Stages of Cultural Adjustments
Adjustment to a new culture is not accomplished in a few days or even weeks. Often it is not a linear process and not everyone adjusts at the same rate. Throughout your semester abroad, it’s important to remind yourself that cultural adjustment is an ongoing process.
Adjusting to a new culture often is described by the term “culture shock”, identified first by cultural anthropologist, Kalervo Oberg, in the 1950s. Oberg defined culture shock as “precipitated by the anxiety that results from losing all our familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse. These signs or cues include the thousand and one ways in which we orient ourselves to the situations of daily life”.
Since his anthropological observations and research, several descriptions of the various stages have been labeled with different descriptive phrases for each stage. Below is a brief outline of the four stages of culture shock.
The Honeymoon Stage
This initial stage is characterized by curiosity, excitement, elation, and those “butterfly” feelings as you explore a new country and culture. You’re far from home, but home doesn’t feel too far yet. This can look like:
- Finding joy in little details
- Feeling energized to explore everything new
- Eager to meet new people
- Willing to practice new language skills
- Open to learning new ways of living
The Confrontation Stage
This stage can be characterized by the confrontation of your home and host culture values, practices, beliefs, and behaviors colliding. Remember that this confrontation is an adjustment of your home culture and host culture.
You are trying to reconcile the conflicting differences. You might react to this frustration by rejecting your new environment. It’s common for academic and personal challenges to begin during this stage. If you find yourself having a difficult time, first make an appointment to talk with your Host Coordinator, Resident Director, or someone in the International Office of your host institution. If you need additional support, contact the Moon International Center to make an appointment.
The Critical Adjustment Stage
This stage can be described as “critical” because your understandings, interactions, and interpretations of your host culture can either be adopted as new ways of living or rejected with anger, frustration, and hostility. During this phase, you can experience embarrassment, depression, isolation, anger, and hostility.
- You may feel frustrated with your limited language skills if you are in a non-English-speaking country.
- You might be weary of speaking and listening in a foreign language daily.
- You may lose your appetite or interest in trying new foods.
- You might feel upset because, although you have taken the time to learn about the new country and know how to speak the language, you don't seem to understand anyone.
The Recovery Stage
This final stage follows when you begin to feel relaxed in new situations and begin to laugh at misunderstandings and minor mistakes, which may have caused major headaches in the earlier stages.
By now, you will have made some friends and are able to better manage your life in the host culture. The final stage occurs when you not only retain allegiance to your home culture but also feel at home in your new location. You have successfully adjusted to the norms and standards of the host culture. This may evoke feelings of familiarity, confidence and appreciation especially for the things that you cannot change.