Chapter VIII of the book: What in the world is going on?
WHAT AM I DOING HERE?
Professionals of the field of cultural adaptation often refer to adjustment curves which map out the emotional swings most people go through when adjusting to a new culture. Sometimes in the beginning there is a "high": you are excited, stimulated, seeing new things, meeting new people, writing exuberant postcards to friends and family back home. Or maybe it's a "low": you are exhausted after all the preparations, good-byes, travel, and not at your best to cope with a lot of change. After a period of time perhaps three to six months if you are staying for a year or more , perhaps much less if you are not staying that long there can be a much worse "low", known as culture shock.
Culture shock seems to hit almost everyone to some degree or other. There are many different ways of dealing with it, and what happens after that is key in determining how successful a stint abroad will be. Some people pull out of culture shock to become Participators - they explore further, learn the language, make friends with the locals, bring a great deal of energy to their work and relationships. Some become Adjustors - they do an adequate job, manage to get by, but somehow seem to be withdrawing into themselves and perhaps even rejecting their environment. Some become Escapers - openly rejecting their home environment and doing all they can to recreate a bit of their "real" home in this foreign outpost in which they have found themselves. And others, of course, never do learn to cope with the emotional problems of adjusting to the new culture, and have to leave early.
CULTURE SHOCK
Culture has been defines as "an integrated system of learned behavior patterns which are characteristic of the members of any given society". It encompasses the total way of life of any particular group of people - their customs, language, traditions, myths, shares feelings and attitudes. Adapting to a new culture means somehow managing to step outside your own integrated system of learned behavior patterns and into that of another group. That's a difficult change of clothes for most of us to manage, and there is usually quite a bit of stress involved.
What sorts of cultural differences might you encounter? Well, too many to name. Depending on people's reactions, some cultural differences become stuff of fine stories, while others simply contribute to a terrible build-up of frustrations and bitterness.
It's having to deal with cultural episodes, multiplied again and again, accumulating over time, which lead to the fatigue and depression of culture shock.
Symptoms of culture shock include:
- Homesickness
- Withdrawal; spending excessive amounts of time in your room, reading, or writing letters home; only spending time with other Canadians or foreigners, avoiding contact with locals
- Very negative feelings about the host people, culture, country; exaggerating problems; stereotyping large groups of people; suspicion and paranoia
- Anger, frustration, confusion; feeling of being lost in ambiguity
- Compulsive eating and drinking; need for excessive amounts of sleep
- Marital stress; family conflicts; irritability; loss of sense of humor
- Boredom; tiredness; inability to concentrate or work effectively
- Excesses of emotion; over-reaction; worry
- Obsession with cleanness, avoiding disease
- Large fluctuations in weight
COPING STRATEGIES
Probably the best overall strategy for coping with the various manifestations of culture shock is to be active in your attempts to adjust to the new culture. Once you recognize the signs of malaise and negativity associated with culture shock, you might want to take a two-pronged approach to your activism: use your supports to make you feel more comfortable, and force yourself to do things which will make the strange surroundings more understandable to you. Some suggestions for both getting over culture shock, and getting the most out of your stay abroad:
Home supports:
- Write letters. Keep a journal. Keep in touch with the people you have left behind.
- Keep close professional notes and take photographs, so that you can write articles or make presentations afterwards. Commit yourself to presenting these experiences once you return to Canada.
- Listen to your favorite tapes, to short-wave radio; read novels and magazines; keep some time aside to "escape".
- Stay healthy. Eat properly, exercise, get your sleep, don't over-extend yourself. Know your limits. Some people get so caught up in the excitement of an overseas trip that they forget about the things that they naturally do at home to avoid illness. Watch out for alcohol consumption - it can go up dramatically during culture shock.
- Take a break every so often and enjoy the other Canadians and foreigners who might also be posted in your community. If you have problems and your organization can't help, try visiting the local Canadian consulate or Embassy. At the same time, beware of the "foreign ghetto syndrome" - the tightly knotted groups of expatriates who feed on one anthers' gripes to create an ever-deepening cycle of bitterness, pessimism, and negativity. As much as possible, spend time with people who are up-beat, positive, and who are out doing things to involve them in their surroundings.
Participating in the New Culture:
- Be active.
Become interested in some aspect of the new culture - the literature, painting, art, architecture, music, martial arts, history, education, dance, films, sports, games, crafts... whatever. Being an interested student can open a lot of doors. Try to learn something endemic to that culture which you can take home with you and share with others. - Go with low expectations.
Don't be pessimistic or negative, but expect difficulties, and tone down any fantasies of the wonderful things that might happen. After all, every country and culture has its problems, and its low-key, day to day realities. - Be a bit of a diplomat, and a very good guest.
When you first arrive, look, listen, smell, think, but don't say too much. Soak in everything you can. Put aside your assumptions; be extremely sensitive to cultural differences. Show respect, use the right titles for people, do things according to local customs. Try to find a logical reason for everything you are seeing, and to explain things from the national's point of view. - Travel.
Make the time to be a tourist and see what sorts of things are the focus of national pride. Bring an open mind, a keen eye, and a sense of humor. - Avoid romanticizing life back home.
Similarly, don't give in to the temptation to disparage the host culture, to make jokes or snide remarks about "them". Actively choose to stay in a positive frame of mind. - Make friends with the people around you.
Let them help you in your adjustment. Spend time with them, get to know them slowly, on a day to day basis. Meet them more than half-way, but be sensitive about being too aggressive for a particular culture. The ones who succeed overseas are usually user-friendly - they know how to communicate, to help out, get along, adapt to the pace of the culture, and they orient themselves more towards the people than towards the particular job at hand. - Take on the challenges you can handle, but don't overdo it.
So often people living abroad are given the opportunity to fill many needs, and it can be extremely enriching to take on those extra responsibilities, be they teaching a language course, helping out in the community, acting as a cultural ambassador. But at the time, you have to be aware of your limitations, and know when to say "No". - To the best of your ability learn the language.
If you really want to manage in a foreign culture, practice every chance you get. It all pays off. Language acquisition can be exciting and fulfilling, especially when you get beyond the initial awkwardness and frustration. Do it! It is often the difference between a disappointing stint abroad and a successful one. - Keep a sense of perspective.
Remember - your stay overseas is going to be limited. Most are only for two years or less, which will be over faster than you know. Do the most you can to fill it well, to not waste your opportunity!
