CROSSCULTURAL AWARENESS CULTURE SHOCK

CROSS-CULTURAL AWARENESS - CULTURE SHOCK
Culture Shock
The term culture shock was first introduced in the 1950s by Kalvero Oberg to
describe the phenomena people might experience after moving to a new
environment. Culture shock can be described as the feeling of disorientation
experienced by a person suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture or way of life.
Culture shock is difficult to identify. It does not appear suddenly; rather, it builds up
slowly and is often a series of small events. For some people, culture shock can be
brief and hardly noticeable. For others, it can bring intense physical and emotional
discomfort.
Why do people experience culture shock? It could be attributed to communication
barriers, moving out of a comfort zone, immobility (tighter control over movement),
unrealistic expectations, a sense of time and pace of life, perceptions of culturally
inappropriate behaviours, frustrations over lack of results, and so on.
Exercise Four
Write your signature on a piece of paper, first with your usual, dominant hand and
then with your weaker hand. Then answer the following questions.
1. How did you feel while you wrote your signature with your usual hand? 2. How
did you feel while you performed this task with your weaker hand? 3. What happens
when we are faced daily with unusual tasks and demands?
No matter how prepared you are, or how open-minded, or how much you have
travelled in the past, you can still experience culture shock. Culture shock is normal,
and it does not last forever!
Many people who experience culture shock are unaware what it is, or they attribute
their symptoms to something else. Culture shock has a wide range of symptoms,
and being able to identify the symptoms as culture shock can help make adjusting to
overseas living easier. Culture shock may involve any of these symptoms:


• sadness, loneliness, melancholy
• preoccupation with health

• insomnia, desire to sleep too much or too little
• depression, feeling vulnerable, feeling powerless, changes in temperament
• anger, irritability, resentment, unwillingness to interact with others
• identifying with the old culture or idealizing the old country
• loss of identity
• trying too hard to absorb everything in the new culture or country
• unable to solve simple problems
• lack of confidence
• feelings of inadequacy or insecurity
• excessive drinking
• developing stereotypes about the new culture
• developing obsessions, such as over-cleanliness
• longing for family
• feeling lost, overlooked, exploited, or abused
• a desire to go home, to partake of comfort food, to visit one’s relatives, to
talk to people with whom it is easy to communicate
Self-Reflection
Reflect on a time when you previously experienced a form of culture shock. Are you
having difficulty remembering one? What about the first time you changed schools?
Your first year at university? Have you ever moved to another city? When was the
last time you felt like an “outsider”?
CULTURE-SHOCK STAGES
As a result of many studies on culture shock, four stages have been identified.
First stage. Known as the “honeymoon stage,” you first arrive to your
destination and in spite of loss of sleep from travelling, issues with transportation,
and some language difficulties, everything seems great and new. The sites are
interesting, the local people are helpful, and the food is tasty. This produces a feeling


of euphoria: a desire to look around, experiment, and explore. This stage is normally

brief, but it can last up to a month or more.
Symptoms: enthusiastic, positive attitude, excited, fascinated, energetic.
Second stage. Culture shock sets in. The novelty starts to wear off and one begins
to criticize the country, the life, and the values of the people. At this stage, you begin
to look for compatriots to discuss your symptoms and to criticize the country and
people. You begin to be negative and start to speak of the people in the third person,
using phrases such as “these people.” This is the critical stage of culture shock. This
can last for a few days, weeks, or months.
Symptoms: depressed, frustrated, confused, angry, sick, and critical of the host
culture.
Third stage. Known as the “recovery stage,” you begin to understand some of the
cultural cues and more of the language, and you start to feel less isolated. Your
understanding of the local culture deepens. You begin to reflect on the past couple
of weeks and laugh at your own mistakes.
Symptoms: accepts the host culture, less judgmental, sense of humour returns,
energy is back.
Fourth stage. This is the “adjustment stage,” where you begin to feel at home and
enjoy living in the foreign country. You may not like all of the customs of the country,
but you can live with them.
Symptoms:

motivated, accepting things you cannot change, adapting and

assimilating to the changes, and starting to explore, once again.
Can culture shock be avoided? Probably not, but it can be minimized. See the
following illustration of the stages of cultural adjustment.


The W-Curve: Stages of Cultural Adjustment Source: Adapted from “Orientated for
Success,” edited by M. Barker, Australian International Development Assistance

Bureau, 1990; as cited in Council for International Education (UKCOSA),
International Students and Culture Shock , in Guidance Notes for Students 2004–
05,[online] />
.

Exercise Five
Submit your written answers to the following questions to your instructor.
1. Referring to the previous self-reflection, how did you deal with culture shock in
that situation?
2. What other ways can you deal with culture shock?
3. How do you plan to get through culture shock while you are on your
internship?
Cultural Adaptation and Awareness
As one goes through the cycle of adjustment in a new culture, one’s understanding
and knowledge of the host country increases. This awareness tends to progress
through the stages as described in Box 2.1.
Box 2.1 Adjustment Stages
Unconscious incompetence. At this stage, you are unaware of culture


differences. It does not occur to you that you may be making mistakes or that you
might be misinterpreting much of the behavior going on around you.
Conscious incompetence. You now realize there are differences between how
you and local people behave, though you understand very little about these
differences, how numerous they might be, etc.
Conscious competence. You know cultural differences exist, you know
what some of those differences are, and you adjust your behavior
accordingly. You have to make a conscious effort to behave in culturally
appropriate ways.
Unconscious competence.

You no longer have to think about what you’re doing

in order to do the right thing. It takes little effort for you to be culturally sensitive.
Source: Centre for Intercultural Learning, Canadian Foreign Service Institute. Based on
work of William Howell; adapted from Peace Corps (1996), "Culture Matters: The Peace
Corps Cross-Cultural Workbook" (Washington, DC: The Peace Corps).

Adapting to a culture requires patience, flexibility, and cultural understanding.
Remember, just because you adapt to your host country doesn’t mean you become
a person of that nationality. It does mean, however, that you are able to understand
another culture and make an impact. Successful cultural adaptation will ensure that
you’ll benefit from the rewards of your experience abroad for years to come.
The following are a few helpful strategies for adapting to your host country. Can you
think of others?
1. Learn the language. Even if you can’t speak perfectly, your attempts to
communicate in the native language will be appreciated.
2. Become involved in the culture. Show your willingness to learn about the
people and culture by participating in the daily life of your community.
Seek out opportunities to share yourself and your background with your


hosts whenever possible.
3. Be honest—if you don’t understand something, seek clarification.
8. Reverse Culture Shock
Returning home can also be difficult. Leaving your host country, new friends, new
home, and a new culture you’ve become accustomed to makes returning home
more complicated than just stepping on the plane.
Simply put, reverse culture shock refers to feeling out of sorts in your own
country. Some people say it is more difficult returning home than it is going

abroad.
Why might you experience reverse culture shock? There are many reasons.
Your values may have changed; you can see the flaws of your home country in a
way you couldn’t before; your relationships with people close to you have changed;
you have left a part of yourself abroad; and no one understands what you
experienced.
Recognize that you may need some time to readjust. Re-entry is a time of transition.
Learn ways to take care of yourself during this period and ease into your
surroundings. Although it is good to have an understanding of reverse culture shock
before going abroad, you’ll have a chance to take part in a discussion about it in
more detail during the debriefing.
Resources
Avruch, Kevin, and Peter Black. 1993. Conflict Resolution in Intercultural Settings:
Problems and Prospects. In Conflict Resolution Theory and
Practice: Integration and Application . Edited by Dennis Sandole and Hugo van der
Merwe. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Council for International Education (UKCOSA). International Students and Culture
Shock . In
Guidance Notes for Students 2004–05 . [Online]


.
Csonka, Yvon, and Peter Schweitzer. 2004. Societies and Cultures: Change and
Persistence. Chapter 3 in the Arctic Human Development Report . [Online]
. This chapter explores what “Arctic societies” and “Arctic
cultures” are, as well as the similarities and differences between Arctic cultures and
cultural loss. Akureyri, Iceland: Stefansson Arctic Institute.
Culture.ca: Canada’s Cultural Gateway. [Website] .
This website aims to engage Canadians in cultural life, to educate and entertain
Web surfers with the stories of many peoples, and to provide online access to the

best of Canadian culture.
Culture
Shock:
A
Fish
Out
of
Water
.
[Website]
This is an interactive site on culture
shock (describes stages, symptoms, etc.).
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Government of Canada.
[Online] . This website provides an overview of Canada’s
perspective on foreign policy issues.
____IYIP Pre-Departure . Workbook. Centre for Intercultural Learning, Canadian
Foreign Service Institute.
____ E-thologies . [Webpage] . This
webpage contains country information including politics, history, culture, geography,
and media.
DuPraw, Marcelle E., and Marya Axner. Working on Common Cross-Cultural
Communication
Challenges
.
A
More
Perfect
Union.
[Online]
/>Hill, Richard. 2002. We Europeans . Brussels, Belgium: Europublic SA/NV. [Online]

. This book provides a penetrating and entertaining
analysis of the attitudes and behavioural traits of each European nationality.
Intermundo: The Culture Network. [Website] . This
website is an online network for those interested in intercultural issues (articles,
discussion board, resources, etc.). Membership is free.John’s ESL Community.
Culture
Shock
Quiz
.
[Online]
nsesl
.com/Projects/CultureShockQuiz.shtml . Test your knowledge of culture shock by
taking this online quiz.


Library of Congress. Portals to the World: Links to Electronic Resources from
Around the World . [Website] portals.html . This
is a Web portal available for cross-cultural and country information on the Internet.
Oberg, Kalvero. 1954.
Culture Shock . [Online]
academics/internationaled/Pdf/cultureshockarticle.pdf .

/>
____.Culture Shock and the Problem of Adjustment in New Cultural Environments .
[Online] .
Office for Study Abroad . International Programs, University of Iowa. [Webpage]
PREPAREculture_shock.html . This
is an article on culture shock and how to minimize it.
Peace Corps. 1996. Culture Matters: The Peace Corps Cross-Cultural Workbook .
Washington, DC: The Peace Corps.

A Conceptual Model of Culture Learning
By Michael Paige, Helen Jorstad, Laura Siaya, Francine Klein, Jeanette Colby
A. Knowledge Culture-General: Intercultural Phenomena
cultural adjustment stages
o culture shock
o intercultural development
o culture learning
o cultural identity
o cultural marginality
Culture Specific
o

"little c" target culture knowledge
o "Big C" target culture knowledge
o pragmatics
o sociolinguistic competence
B. Behavior Culture General: Intercultural Skills
o

culture learning strategies
o coping and stress management strategies
o intercultural communicative competence
o intercultural perspective-taking skills
o cultural adaptability
o transcultural competence
Culture Specific: Target Culture Skills
o

little "c" culture-appropriate everyday behavior
o Big "C" culture-appropriate contextual behavior
C. Attitudes Culture General
o

positive attitude toward different cultures
o positive attitude toward culture learning
o ethnorelative attitude regarding cultural differences
Culture Specific
o

o
o

positive attitude toward target culture
positive attitude toward target culture persons


The Costly (and Humorous) Impact of Cultural Blunders
by Neil Payne
Having a poor understanding of the influence of cross cultural differences in
areas such as management, PR, advertising and negotiations leads to
damaging blunders. Neil Payne of Kwintessential highlights the sometimes
humorous, often financial devastating consequences of cultural blunders.

It is crucial for today’s business personnel to understand the impact of cross cultural
differences on business, trade and internal company organization. The success or
failure of a company, venture, merger or acquisition is essentially in the hands of
people. If these people are not cross culturally aware then misunderstandings,
offence and a break down in communication can occur.

The need for greater cross cultural awareness is heightened in our global
economies. Cross cultural differences in matters such as language, etiquette, nonverbal communication, norms and values can, do and will lead to cross cultural
blunders.
To illustrate this we have provided a few examples of cross cultural blunders that
could have been avoided with appropriate cross cultural awareness training:
An American oil rig supervisor in Indonesia shouted at an employee to take a boat
to shore. Since no-one berates an Indonesian in public, a mob of outraged
workers chased the supervisor with axes.
Pepsodent tried to sell its toothpaste in Southeast Asia by emphasizing that it
"whitens your teeth." They found out that the local natives chew betel nuts to
blacken their teeth which they find attractive.
A company advertised eyeglasses in Thailand by featuring a variety of cute
animals wearing glasses. The ad was a poor choice since animals are


considered to be a form of low life and no self respecting Thai would wear
anything worn by animals.
The soft drink Fresca was being promoted by a saleswoman in Mexico. She was
surprised that her sales pitch was greeted with laughter, and later embarrassed
when she learned that fresca is slang for "lesbian."
When President George Bush went to Japan with Lee Iacocca and other American
business magnates, and directly made explicit and direct demands on
Japanese leaders, they violated Japanese etiquette. To the Japanese (who use
high context language) it is considered rude and a sign of ignorance or
desperation to lower oneself to make direct demands. Some analysts believe it
severely damaged the negotiations and confirmed to the Japanese that
Americans are barbarians.
A soft drink was introduced into Arab countries with an attractive label that had
stars on it--six-pointed stars. The Arabs interpreted this as pro-Israeli and
refused to buy it. Another label was printed in ten languages, one of which was

Hebrew--again the Arabs did not buy it.
U.S. and British negotiators found themselves at a standstill when the American
company proposed that they "table" particular key points. In the U.S. "Tabling a
motion" means to not discuss it, while the same phrase in Great Britain means
to "bring it to the table for discussion."
In addition to interpersonal cross cultural gaffes, the translation of documents,
brochures, advertisements and signs also offers us some comical cross cultural
blunders:
Kellogg had to rename its Bran Buds cereal in Sweden when it discovered that the
name roughly translated to "burned farmer."
When Pepsico advertised Pepsi in Taiwan with the ad "Come Alive With Pepsi"
they had no idea that it would be translated into Chinese as "Pepsi brings your


ancestors back from the dead."
American medical containers were distributed in Great Britain and caused quite a
stir. The instructions to "Take off top and push in bottom," innocuous to
Americans, had very strong sexual connotations to the British.
In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into
"Schweppes Toilet Water."
In a Belgrade hotel elevator: To move the cabin, push the button for wishing floor.
If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of
wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by national order.
In a Yugoslavian hotel: The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the
chambermaid.
In a Bangkok dry cleaner's: Drop your trousers here for best results.
In an East African newspaper: A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since
the contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers.
Detour sign in Kyushi, Japan: Stop--Drive sideways.
At a Budapest zoo: Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food,

give it to the guard on duty.
In conclusion, poor cross cultural awareness has many consequences, some
serious others comical. It is imperative that in the global economy cross cultural
awareness is seen a necessary investment to avoid such blunders as we have
seen above.

Following years of traveling, studying and working in the Middle East and Islamic
world, Neil successfully completed a Masters at SOAS University, London in Middle
Eastern Studies. Using his experiences in academia, translation, interpretation,
teaching, lecturing and cross cultural training he established Kwintessential.


Kwintessential was born out of the idea that the current world climate is in
desperate need of cross cultural dialogue and aims to promote inter-cultural
communication within communities, businesses and organizations. Visit Neil &
Kwintessential at www.kwintessential.co.uk.

Cross-Cultural Conflict and Adjustment
"What a wonderful country. People are so friendly. I love it here. It's better than
back home!"
Newcomer (After One Month in the United States)
"They do everything backwards here. I can't make friends. I feel irritated all day
long. Nothing's the same. I miss my own country."
The Same Newcomer (After Seven Months in the United States)


Pre-Reading Discussion
1. According to the authors, cultural adjustment is like a roller coaster ride with
many ups and downs. The quotes above show how someone’s reactions to living in
another culture can change over time. Explain the change in reaction of the

newcomer after one month and after seven months in the United States.
2. There is a saying in English that if people feel that they do not fit in, they are like
“fish out of water”. Do you think a person in another culture like a fish out of water?
3. How important is knowing the culture of a country if you already know the
language? Name a few of the most important aspects of cultural knowledge that
one should have before going to live in a foreign country.
Pre-Reading Vocabulary
1. Definitions
The words "to adjust" and "to adapt" both deal with changing to meet the demands
of a new situation.
a. to adjust: to change in order to fit
b. to adapt: to make fit or suitable by changing or adjusting
Discussion: To what extent, if at all, does a person have to change in order to adjust
or adapt to a new culture? Must an individual's personality change for the
adjustment to be successful?
c. elation: great happiness ("up")
d. depression: great sadness ("down")
Discussion: In which situations (in another culture) are people's feelings sometimes
like a roller coaster ride?


e. culture shock: the response that an individual may have in a new country; the
person may feel confused and disoriented, and every aspect of daily life may be
difficult
Discussion: Going to live in another country means that a person will be "uprooted."
When you plant a tree or flower and then move it to another place, what happens?
Are there always problems? Are there ways to minimize these problems? What
happens when a person is taken by the "roots" and moved?
f. integrate: to become a part or a member of
g. carbon copy: an exact copy; the same as another

Discussion: Some people say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." Do you
agree? Should people in a new culture try to retain some of their own culture, or
should they become just like the "Romans"?
Skimming: For General Information
To get the general idea of the reading that follows:
1. Read the titles and headings of the sections.
2. Read the first and last paragraphs of the reading.
From your skimming, answer the following:
1. Is cultural adjustment possible?
2. Does cultural adjustment vary among individuals?
Scanning: For Specific Information
To find specific information in the reading, look for clues such as certain words and
numbers. Scan the reading to find the answers to the following:
1. Where is the list of questions to consider when thinking about variations in
people's cultural adjustment?


2. Adjustment to life in another country is a complicated process. The authors
suggest that it can be a "shock" (a surprising, confusing experience). What type of
shock is it? Where do the authors first introduce this concept?


Reading Text

Cross- Cultural Conflict and Adjustment
A Fish Out of Water
[A] "A fish out of water": This expression has been used to describe someone who
is living in a new culture.1 Such a person will experience a variety of "emotional "ups
and downs" lasting from weeks to years. Cultural "adjustment can indeed be
difficult, and newcomers 5 adjust in many different ways. In thinking about how

someone will adjust to a new culture, the following questions should be considered:
1. "Motivation: Why did the person leave his or her native country? Did the person
have a choice, or was he or she forced to leave for political, religious, or economic
reasons?

2. Length of stay: How long will the person be in the new country?
3. Language and cultural "background: How similar are the language and culture of
the new country to the person's native language and culture?


4. Language and cultural knowledge: How well does the newcomer speak the
language and understand the culture of the new country?
5. Personality: How "flexible and "tolerant is the newcomer?
6. Relationships with others: How much support from either family or friends does
the newcomer have?
7. Financial situation: What financial resources does the person have?
8. Job: Does the newcomer have a job? Is it a lower status job than the one the
person had in the native country?
9. Age: How old is the person?
10. Degree of ethnocentrism: How ethnocentric is the newcomer? Does this person
think that the new culture is inferior to his or her culture of origin? To what degree
does the newcomer consider everything back home to be "normal" and everything
in the new environment to be "strange"?
[B] One might predict that the easiest and fastest adjustment would be made by the
flexible, tolerant person who had chosen to come to the new country and who had a
job. Additionally, adjustment would be easier for someone whose culture and
language are similar to those of the new country. Finally, a person who has a lot of
support from friends and family would probably adjust more quickly. Undoubtedly, in

many cases, these would be good "predictors of a relatively smooth adjustment.
However, sometimes there are surprises in people's cultural "adaptation to a new
country.
Unpredictable Cultural Adjustments
[C] Some newcomers to a society do well in their first year of cultural adjustment.
However, they may have a more difficult time later. Perhaps they expected the
second year to be as easy and successful as the first year, but are not prepared to
deal with "obstacles that arise during the second year. Those who had problems
from the beginning may actually find the second year easier because they are used
to solving problems. They expect difficulties and aren't surprised by them.
[D] There is yet another unpredictable variable in cultural adjustment. Sometimes
people come to a second culture speaking the new language very well, but still do
not have an easy adjustment. The newcomers think that because they have a good
grasp of the language, they will not have much difficulty. In addition, if people think
that the new country is very similar to their "country of origin when, in fact, it is not,
they may actually adapt more slowly. This is because the newcomers only imagine
the ° similarity between the two cultures. Therefore they may deny that differences
exist. Cultural differences do not go away, of course, just because a person denies
that they exist.
A Ride on a Roller Coaster
[E] What happens to someone living in a different culture? The experience can be
like riding a roller coaster. People can experience both "elation and "depression in a
very short period. They can "vacillate between loving and hating the new country.
Often, but not always, there is an "initial period when newcomers feel enthusiasm
and excitement. The cultural differences they experience at first can be "fascinating
rather than troubling. At first, there is often a high level of interest and motivation
because the newcomers are eager to become familiar with the new culture. Life


seems exciting, novel, exotic, and stimulating. However, after a while, the newness

and strangeness of being in another country can influence emotions in a negative
way. Many people in a new culture do not realize that their problems, feelings, and
mood changes are common.

[F] When people are immersed in a new culture, ""culture shock" is a typical
response. They should anticipate that they will probably feel "bewildered and
"disoriented at times. This is normal when people neither speak the language nor
understand the details of daily behavior. The newcomer may be unsure, for
example, about when to shake hands or when to "embrace. In some cases, it may
even be difficult to know when a person means "yes" or "no."
[G] After all, people can become "overwhelmed when "deprived of everything that
was once familiar. The adult trying to become "familiar with another culture may feel
like a child. "Stress, "fatigue, and "tension are common symptoms of culture shock.
In most cases, however, at least a partial adjustment takes place. This adjustment
(even if incomplete) allows the newcomer to function and sometimes succeed in the
new country. Certainly, there are many examples of successful adjustment among


refugees, immigrants, and others who have settled in the United States. Many have
made very "notable contributions to American society.
From Honeymoon to Culture Shock to Integration
[H] Reactions to a new culture vary, but experience and research have shown that
there are distinct stages in the adjustment process. Visitors coming for short periods
do not always experience the same intense emotions as do immigrants from
another country. A short-term adjustment for a one-year stay in a country could be
represented by the following W-shaped diagram:
The Adjustment Process in a New Culture

[I]

The "W" pattern of adjustment can also apply to longer stays (including
permanent ones) in another culture. Each stage in the adjustment process is
characterized by symptoms or outward signs "typifying certain kinds of behavior:

1. Honeymoon period: Initially many people are fascinated and excited by everything
in the new culture. The newcomer is elated to be experiencing a new culture.
Interestingly, this level of elation may not be reached again.
2. Culture shock: The individuals are immersed in new problems:
housing, transportation, employment, shopping, and language. Mental fatigue
results from continuously "straining to understand the new language and culture.


3. Initial adjustment: Everyday activities such as housing and shopping are no longer
major problems. The visitors may not yet be fluent in the spoken language, but they
can now express their basic ideas and feelings.
4. Mental isolation: Individuals have been away from their family and good friends for
a long time and may feel lonely. Many cannot express themselves as well as they
could in their native language.
Frustration and sometimes a loss of self-confidence result. Some individuals remain
at this stage, particularly if they haven't been able to find a job.
5. Acceptance and "integration: A routine (e.g., work, business, or school) has been
established. The newcomers have become accustomed to the habits, customs,
foods, and characteristics of the people in the new culture. They feel comfortable
with friends, associates, and the language in the new country.
[J] Individuals experience the stages of adjustment in different ways. Some people
never experience a "honeymoon" period because the "circumstances of their
coming to a new country may have been too painful. In addition, certain stages last
longer for some than for others, depending on such factors as the newcomer's
personality, age, language and cultural competence, support from family and
friends, financial situation, job status, and motivation for being in the new country.

[K] Can a person accelerate or skip some of the more difficult stages of
adjustment? Some people can, yet others cannot. This depends on individuals'
ability to cope with changes in their life. Change is easier for some people than for
others. Whenever people happen to be experiencing a negative stage of
adjustment, they must be extremely patient and let time do its work.
[L] How do people know that they are having problems adjusting to the new
culture? Typical "symptoms" include the following:
1. Homesickness
2. Inability to work well


3. Too much eating, drinking, or sleeping
4. Anger toward the members of the new culture
5. "Glorifying the native culture and emphasizing the negative in the new culture
6. Withdrawal and avoidance of contact with people from the new culture
7. Lack of ability to deal with even small problems.
To a certain extent, all of these reactions are normal, and, in a healthy adjustment,
should be relatively short-term. When these responses last a long time or become
"exaggerated, the person may find it difficult to function on a daily basis. The above
list is not complete. The reader can probably think of more "symptoms."
[M] One of the most important things a newcomer can do to facilitate adjustment is
to try to develop social relationships with people from one's own country, with other
newcomers, and with members of the new culture. It is "essential to try to develop a
group of people with whom one can share new experiences. This is perhaps one of
the fastest ways to begin to feel more at ease in another country.
[N] Sometimes newcomers are eager to integrate and choose to give up their own
culture. (Some people refer to this as "going native.")
Others are fearful of cultural change and °cling even more strongly to their own
cultural traditions. Both giving up one's own culture and clinging to one's traditions
may be extreme behavior. Studies on cross-cultural adjustment suggest that

maintaining a balance between two cultural patterns of behavior and beliefs can be
helpful in the long term.
[O] If newcomers try to become aware of cultural differences and make some
modifications without attempting to change their basic personality, they will probably
adjust fairly well to the new society. Especially in the United States, where there is
already so much diversity, the newcomer doesn't need to become a “carbon copy"
of an American in order to be a part of the society. Newcomers can retain their


individuality while becoming aware of differences. And, of course, some changes
will have to be made. Feeling like a "fish out of water" shouldn't last forever.
Comprehension Questions
1. The phrase "a fish out of water" refers to: [A]
a. a person poorly adapted to his or her own culture.
b. the reaction of a person living in a new culture.
c. a person who is adjusting well to a new culture.
2. The authors mention predictors of smooth cultural adjustment. However, they
also say that there can be surprises in people's cultural adaptation. What does this
mean? [B, C]
a. People who come to a country without speaking the new language fluently
will not adapt as easily as those who do.
b. Younger people adapt more quickly than older people.
c. People can still have a difficult adjustment even if they seem to "have it all"
(e.g., language fluency, support, etc.).
3. Language fluency does not guarantee smooth adjustment because: [D]
a. language fluency is not difficult to achieve.
b. although language fluency is needed, "cultural fluency" is also important.
c. language fluency is the least important part of cultural adaptation.
4. A person who is adjusting to another culture typically: [A, E] a. makes steady
progress without having difficult times. b. is continually depressed. c. has "ups" and

"downs."
5. The newness of a country can: [E, F]
a. be very interesting and motivating for the newcomer.


b. be bewildering and disorienting for the newcomer.
c. both (a) and (b)
6. What are common symptoms of culture shock? [G]
a. fatigue
b. tension
c. both (a) and (b)
7. In most people's experience in another culture, what usually takes place? [G]
a. total adjustment
b. partial adjustment
c. no adjustment
8. The graph showing cultural adjustment in Paragraph H is typical of:
a. all newcomers, travelers, and immigrants.
b. some people who spend a year in another country.
c. refugees who were forced to leave their countries.
9. Of the six stages indicated on the graph, which is the most difficult? [I]
a. culture shock
b. mental isolation
c. honeymoon period
10. Why might some people never experience a "honeymoon" stage? [J]
a. They may have never married.
b. They may have been forced to leave their country.
c. They might have to work immediately when they arrive.
11. Why do individuals have different rates of adjustment? [K]

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