ASSIGNMENT Study on culture shock of Vietnamese and American through communication

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY
======

ASSIGNMENT
Study on culture shock of Vietnamese and American
through communication

Hanoi, 2017
1


TABLE OF CONTENT
Part A: INTRODUCTION
Part B: DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 1: Theory background
1. Definition of culture shock
2. Characteristic of culture shock

Chapter 2: Culture shock through communication
1. What is culture shock?
2. The stages of culture shock

2.1: The honeymoon stage
2.2: Irritation and hostility
2.3: Gradual Adjustment, Hunnor, and Perspective
2.4: Mastery
3. Culture shock through communication
3.1: Culture shock in America through communication
3.2: Culture shock in Vietnam through communication
4. Some solutions to overcome culture shock

Part C: CONCLUSION
Part D: REFERENCES

2


Part A: INTRODUCTION
1, Title:
“ Culture shock of Vietnamese and American through communication”
2, Reasonable:
Vietnam, during its integration, has a strong culture of intercultural
progress, especially with English speaking nations – the most popular language
in the world. Intercultural communication set many issues, including many
difficulties that hinder the process of intergration, especially in the field of
communication. This has led to the phenomenon of cultural shock for
Vietnamese – speaking people and those from the English speaking Vietnamese
community. This is a matter worth paying attention, which requires remedical
measures to reduce the phenomenon of cultural shock, stimulate intergration and
facilitate development for other social sectors. Therefore, I chose this topic to
study the phenomenon of cultural shock in a number of typical cases to provide
some measures to overcome the phenomenon.

3


Part B: DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 1: Theory Background:
1, Definition of culture shock:
-

Culture shock is the physical and emotional discomfort of being in a foreign

-

country, another culture, an unfamiliar place, or all three.
Cultual shock comes when you try to integrate into a new social and cultural

-

environment.
Apart from the term “ culture shock”, the term “ reserve culture shock” is also
used. For example, anyone who has spent a long time abroad experiences a

•
•
•
•
•

period of refreshing when returning home.
Culture shock agents:
Climate
Food
Language
Communication
Cultural differences
uiht

2, Characteristics of culture shock:
-

Symptoms of culture shock:
4


•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Loneliness and melancholy
Loss of identity
Lack of confidence
Longing for family
Unwillingness to interact with others
Feeling depressed and powerless
Stages of culture shock:
Honeymoon: positive attitudes towards the host country, fascination with the

new culture
• Irritation and hostility: realisation of cultural differences, lack of readiness to
adjust oneself, the feeing of being in a permanent crisis.
• Gradual adjustment: one grows accustomed to the new culture and develop
routines, one knows what to expect in most situations and the host country no
longer feels new.
• Mastery/biculturalism: the ability to participate fully and comfortably in the host
culture.

•
•
•
•
•

Solution to help yourself:
Get out
Walk around your neighborhood
Be seen
Smile
Visit the same coffe shop or book store or market. You ‘ll soon be recognized.
There’s nothing that says you are at home, like a neighbour saying “ Good
morning” in any language.
5


•

Go on tours. Be a tourist in your own town. Sign up for local excursions. Get to
know your city, its history and culture.

6


Chapter 2: Culture shock through communication.
1, Definition of culture shock:
Imagine that you are an American college student going to study abroad in
Australia for the summer. You are excited to take your first trip overseas and

cannot wait to go. You figure that since it is an English-speaking country, it
won't be that different from America.
Once you step off the plane, reality sets in. You realize that although it
was summer when you left home, it is winter in Australia. You have trouble
following the language and find it hard to fit in. You feel alone and lonely,
especially on the 4th of July when you would normally have a huge party with
family and light fireworks. You cannot connect with any of the locals and feel
like no one understands what you are going through. You cry at night and wish
you were at home. What you are feeling is culture shock.
Culture shock is the term we use to describe the feelings of confusion and
uncertainty that are experienced when you come into contact with a culture that
is vastly different from your own. Culture shock can be commonly seen in
foreign students, immigrants and refugees. Even students who stay in their home
countries suffer from culture shock as they make the transition into the foreign
environment known as college.
According to Kalvero Oberg (1950s), culture shock can be described as “
the phenomenon people might experience after moving to a new environment,
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. It rather builds up slowly and is often a series of small events.
Culture shock can be brief and hardly noticeable for some people while it can
bring intense physical and emotional discomfort for others”. As the website of
Rotary YE further claims: “ It is the loss of emotional equilibrium that a person
suffers when he moves from a familiar environment where he has learned to
function easily and successfully to one where he has not” while, as per
7


wikipedia’s definition, “ Culture shock is the difficulty people have adjusting to
a new culture that differs markedly from their own”.

2, The stages of culture shock:
Culture shock generally moves through four different phases: honeymoon,
frustration, adjustment and acceptance. While individuals experience these
stages differently and the impact and order of each stage varies widely, they do
provide a guideline of how we adapt and cope with new cultures.
2.1: The Honeymoon Stage:
The first stage of culture shock is often overwhelmingly positive during
which travelers become infatuated with the language, people and food in their
new surroundings. At this stage, the trip or move seems like the greatest decision
ever made, an exciting adventure to stay on forever.
On short trips, the honeymoon phase may take over the entire experience
as the later effects of culture shock don’t have time to set in. On longer trips, the
honeymoon stage will usually phase out eventually.
For example: “I moved to the U.S. from Brazil to a host family as a
exchange student and spoke almost no English. Within three months I had found
a job, a boyfriend, I moved to an apartment with two other roommates, started a
Brazilian dance club and I was traveling all over California. It felt easy and
quick for me to make the U.S. my home.” — Fernanda Araujo, VIF events
specialist.
2.2: Irritation and hostility:
Eventually, though, the honeymoon ends. All of those new, exciting things
about the new culture are still there, but they start to become less new and
exciting. Instead, you start to pay more attention to how those things are
different from the experiences that you’re used to, and you start to miss the life
that you left behind. The novelty of the new culture has worn off, and you now
focus primarily on the differences between the new culture and your home
culture. Small differences feel like major catastrophes. You become overly
concerned with and stressed out by problems and feel helpless and frustrated
8

(the elevator in your dorm is constantly broken; you do not have hot water in the
morning; you cannot access e-mail from your apartment/dorm, registering for
classes feels like an unstructured nightmare, etc.).You are homesick. You miss
your friends and family in Vietnam.
2.3: Gradual Adjustment, Humor, and Perspective:
After a while, you start to become more comfortable with the new culture
that you’re living in. You become more familiar with the language, the
“different” parts of the culture become more familiar, and you begin to settle
comfortably into your “new normal”. You are becoming more familiar with the
new culture and its “logic” and values. Cultural cues become easier to read. You
feel more comfortable and less isolated, and you even begin to prefer some
aspects of the new culture to your home culture. You feel like “As long as I am
here, I should make the most of it.” You experience periodic personal highs and
lows, as adjustment gradually takes place. Your sense of humor returns. You are
able to laugh at certain ways of doing things that previously just annoyed you
and even to laugh at yourself from time to time.
2.4: Mastery:
Depending on how long your stay is, you may never reach this stage. The
Mastery stage describes a point where you’ve become completely comfortable
with the new culture – arguably as comfortable as you were with the culture that
you left. Generally — though sometimes weeks, months or years after wrestling
with the emotional stages outlined above — the final stage of culture shock is
acceptance. Acceptance doesn’t mean that new cultures or environments are
completely understood, rather it signifies realization that complete
understanding isn’t necessary to function and thrive in the new surroundings.
During the acceptance stage, travelers have the familiarity and are able to draw
together the resources they need to feel at ease.

9

3, Culture shock of Vietnamese and American through
communication:
3.1: Culture shock in America through communication:
American attach importance to personal freedom and independence.
Everyone must know how to solve their problems and try to achieve success
without getting too much help from the family and those around them.
They like to have fun and often very warm, bot they also value their time
and love to be alone.
Americans speak loudly. Stories are often parodyed by an animated
character or celebrity. They add spece to the crisp tidbits, and friends often show
intimacy by gently sliding into each other, especially between men. Aquality
between people is a long and sensitive story in this country because America is a
multi-ethnic country. In order to show equality, people call each other in
different levels and positions, including between teachers and students, between
bosses and employees: “ Jim, I sent you the report” – “ Kate, thank you”. Only
the newcomers to the United States will use the “ Sir”, “ Mr.”, or “ Ms.” Very
much. American rarely use.
Some Americans like hugging each other, especially those who live in the
South. Shacking hands is a common greeting. They attach great importance to
the handshake of a new acquaintances. Clench your opponent for 1-2 seconds
and do not shy away from a loose handshake. Women rarely kiss their cheek
when they meet, men in particular never do that.
Meetings and farewells are fast, short and not fussy. Greetings should not
be taken literally. Two people can greet each other at the same time with the
same questions: “ How are you?”, “ How’s it going?”, or “What’s up?”, then do
not wait for the answer, they have to continue to bow. If you are asked “ How
are you?”, and immediately tell a long story, you will become odd in the eyes of
the enemy. Just say: “ Oh, fine”. That’s enough. When saying goodbye, just say

“ See you later” or “See ya soon” and leave.
10


3.2: Culture shock in VietNam through communication:
While speaking Vietnamese is not a prerequisite for success in the
workplace, learning a few basic phrases will certainly hold expats in good stead
when it comes to social situations. While Vietnamese is not the easiest language
to speak, even a few lessons will help expats when it comes to reading signs and
everyday interactions, especially when pronouncing names and places. The
Vietnamese people are very friendly and they appreciate it when foreigners
make an effort to speak to them in their own language.
Sometimes during the conversation with foreign friends, the Vietnamese
returned to speak in Vietnamese and laughed without explanation. When
grievances occur on the street and need intervention, they laugh. When they
make mistakes and need to apologize or solve them satisfactorily, they just
laugh. When they are thankful or grateful, they laugh. When you are confused
do not know what to do, they will solve with a smile.
Laugh to apologize, thank you, sarcastic, friendly, or helpless?
Foreigners are always looking for an explanation to understand Vietnamese
culture and when they ask the Vietnamese, they are responded with a smile that
embraces the meaning. No nation is without its cultural smiles; however, if the
smile is shocking, it should be accompanied by an explanation to help others
understand why they laugh, so a friendly smile will. Can not turn into a
sarcastic smile!
4, Some solutions to overcome culture sock:
-

Preparing for your country of origin. That means you have to know the good
side, the bad side, the differences in climate, ritual, religion, customs ( driving

left or right, food, waving hands calling, taboos should be avoid…). Knowing
that you will no longer feel the surprise of communication, thereby avoiding

-

feelings of shock and discomfort if there is.
Keep in touch with family and friends

11


-

Awareness of the experience, a cognitive orientation that directs one toward
successful adaptation, and the development of behavioral skills that lessen or

-

resolve cultural shock.
Preparing for problems and using resoures that will promote coping and

-

adjustment.
Visit the same coffe shop or book store or market. You ‘ll soon be recognized.
There’s nothing that says you are at home, like a neighbour saying “ Good

-

morning” in any language.

Go on tours. Be a tourist in your own town. Sign up for local excursions. Get to
know your city, its history and culture.

12


PART C: CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, culture shock could creat a serious problem for a new
comer to a foreign place. Culture could be learned and adapted easily with open
mind while prepare to adjust the behavior to match the new culture to avoid the
culture shock.

13


PART D: REFERENCES:
1, Barna, LaRay M. "HOW CULTURE SHOCK AFFECTS
COMMUNICATION."
2, Oberg, Dr. Kalervo. "Culture Shock and the problem of Adjustment to
the new cultural environments". World Wide Classroom Consortium for
International Education & Multicultural studies. 29 Sept 2009.
3, Mavrides, Gregory PhD “Culture Shock and Clinical Depression
(2009)
4, Winkelman, Michael (1994). "Cultural Shock and Adaptation"
5, />6, />
14