cultural shock booklet

8/6/2019 Cultural Shock Booklet

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Preparation forPreparation for

Cultural DifferencesCultural Differences by AIESEC Lisboa Nova by AIESEC Lisboa Nova



What is Culture?



Culture is the silent communication between a

group of people who identify with certain events similarly.

Culture is a system of beliefs and values shared by

a particular group of people.

Culture is an integrated system of learned behavior

patterns that is characteristic of members of any given society. Culture represents a total way of life and can

include anything from the language, religion, food,clothing, laws (written and unwritten) and institutions

of society.



Culture is the Silent , Invisible ,

and Powerful force that

guides and directs our

behaviors !!!



Physicalenvironments

Education

Personal

communicationReligion

Social structure

Manners &customs

Values &attitudes

Aesthetics

CultureCulture



Culture Shock



Culture shock is the anxiety and

feelings (of surprise, disorientation,uncertainty, confusion, etc.) felt when

people have to operate within a

different and unknown culture.

It grows out of the difficulties in

assimilating the new culture, causing

difficulty in knowing what is

appropriate and what is not.



Symptoms•

A loss of identity. Feelings of inadequacy orinsecurity

• Trying too hard to absorb everything in the newculture or country

• Unable to solve simple problems

•A lack of confidence

• Developing stereotypes about the new culture

• Developing obsessions such as over-cleanliness

• Feelings of being lost, overlooked, exploited orabused

• Sadness, loneliness, melancholy• Insomnia, a desire to sleep too much or too little

• Anger, irritability, resentment, an unwillingness tointeract with others



How to minimize it

• Learn as much as you can about the country

• Make friends with locals

• Learn the language

• Maintain contact with family and friends

• Be open to new things

• Be patient

• Ask for help when you feel sad

• Let the negative energy out (physical activity,diaries, speaking to someone very close)

• Reflect

• Don’t isolate yourself



Advises• Do not build up any expectations

• Do not take anything for granted

• Nothing is obvious

• Don’t judge too fast

• Find a balance between self-protection and

open-mindedness

• Ask for feedback

• Observe, observe and ask

•

Get rid of prejudices• What you think you have heard is probably not

what was meant – clarify

• Patience and tolerance



The W Curve



Honeymoon Stage

C o m f o r t L e v e l

Time

ExcitingWonderful

Beautiful

I can’t wait to tell

all my friends

about this place!

Indicators: Excitement, Optimism, Adventure



Symptoms

• You are observing the new culture and familiarizing yourself with your new environment.

• You are meeting helpful and friendly people.• You are making you first social contacts with members of

the host culture.• You are seeking out new things to do and enjoying your

new world.• You may feel proud that you can make yourself

understood, and understand the natives, in their ownlanguage.

• Differences are seen under a romantic light, wonderful andnew. You love the food, the pace of life, the habits, thebuilding, the language, …

• But like any other Honeymoon, it also has and end!



Crisis Stage


Time

We would never

do that at home! These people

are so ___!

I can’t wait

to go home!

Indicators: Unmet expectations, frustration, unable to understand



Symptoms

• You begin to desire more personal relationships with members of thehost culture.

• You find you have little time or few opportunities to make friends.

• You are feeling isolated and out of place.

• You may feel tired, sick, depressed, angry and / or frustrated.

• You have a growing awareness that your home culture’s behaviors

may not be accepted in the host culture.

• You may have to give up, suspend, or modify your own behavior.

• You blame the host culture for your problems.

• You spend lots of time with members of your home culture

complaining about the host culture.

• You can’t understand why they study English in school if they can’teven speak it.

• Depression is not uncommon.

• “My culture is better than this one!”



Recovery Stage

C o m f o r t

L e v e l

Time

Imagine if I

did that

back at

home?!?

There’s no reason

why they

shouldn’t do that.

Indicators: Exploration, self-reflection, adjustment



Symptoms

• You choose to become an “explorer” in the newculture – the need of more information.

• You accept the challenge of self-reflection.

• You assume responsibility for your own

cultural adjustment, trying to understand theculture and people

• You begin a process of constructive criticism,researching the similarities between the twocultures

• You begin to accept the culture ways with apositive attitude



Adjustment Stage


Time

You don’tunderstand

them the

way I do.

I’m beginning

to like this.

We do

that, justdifferently.

Indicators: greater tolerance, become part of the comunity,

im roved lan ua e skills



Symptoms

• Your language skills improve noticeably.• You begin to understand why members of thehost culture do what they do.

• You have finally made friends.

• You feel like part of the community.

• You develop a greater tolerance for what isstrange and new in the host culture.

• You become a mediator between your cultureand your host culture.

• You are able to laugh at yourself – take yourself less seriously.

• You are able to participate fully and comfortablyin the host culture



Dealing with it

• Keep yourself busy and active• Make friends with host country members• Realize that everyone that goes abroad experiences

a Cultural Shock• Be an active learner about the new country. Find

out all the information you can• Avoid foreigners who spend their time complaining

about the host culture• Work at maintaining a healthy sense of humor. Be

ready to laugh at yourself • When talking about experiences, focus on your

feelings rather than the causes



e Xchange is a journey,not a destination!

E n j o y i t

!

cultural shock booklet

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