Culture shock

9 important questions on Culture shock

What are the stages of a culture shock ?

Stage 1: Pre-departure:
feeling of stressful uncertainty

Stage 2: Vacation stage:
Right after arrival, exciting vacation feeling

Stage 3: Angry stage
Great emotional and physical distress

Stage 4: Adjustment
Learn new skills and adjust to new culture

Stage 5: Re-entry shock
After returning home

Explain stage 1 of the culture shock

Time full of uncertainty. Will the new country meet your expectations? Will you meet the requirements to enter? Have you prepared everything well? You depend on others.

Explain stage 2 of the culture shock

Just after arrival, you're there! Period full of energy and positivity. Everything is new and exotic. It feels like a long vacation
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Explain stage 3 of the culture shock

disappointment resulting from the discovery that it is not as good as you thought it was. (disillusion)

You notice that you don't get the language, the jokes and feel excluded. You start missing your home country and everything is weird and confusing. This stage is the culture shock. You feel angry and insecure, you want to go home. Most people crawl out of this deep valley of insecurities.

Explain stage 4 of the culture shock

You learn more about the new culture and can filter what is meaningful or not. You no longer interpret what you see accoring to your basic assumptions but to the new basic assumptions.

Explain stage 5 of the culture shock

Process of fitting back in your old environment after your time abroad,  a reverse culture shock. The process is shorter, but more intense. At first you're overwhelmed with joy, you see everyone you missed. But then no one's interested in your stories. You've changed and so have them. With all your new experiences you feel cramped in your old town. You miss your time abroad.

Emotional effects of a culture shock

Restlessness, loneliness, disorientation, defensiveness, dependence on others, frustration with locals, reduced self-confidence

Behavioural effects of a culture shock

Withdrawal, stereotyping locals, inability to make decisions, family conflict, alcohol.

Physical effects of a culture shock

Sleeplessness, loss of appetite, lack of energy, crying unexplainable

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