of culture shock sneaks up on you. You feel tired and inclined to daydream about hamburgers and stereos. You are weary of beating your head against a wall of indifference, of having people stare, of hearing snickers at your accent. All that keeps you from packing to go home is the money you will lose and the embarrassment of it all.

The experts say that the same thing happens to Peace Corps volunteers, diplomats, missionaries, soldiers and international students who come to the United States. It happens because it is never easy to live in a new environment, and it is twice as hard in another culture. It happens because, unlike the tourist, you did not go home when the honeymoon ended but are trying to settle in. And you are discovering that finding friendship and acceptance is a harder proposition than finding smiles and courtesy.

Unfortunately, no one has come up with a useful tactic to overcome the second phase of culture shock. Patience and courage, those ancient virtues, are what it takes, plus an understanding of what is happening to you. No doubt it helps to talk things over with the program director, to share your burden with an American friend or to get a few laughs from cataloguing symptoms exhibited by others. A sense of humor and the ability to tolerate failure are key qualities that will help you to weather this phase. Mostly you wait for it to pass. And, fortunately, it always does. The end arrives the day you discover that, even though the natives are not dying to become your friends, they no longer treat you as just an American. It can happen on the streetcar, in the theater or when you are standing in line at the grocery store. It can happen when someone asks you for directions, when you read the newspaper, when your teacher offers a suggestion about where to go in your host country, and you have already been there. It comes when you suddenly recognize that challenges and all, your host country is comfortable territory.

REENTRY: REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK

Once you return to the U.S., some of you may go through reverse culture shock, that of reentry. You will notice upon return that you think about the U.S. differently. You'll spend a lot of time reflecting on the differences between the U.S. and Spain, just as you did when you left. Friends and family are interested in stories or photos for a while, but they “really don't understand.” It may be difficult for you to express your feelings in words. Remember that many of the people with whom you speak will have difficulty relating to what you are saying because it hasn't been a part of their experience.

Don't give up! You might find talking with others from the program helpful. You could also consider volunteering to help in the study abroad office or international student office on campus. You may consider becoming a peer counselor in the CEL, assisting with pre-departure orientation, assisting with recruitment efforts, or giving a student presentation on Spain. Of course you can start thinking about when and how you'll return. Some students have applied to graduate schools in the country in which they studied, have found employment or volunteer possibilities while they were on the program, or have just returned to visit their host family and friends.

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 Returning Home-Common Problems and Possible Solutions '''

Problem: You may feel confused, especially during the first few weeks after your return, because the values, attitudes and lifestyles you learned while abroad conflict with those back home.

Solution: Differences in cultural patterns require time to explore and understand. Take time to evaluate both cultural perspectives before deciding on your preferences and integrating them into your lifestyle.

Problem: Family and friends at home do not seem interested in hearing about your experiences abroad.

Solution: Realize that they may be adjusting to changes that have taken place in you. They may never have had an experience comparable to yours and so they may have difficulty relating to it. Be patient and seek out other returnees who can help put your experience in perspective.

Problem: Friends and family treat you as the same person you were before you left, without recognizing the changes you have been through. As a result of these changes, however, you feel a need for new or modified personal relationships that acknowledge the new dimensions of your personality.

Solution: Remember that your friends and family may not have been expecting you to change. They may be uncertain about how you feel and how you have grown. Discuss your feelings with them and try to encourage positive changes in old relationships. Also, seek out new friends who are compatible with who you have become.''' '''