culture shock abroad and back home ida i & ii – 1st networking event 27 march 2012 berlin...

Culture shockabroad and back home

IdA I & II – 1st Networking Event27 March 2012

Berlin

Marion Scholten

Will presumably be published in 2012. Q.v.: Bertels, Ursula und Bußmann, Claudia: Handbuch Interkulturelle Didaktik. Münster et al.

Kulturschock I 27.03.2012 I 2

Ethnologie in Schule und Erwachsenenbildung – ESE e.V.

• Contribution towards better understanding between people of different cultural origins.

• Working areas:– Child and youth education– Adult education– Research and teaching– Publications– IdA I + II


Definition ofIntercultural Competence

Intercultural competence is the ability gained over a learning process to achieve the highest possible level of communication and understanding in direct or indirect interaction with

people from different cultures.


1. Appropriation and acquisition of information and development of interest

2. Practising a change of perspective3. Recognising and overcoming

ethnocentrism4. Reflecting on intercultural interactions5. Promoting attitudes and values

Aspects of intercultural competence

from: Bertels, Ursula u.a.: Ethnologie in der Schule. Eine Studie zur Vermittlung Interkulturelle Kompetenz. Münster et al, 2004.P. 38 et seq.


Culture shock

• Adjustment process• Registering / processing of rules of

behaviour• Psychological reaction to what is new

and unfamiliar• The way culture shock develops

differs from person to person

cf. Wagner, W. (1996): Kulturschock Deutschland. Hamburg: Rotbuch Verlag, S. 19ff.

Foreign culture shock model

Euphoria

Alienation

Escalation

Misunderstandings

Communication

amended pursuant to Wagner, W. (1996): Kulturschock Deutschland. Hamburg: Rotbuch Verlag, page 19.

Culture shock – 1st phase: Euphoria

• High level of cultural competence in one's own culture; own culture is not questioned

• Sensory overload• Fascination with the 'exotic'• Selective perception of foreignness• Honeymoon phase


Culture shock – 1st phase

Euphoria

"Everything is so different, much nicer than home!"

"I could imagine living here!"

"Everyone is so nice here!"

"I've got to know so many people already!" We even got into a conversation outside the supermarket. The people show a real interest".

"I've never experienced anything like that before!"

„Here it‘s like in paradise!"

"I'm coping much better with the language than I thought."

Culture shock – 2nd phase: Alienation

• Increasing awareness of strangeness of new culture

• Non-validity of internalised behavioural patterns

• Rules, ideas of morality and values need to be re-learned

• Stress, uncertainty, disillusionment and disorientation


Culture shock – 2nd phase: Alienation

• First difficulties with social contact appear

• Self-doubt, self-blame• There is a longing for the 'familiar'• 'Taste of home' phase• Withdrawal, lots of sleep

– "controlled withdrawal", taking time out



Culture shock - 2nd phase

Alienation

"Yes ≠ Yes"

"What's wrong with me? I've never known myself to be like this".

"I'm so dependent!"

"I don't understand anything any more!"

"I can't be myself!"

"It's all too much for me here!"

Culture shock – 3rd phase: Escalation

• Apportioning blame to foreign culture• What was once positive is now considered

negative• Glorification of one's own culture• Superiority, ethnocentrism, anger• Homesickness, illness • May result in termination of stay abroad• Exchange is helpful ('fellow sufferers',

'cultural agents')



Culture shock - 3rd phase

Escalation

"They treat me like a child!"

Friendship?! It's just superficial hypocrisy! They haven't a clue what friendship is!"

"Nothing works here!"

"They're lying to me and enjoying giving me the runaround!"

"Why don't they just say what's wrong? I much prefer our way of doing things."

"You just wouldn't get that at home!"

"I have to get away from

here!" "I don't trust

anyone here!"

Culture shock – 4th phase: Misunderstandings

• Recognition that difficulties with communication are based on cultural differences

• No apportionment of blame• Clarification/enlightenment



Culture shock - 4th phase

Misunderstandings

"I see!" 'Lying' was necessary, anything else would have been rude by their cultural standards of behaviour."

"We had even spoken about it in advance." "Now I

understand it!"

"There is actually method behind this

madness."

Culture shock – 5th phase: Communication

• Learning behavioural patterns, standards and values in the foreign culture, misunderstandings become less frequent

• Acquisition of competencies in both cultures

• Rapprochement



Culture shock – 5th phase

Communication

"Thankfully nobody really took offence at my behaviour."

"Once again I can imagine staying on here."

"In hindsight it was just a funny misunderstanding.""I've learned a

lot about myself and my own culture."

"Things here don't always run according to plan, but I've got used to that. If only people in my country could sometimes be a bit more relaxed about things too."


Culture shock on returning home

• Own culture shock / reverse culture shock

• Usually more severe, as a reintegration into one's own culture is not anticipated

• Same model applies


Culture shock modelReverse culture shock

Euphoria

Alienation

Escalation

Misunderstandings

Communication

amended pursuant to Wagner, W. (1996): Kulturschock Deutschland. Hamburg: Rotbuch Verlag, page 19.

Own culture shock 1st phase: Euphoria

• Enjoying all that is familiar: home, family, friends, food, freedoms, hobbies etc.

• Phase is much shorter than abroad



Own culture shock – 1st phase

Euphoria

"I'm so looking forward to my own room and some more privacy.”

"I wonder if my mother will prepare my favourite

dish."

"It‘s my friend’s birthday tomorrow, then I'll finally see everybody again."

Own culture shock 2nd phase: Alienation

• Uncertainty, as one is not aware of the personal change

• Blame is apportioned to oneself• Important to take time to adjust



Own culture shock - 2nd phase

Alienation

"I was really looking forward to coming home but it's all so different to what I imagined."

"I can't really connect properly with my friends any more."

"Nobody is interested in me and my experiences!"

"Everyone says I've changed so much!"

"I don't know where I belong any more."

Own culture shock 3rd phase: Escalation

• Apportioning blame to one's own culture

• Glorification of foreign culture• Arrogance, anger, craving for travel• Withdrawal



Own culture shock - 3rd phase

Escalation

"Don't they have any manners?"

"Let people off first! They push like a

flock of sheep here!"

"That's just typical!"

"You just wouldn't get that in XY!"

"I need to get away from this place again as fast as possible!"

"You haven't a clue what I'm talking about!"

"My friends just hang around – and they're happy with that."


Own culture shock 4th phase:

Misunderstandings• Recognition that difficulties with

reintegration are based on changes on both sides

• No apportionment of blame• Different perception• Clarification/enlightenment



Own culture shock - 4th phase

Misunderstandings

"We've all changed."

"I can't expect everyone to be interested in my experiences if I don't even ask what's been happening here."

"I would just never have imagined that I would find it so difficult to adapt."


Culture shock – 5th phase: Communication

• Re-acquisition of competencies in both cultures

• Communication and discussions• "Reconciliation with oneself"



Own culture shock – 5th phase

Communication

"It just took a while until we got used to each other again."

"On coming back home I

viewed myself, my

surroundings and my culture in a different light again."

"It's actually quite nice, too, when

you feel so at home that you

don't want to go abroad."


Ways of preparing for the culture shock of life abroad

• Addressing the key elements of culture shock (and own culture shock) before you leave

• Make a self-assessment, identify the findings and take them with you abroad.

• Self-reflection, observation by support staff and participants, learning diary

• Informal discussions, 1-to-1 and weekly group discussions.


Ways of preparing for the culture shock of life abroad• Conflict management training• Develop strategies to overcome 'down'

phases– Take familiar things with you

• Stress management techniques– What do I do otherwise to combat

stress?• Take time and play for time with the

desire to return home


Preparation for culture shock on returning home

• Review of key issues shortly before returning home– What am I looking forward to?– What will have changed?– Will I have changed?– What can I do if I'm missing XY etc.?– …


Preparation for culture shock on returning home

• Dealing with issues in the group is important

• Base the course of the project on this as far as possible

• Plan the 'post-processing' phases– Joint teaching phases– Formal and informal follow-up meetings– Communications structures (mail, blog

etc.)– Maintaining foreign contact


Knowledge of

the culture shock is helpful

and easy to implement

methodically

Thank you for your attention!

culture shock abroad and back home ida i & ii – 1st networking event 27 march 2012 berlin...

Documents