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Essays on Culture Shock

About culture shock: challenges of globalization, adapting to a new culture: cultural integration, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

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My Experience with Culture Shock in The United States

Cultural shock and adaptation, the role of country in the impact of culture shock, why foreigners are so amazed by india, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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Culture Shock Experienced by International Students

An overview of culture shock, its stages, and mitigation strategies, reflection on my culture shock in canada, culture shock on arriving to the united states from united arab emirates, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

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Culture Shock: Stages Explained and How to Alleviate It

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Culture Shock Essay

Essay on Culture Shock

but as days and dialogues went by, I began to ache for the comfort Kenya had to offer me. I often found myself regretting the move I made, but I knew with every opportunity, there must be hardships harboring around the corner. I always knew culture shock was inevitable, but I was not prepared for the rude awakening. Because I was raised with the Kenyan customs, when I arrived in

The Unknown : Culture Shock

The Unknown…. Culture Shock Moving from a place that we are so familiar with into the unknown is a terrifying feeling we could experience. It is a terrifying feeling because we get attached to the place that we come to know and love. We are familiar with the streets that we drive on, and the houses around the neighborhood. We are familiar with the people around our surroundings. We know how to get from one place to another. It is a daily routine that we come are comfortable with however, we should

Shock Culture Shock Essay

Comparison of Culture Shock and Reverse Culture Shock Name: Cai Miaosen Instructor: Li Binbin 1. Introduction In recent years, the people who pursue their overseas studying have doubled in number. The overseas returnees also increase at a fast rate. Many people who have already got the foreign passport or the right of residence of other country gradually return to motherland to work and settle down. But unfortunately many of these people are suffering the varying degrees of culture shock or reverse

Culture Shock

What is Culture Shock? I would best describe Culture Shock as a roller coaster ride- fun and exciting, yet a little scary and daunting. It happens from Country to Country, from state to state, city to city and within neighborhoods. Not everybody experiences it in the exact same way. Culture Shock occurs when one enters an unfamiliar place where cultural traits, social norms, beliefs and customs may not be in line with what they are familiar with. Wikipedia best describes Culture Shock in four

Culture Shock Essay The United States of America is a country in which many people from all over the world come to live together. Unlike Canada, which is a multicultural country, it is a melting pot since each person brings his/her own peculiarity to enrich the culture of this country. But this melting pot process is not always without problems. When people from other countries come to America, they may experience some form of culture shock. Culture

Descriptive Essay Culture Shock: An Integration in a New Country LIBS - 7001 February 21, 2011 The word ‘CULTURE’ has been derived from the Latin word ‘CULTURA’ which means to cultivate, to grow (Harper 2010). Anthropologist Edward B. Taylor, defines culture as “That complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits.” (O’Neil 2006). This is the basic premise that beliefs, morals, and customs are all based on one’s culture. In the essay

A True Culture Shock Essays

of different cultures, each one unique in its own respect. Culture; differentiate one societal group from another by identification beliefs, behaviors, language, traditions, Art, fashion styles, food, religion, politics, and economic systems. Through lifelong and ever changing processes of learning, creativity, and sharing, culture shapes our patterns of behavior and thinking. A culture’s significance is so profound that it touches almost every aspect of who and what we are. Culture becomes the telescope

Oberg Theory Of Culture Shock

Culture shock is a phenomenon that is defined as “anxiety that results from losing all our familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse” since behavior, customs, norms and standards are not universal across all cultures (Oberg, p. 177). Globalization, social media and technological progress are influences that have shaped the concept of culture shock as we understand it today, and connect countries and its citizens with each other in ways that would have been unimaginable a half century

opinions on culture shock, what culture shock is, the importance of culture shock, and how educational assistance can provide support for ESL learners. Culture Shock is what several people identify as a tremendous change to a person who has moved from their country to another, their native language is not spoken, and the surroundings are unfamiliar, resulting in mixed emotions (Haynes, 2005). Therefore, educational assistants (EA's) must acknowledge and understand the impact of culture shock on students

When I think of culture I think of how I was raised, what I believe in. I think about how different I was raised compared to how the people that are close to me are raised. You then must think about how other people are raised that are across the world, or even in the next town or state over. Everyone believes in different things, we all act differently. Culture is not the same for everyone, but culture is what brings us together to get a better understanding of each other. Culture is an important

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Culture Shock Essays (Examples)

819+ documents containing “culture shock” .

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Culture shock.

As a Peace Corps volunteer, one of the things I have experienced upon arrival in a developing African country is culture shock. This is primarily because people in this country have different cultural values, beliefs, traditions and practices from my own. Given these differences, a critical component towards a suitable experience while living in the country as a Peace Corps volunteer is culture adaptation. Adapting or adjusting to the culture in this developing country is not an easy process because there are some aspects of this culture that are harder to adjust to. One of the cultural aspects that is difficult to adjust to in this developing country is language. While most of the people I have met understand English, they often speak their local national language and their tribal languages. This makes it very difficult to adjust to this culture since I would need to learn the different languages….

Culture Shock and How to Prevent It for International Employees

International TrainingTraining Program for New Expatriate EmployeesI. IntroductionA. Purpose of the training program: To prepare employees for international assignments (Idrees et al.)B. Importance of pre-departure training: It will enhance expatriate performance, reduce culture shock, and facilitate faster acclimatization (Puck et al.)II. Training Needs of New Expatriate EmployeesA. Understanding cultural differences: Employee needs knowledge of the host country's culture, customs, and social etiquette, and thus to reduce culture shockB. Understanding the local business environment: Employee needs an increase in knowledge of business etiquette, legal, and financial regulations, and thus safeguardingC. Practical living information: Needs details about local amenities, transportation, housing, healthcare, etc., and thus practical supportD. Language proficiency: Needs basic skillsE. Coping strategies: Needs stress management technique to deal with culture shockF. Expectation management: Needs clarity on job role, performance expectations, assignment durationIII. Components of Pre-Departure TrainingA. Cultural Training1. Culture-specific workshops: Will provide insight into customs, values, traditions, and taboos2. Social….

Culture Shock of Coming to America

living and existing in the United States, one of the common themes and stories that is commonly spoken of is what is known as the American Dream. Indeed, even for those that never make it to the United States, many of heard of that ideal and many of htose that know of it feel it themselves. They have this idea that coming to America will change everything and that there is an endless amount of opportunity. While this may hold true for many people and in many situations, there is alternate perspective that is spoken of much less often but yet is still very real. That idea is that the American Dream can actually seem like a regression to many people. It can include a loss of money, a loss of status and a loss of confidence. While many hold the act and living out of coming of America….

Abrams, M. (1968). The Norton anthology of English literature. New York: W. W. Norton.

Cross-Cultural Communication and Culture Shock

From a mindset dictating that necessities for survival are the goal, to, say, the competitive and pretentious mindset of Beverly Hills "spoiled brats" where the vitals for survival are covered, and thereby taken for granted, by a society of people exhibiting similar behavioral problems, these Phases of Culture Shock and Signs and Symptoms of Culture Shock become quite apparent, and even more so by having lived this transition. This text is full of examples so the reader can learn to identify and label these reasons one would experience such shock faced when one adapts to new cultural experiences and develops changed perceptions towards our own traditions and beliefs. "Shell shock" or "combat fatigue" or absentmindedness, up to a diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder makes sense once having read this text and thereby defining such psychological intricacies. II. Critique Due to technological advances in biological ancestry research, intercessions, strategic investigation, and the systematized analysis….

Culture Shock Coping in Diverse and Cultural Environments

Adjustment to a new environment or culture with unfamiliar people is often marred by significant challenges, one of which is culture shock. Culture shock is the confusion and anxiety that arises when one is exposed to unfamiliar social surroundings that are noticeably different from their own (Anjalin, Mazumdar, & Whiteside, 2017). Students, expatriates, and business people who move from one culture to another are at risk of experiencing culture shock, and need to cope with the same to enhance their performance. This text outlines some of the coping strategies that an expatriate moving to a foreign country could adapt to manage culture shock. The Scenario An expatriate has received a promotion that requires him and his family to transfer to another country to run operations in that country. The country is not only third-world, but has different cultural norms and speaks a different language. It would be prudent to identify the coping….

russia to america culture'shock'simple essay

Being a stranger in a strange land: the feeling of culture shock is both exciting but also unnerving. Even knowing the English language or being familiar with American culture through film and television does not mean we will not encounter culture shock in other ways. The subtle mannerisms and gestures, facial expressions, and other types of nonverbal communication prove complicating even when we know the spoken language. The food and clothing styles will be different, as will the customs, rituals, and realities of daily life. As a Russian studying abroad in the United States, I have experienced many different levels of culture shock. These experiences have made me a stronger person, contributing to the value of my international education. While Russians and Americans share in common a strong sense of individuality and national pride, I have experienced culture shock in terms of communication, lifestyle, and customs. One of the most salient….

Culture Essay

This essay examines the meaning of culture and provides several possible titles and topics that may be used as starting points for developing a paper on culture. It discusses the definition of culture, how culture is developed, and how cultures change. It shows how cultural identity and cultural differences are formed and how culture diversity is a fact of life. It also explains why in spite of diverse cultures commonly existing in one group there is usually a dominant culture that comes to the fore and is promoted by the leaders of the group. The essay closes with recommendations for other ways in which a paper on culture can be written. Culture is the heart and soul of a society, group or organization: it is the manifestation of what a particular set of people thinks, feels, believes in, and holds as ideal. It is the communication of what a people view….

Culture on Brand Building in

As a result, not only are foreign markets changing to adapt to the Chinese marketplace needs, the Chinese marketplace, and consumer, are likewise adapting and changing to meet the needs of the global market. For instance, the economic boom in China's urban areas is creating a new consumer culture where the consumer has more disposable income to work with. This itself has effected consumer preferences and patterns within the Chinese marketplace. The general result is that a more sophisticated Chinese consumer is emerging and foreign companies need to market to their sophisticated needs while at the same time marketing to the general population's needs. Therefore, the most effective way for a company to build a strong brand name in the rapidly emerging Chinese market is to adapt itself to the rapidly changing Chinese culture. To do this, it is important that the foreign company create a local presence and thus….

Bibliography

Apadu, K., and Sevgin, E. (1991): "Success and Failure of Japanese Companies' Export Ventures in High-Tech Industries," International Marketing Review. Vol. 8, No. 2, p.p. 66-76.

Armstrong, E. (2002): "Communication's Starring Role and Standard Chartered Bank," Strategic Communication Management. Vol. 6, No. 4, p.p. 10-13.

Ayala, J. And Lain, R. (1996): "China's Consumer Market: A Huge Opportunity to Fail?," McKinsey Quarterly, No. 3, p.p. 56-72.

Ayala, J., Lai, R. Mok, B. et. al. (1996): "Winning China's Consumer Market in the 21st Century," McKinsey Quarterly, No. 2, p.p. 178-181.

Culture and Health Disparities - Filipinos Personal

Culture and Health Disparities - Filipinos PESONAL SOCIAL STATUS: In researching this project, I found a study prepared by the Canadian Nurses Association (2005). It reviewed the social determinants of health and how one's social status impacts their or their family health outcomes. The focus of this piece was on issues such as poverty, economic inequality, social isolation and social support systems and their impact on the health of minorities, many of the same categories and characteristics mentioned in the Journal of Transcultural Nursing (Andrews et al., 2010). While their study was more on a broad base of Canadian conditions, their findings seem to reflect the circumstances of many first and second generation Filipinos. First and later generations of Filipinos who move to new cultures do act differently, but for the most part there remain many family connections and networks that cannot be overlooked. My social status is mostly a reflection of….

Andrews, M. et al. (2010). Theoretical Basis for Transcultural Care. Section II. Foundations of Transcultural Nursing and Health Care. Journal of Transcultural Nursing. Vol. 21. DOI: 10.1177/1043659610374321.

Canadian Nursing Association (2005). Social Determinants of Health and Nursing: A summary of Issues. Canadian Nursing Association. Viewable at http://www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/BG8_Social_Determinants_e.pdf.

Castillo, M.V. (nd). Caring in the Diaspora: Filipino Immigrants, Health Care, Healing, and Religion. Religious Healing in Boston. Viewable at  http://www.hds.harvard.edu/cswr/resources/print/rhb/reports/13.Castillo.pdf .

McBride, M. (nd). Health and Health Care of Filipino Elders. Stanford Geriatric Education Center. Viewable at  http://www.stanford.edu/group/ethnoger/filipino.html .

Culture Clashes With a Culture

"Fish becomes the leitmotif in the story. Mrs. Sen's existence as also her survival in an alien land revolves around and depends upon this food item. hen she gets it she is happy, and when it is absent from her kitchen for a long time, she sulks like a child. For Mrs. Sen fish becomes her home, her state, her neighborhood, her friend and her family. Fish gives her a sense of proximity to her people. The arrival of a tasty halibut gives her pleasure as nothing else does" (Choubey 2001). But when Mrs. Sen is rebuked for the smell of her prized fish, even this source of connection with home, however, tenuous, becomes perverted. Some of the characters of the Interpreter of Maladies learn to negotiate their new identities and cultural terrains and bridge the cultural gaps that exist between themselves and their fellow Indians, as well as with….

Works Cited

Choubey, Asha. "Food as Metaphor in Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies."

The Literature and Culture of the Indian Subcontinent on the Postcolonial Web. Last modified 2001. [8 Dec 2007.]

 http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/post/india/literature/lahiri/choubey1.html 

Lahiri, Jhumpa Interpreter of Maladies and other stories. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,

International Students Coping With Culture

g. culture shock, potential solutions and/or considerations to better overcome potential negative consequences are examined during the proposed literature review. Research Questions to Guide Exploration The research questions proposed for this study, presented in the previous chapter will help ensure sources remain in tune with proposed aims and objectives. 1. hat challenges/scrutinizes currently confront Middle Eastern Students attending George Mason University, located in the heart of Northern Virginia? 2. How did 911 impact policies related to Arabian students? 3. Do Arabian students and/or the U.S. gain any intrinsic value(s) from time invested to study in the U.S. Along with answering these research questions, additional consideration will be invested in culture shock, George Mason University; U.S. government policies following the 911 disaster; positive counters to culture shock and other relevant current concerns. 2.2: In the U.S.A. U.S. Government Policies Following the 911 Disaster George Mason University actively promotes positive cultural interactions. Recently, it "was chosen as the only university in the….

Arensberg, Conrad M. (1964). Introducing Social Change. Aldine Publishing Company. Chicago, IL

Campus Blues. Campus Center. (2001) Some Facts Psychologists Know About Foreign Student' Adjustments. Retrieved (7/16/02) at http://www.campusblues.com

CNN Law Center. (May 2002). INS Aims to Better Track Foreign Students in the U.S. Retrieved (7/19/02) at http://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/ins.students

Cushner, Kenneth. (1996) Intercultural Interactions: A Practical Guide.

Reframing Pilgrimage Cultures in Motion

Reframing Pilgrimage: Cultures in Motion by Simon Coleman and John Ead is a book that challenges the notion that sacred travel is a form of 21st century, modern, cultural mobility. The authors attempt to analyze the meanings behind Christian, Hindu, Mormon, Sufi, and Islamic pilgrimage through interpretation of traditions including pilgrimage in secular contexts. In doing so, they generate a new theory of pilgrimage and define it as a form of voluntary displacement. The newly formed meaning of voluntary displacement assists in establishing cultural meaning in an otherwise fast pace world. Pilgrimage works on a global and individual economic scale and is recognized as a highly politically and creatively charged force intrinsically encircled in cultural and economic systems. Many works have stated how pilgrimage revolves around culture and movement and in itself represents an aspect of culture that otherwise would go unnoticed if it did not religious connotations attached to it.….

Badone, Ellen, and Sharon R. Roseman. Intersecting Journeys The Anthropology of Pilgrimage and Tourism. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2004.

Coleman, Simon, and John Eade. Reframing Pilgrimage: Cultures in Motion. London: Routledge, 2004.

Hyndman-Rizk, Nelia. "The pilgrim church in Vienna: mobile memories at the 1912 International Eucharistic Congress." In Pilgrimage in the Age of Globalisation Constructions of the Sacred and Secular in Late Modernity, 38-55. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012.

Peat, Alexandra. Travel and Modernist Literature Sacred and Ethical Journeys. New York: Routledge, 2011.

Father Culture Clash -- a

According to anthropologist Lalervo Oberg, culture shock arises when suddenly one's sense of certainty is destroyed when one enters a foreign environment. A person undergoing culture shock experiences it as a series of "upsets -- breaks in reality because people behave differently" in a new culture and because the shocked individual finds him or herself in unfamiliar circumstances (Oberg, 2007). Yet the extraordinary clash of "The Father" does not result suddenly, even though the news is sudden -- the daughter's schema of values has been changing over time, only the father has ignored it, or not wished to see this change. Oberg says the clash occurs because "families and friends are far away," but in this case, the family member is close by, yet changed by her upbringing in a new culture. Babli feels far away to her father. Her father experiences all of the "discontent, impatience, anger, sadness, and feeling….

Guanipa, Carmen. "Culture Shock." San Diego University. 17 Mar 1998. 2 Jul 2007. http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/CGuanipa/cultshok.htm

Mukherjee, Bharati "The Father." From Literature and the Writing Process.

Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, & Robert Funk (Eds.). New York Prentice

Hall, 2007.

National Culture on Project Control Emirates Project

national cultue on poject contol: emiates poject manage in *xyz company case study This wok addesses effects of national and intenational cultue upon business, using a copoate oganization in the UAE as an example. Theoetical aspects of cultue ae discussed and a detailed eseach pogam is outlined, with data fom a Pilot Study being pesented, as a basis to plan and delineate the best appoach to the oveall eseach potocols. Intent The goals of this manuscipt ae to evaluate the XYZ oganization in the UAE in tems of the effects of national and intenational cultue upon a business. Appoach/Methodology/Design The vaious aspects of a given national cultue ae used to develop theoetical hypotheses concening the manne in which cultue influences copoate actions. Value/Oiginality This wok offes a contibution to the field though data-povision and analysis focusing on common pesumptions that copoate actions ae modified accoding to the 'home county' cultual backgound. Paticula aspects of national cultue….

Adler, NJ (1991). International dimensions of organizational behavior. 2.ed. Boston: Kent Publishing.

Ali, A.J. (1990). Management theory in a transitional society: the Arabs' experience. International Studies of Management and Organization. 20, 7-35.

Al-Rasheed, A (1994). Traditional Arab management: evidence from empirical comparative research. In Proceedings of Arab Management Conference, Bradford: 89-114.

Atkinson, R (1999). Project management: cost, time and quality, two best guesses and a phenomenon, its time to accept other success criteria. International Journal of Project Management. 17(6). 337-42.

Business Organizational Culture Refers to

Some of the unique cultural aspects of the business at hand are the value placed on flexibility, family and employee independence. All of these cultural values are heavily focused on the people factor. Any changes to these values will have to take into account the effect it will have on the employee's moral and thus productivity. Many of our employees are successful because their values are in line with the business' values and therefore there is no "culture shock" so to say. In order to prevent any changes from alientating the company's strong employee base, any changes to these three values should be slight. For example, one recommendation would be to focuse on changing one aspect while strengthening the other two. In terms of changing the dispersion of the employees, employees could be required to work on site for a specific number of days per week or month..

As a Peace Corps volunteer, one of the things I have experienced upon arrival in a developing African country is culture shock. This is primarily because people in this…

International TrainingTraining Program for New Expatriate EmployeesI. IntroductionA. Purpose of the training program: To prepare employees for international assignments (Idrees et al.)B. Importance of pre-departure training: It will enhance…

living and existing in the United States, one of the common themes and stories that is commonly spoken of is what is known as the American Dream. Indeed,…

Annotated Bibliography

Anthropology

From a mindset dictating that necessities for survival are the goal, to, say, the competitive and pretentious mindset of Beverly Hills "spoiled brats" where the vitals for survival…

Business - International

Adjustment to a new environment or culture with unfamiliar people is often marred by significant challenges, one of which is culture shock. Culture shock is the confusion and anxiety…

Creative Writing

Being a stranger in a strange land: the feeling of culture shock is both exciting but also unnerving. Even knowing the English language or being familiar with American culture…

This essay examines the meaning of culture and provides several possible titles and topics that may be used as starting points for developing a paper on culture. It discusses…

Business - Advertising

As a result, not only are foreign markets changing to adapt to the Chinese marketplace needs, the Chinese marketplace, and consumer, are likewise adapting and changing to meet…

Research Paper

Family and Marriage

Culture and Health Disparities - Filipinos PESONAL SOCIAL STATUS: In researching this project, I found a study prepared by the Canadian Nurses Association (2005). It reviewed the social determinants of…

"Fish becomes the leitmotif in the story. Mrs. Sen's existence as also her survival in an alien land revolves around and depends upon this food item. hen she…

g. culture shock, potential solutions and/or considerations to better overcome potential negative consequences are examined during the proposed literature review. Research Questions to Guide Exploration The research questions proposed for this…

Book Report

Mythology - Religion

Reframing Pilgrimage: Cultures in Motion by Simon Coleman and John Ead is a book that challenges the notion that sacred travel is a form of 21st century, modern, cultural…

According to anthropologist Lalervo Oberg, culture shock arises when suddenly one's sense of certainty is destroyed when one enters a foreign environment. A person undergoing culture shock experiences it…

Research Proposal

Business - Management

national cultue on poject contol: emiates poject manage in *xyz company case study This wok addesses effects of national and intenational cultue upon business, using a copoate oganization in…

Some of the unique cultural aspects of the business at hand are the value placed on flexibility, family and employee independence. All of these cultural values are heavily focused…

Coping With Cultural Shock and Adaptation to a New Culture Term Paper

Culture shock results when a person finds it challenging to adapt to a new culture. If not managed, culture shock can lead to low productivity among staff and even health complications and stress. Globalization has enhanced international trade and increased the frequency of employee movements around the world and having to adjust to the local culture. This calls for such workers to recognize ways by which they can cope with culture shock.

Strategies of coping with culture shock include admitting that feelings arising from culture shock are normal, making friends with the locals, learning some elements of the local culture, maintaining close contact with family members and friends back home, participating in recreational and physical exercises, and looking all the positives of living in a new culture. All of these strategies all focus on embracing and understanding the local culture.

Introduction

Culture shock is a form of homesickness felt when a person moves into a foreign country or society that has a markedly different culture from his own. These differences are normally in the form of language, climate, social norms, sanitation, food, climate, and so on.

Culture shock causes a difficulty in adjusting into the new culture characterized by nostalgia, loneliness, depression, mental fatigue, confusion as to how to proceed with work, boredom, and a lack of enthusiasm. In extreme instances, culture shock may lead to physical discomfort, withdrawal from social activities, eating disorders, stereotyping of and hostility towards locals, and irritability.

Behavioral scientists have shown that culture shock occurs in various stages, each stage characterized by a set of symptoms mentioned above. The first stage is known as ‘honeymoon’ phase, followed by negotiation phase, then adjustment phase and finally the mastery phase.

Today, the number of corporations with operations in various regions of the world continues to rise, thanks to globalization that has immensely promoted international business (Ferraro, 2010).

As a result, employees are forced to move from country to country, meeting different cultures that are different from their own cultures by a large margin. For this reason, cross-cultural solutions to international business that aim at alleviating culture shock have been devised to help employees that have difficulties adjusting to other cultures, thereby increasing their productivity.

Coping with Culture Shock

Due to the adverse effects of culture shock on an employee working in a culture that is significantly different from his culture, it is vital that such employees are introduced to ways by which they can alleviate the effects of culture shock. The increasing number of employees working in foreign countries (expatriates) stresses the importance of training employees on how to cope with culture shock.

Admit that Culture Shock is Normal

The first and easiest way by which an employee can cope with culture shock is to admit frankly that culture shock is a normal feeling. There will always continue to be confusion when a person moves into a new culture. Indeed, culture shock is not an admission of weakness that an employee feels uncomfortable, tense, or confused in a new land.

Having admitted this feeling, it is important that such an employee talks about the feelings with other people. This strategy can help employees narrate their own experience of culture shock, and how they coped with the feelings. This can help an employee that feelings of culture shock are normal and can be felt by anybody. Besides, such stories can help an employee to learn from friends about how they overcame culture shock (Harris, 1998).

Make Friends

A second way of coping with culture shock is to make friends with other people. Although it will be easier to make friends with people from your country, it is important that a person makes friends with the locals and with people from other countries. Making friends from diverse cultures can help an employee learn about other cultures, and will always have something to talk about when around friends.

A second reason why it is important to make friends from the local population is that they can help a person in learning various aspects of the local culture. These strategies will help a person to adjust to the new culture, and reduce feelings of hostility towards locals. Making friends with the locals will help in overcoming cultural barriers and increase an understanding of the culture and country. It will also teach an expatriate how to be sensitive to cultural practices and beliefs.

Learn some Element of the Local Culture

A very effective way of adjusting to the new culture is to learn some aspect of the local culture. For instance, a person can learn about the national cuisine, and especially the main food of the inhabitants of the region in which the person is staying.

By developing interest in the local cuisine, the person can learn more about the local culture and even appreciate cultural diversity. With time, a person will (hopefully) begin to enjoy these local dishes and delicacies and this will make the person feel like a part of the culture, rather than a stranger (Gudykunst, 2005).

It also pays to travel around the country during the weekends or any free time and learn of historic and amazing sights within the country. If travel is restricted by work commitments or other reasons, then perhaps watching a television show or movies about the host country can be helpful.

Apart from cuisine, a person can get to know the national and local political landscape. He can begin by learning of the national politics and how the locals perceive of national and local leaders. Other issues include topics that are presently generating heated debates in the public domain and in the press (Gudykunst, 2005).

A basic comprehension of these issues will lighten feelings of estrangement, and even provide a topic of conversation with other local members. It will also make participation in a conversations touching on these topics easier, rather than remaining quiet in such discussions of related topics, which can only increase feeling of culture shock.

Perhaps an even important way to adapt easily to the local culture is to learn the local language. The benefits of this tact are very obvious; it will improve interpersonal communication with the locals (Wong& Wong, 2006). Nothing heightens feelings of culture shock and homesickness as the incapacity to communicate.

It always helps a great deal to have a basic understanding of what people are saying, and attempt to speak their language. In fact, they will often appreciate your efforts to speak in their language, even it is just a few phrases, and it will improve an expatriate’s experience with the new culture.

To facilitate learning of the new language, it is advisable to always carry a small notebook that contains commonly used phrases, and to write new words that are learnt each day (Gudykunst, 2005). Besides, an expatriate could also purchase a printed phrase book to learn more of the language and to cope with real-life situations. An expatriate should never associate his/her intelligence with the ability (or inability) to speak the local language. Learning a new language is a challenging process and can be very tiring.

Maintain Contact with Friends and Family Back Home

As in most cases, workers in foreign countries leave their families behind. In order to reduce homesickness, it is important to keep close contacts with family and friends back at home (Mavrides, 2009). The expatriate can write home about his experiences, challenges, and how he is coping with them.

However, this should not amount to spending endless hours talking, sending emails, and chatting with friends and family (Wong& Wong, 2006). This will only worsen the effects of culture shock, and may lead to withdrawal. Additionally, an expatriate can read home newspapers from websites and find hotels and restaurants that sell home delicacies.

Engage in Recreational and Physical Exercises

Exercise is a proven stress reliever and can help a person forget about feelings of nostalgia which often lead to stress. During free time, one can go for a light race, take a long walk, swim, or play a favorite sport, among other activities. These activities will help in keeping fit, meeting new friends, and forget about the challenges of adapting to a new culture.

It does no harm in learning a new local sport, as it will increase an understanding of the local culture, and also have more friends. Recreational activities such as shopping, mountain climbing, cycling, going out with friends, or going to a movie theater can be of great help (Wong& Wong, 2006).

Again, it does not harm to participate in new recreational activities as it will only improve a persons acceptance by the locals, and appreciation of the local culture. Finding humor in every confusing situation or challenge is even better, as they say, ‘laughter is the best medicine’. It is advisable to take good care of the body by having enough exercise, eat well, limit alcohol intake, and have enough rest and sleep.

Intercultural Advantages

Instead of wimping at the prospect of having to live in another culture, one can look at the positives, and there are numerous, for instance, he/she can look at all the advantages of having lived in two or more different cultures. Meeting people from different cultures enriches a person’s life (Harris, 1998). Consequently, the expatriate should make as many friends as possible from cultures different from his/her own and spend a lot of time with them. This can also be the opportunity to teach the locals and other people about his own culture.

Coping with cultural shock is not a simple process as it may seem on paper. However, having a positive attitude towards the whole situation helps. Acknowledging one’s progress in adjusting to the new culture is the first step to achieving success. An expatriate can think of all the progress that he has made since he arrived into the new environment.

However, he must recognize that like all people who have lived in different cultures, he can successfully adjust to the new culture, and that one day, he will join his family and friends and family back at home. In short, an expatriate can cope with culture shock by embracing and understanding it, and above all, enjoying all the privileges of living in a new culture.

Ferraro, G. P. (2010). The Cultural Dimension of International Business , 6th Ed. NJ: Prentice Hall

Gudykunst, W. B. (2005). Theorizing about intercultural communication . Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications.

Harris, P. R. (1998). New work culture: HRD transformational management strategies . Amherst, MA: HRD Press.

Mavrides, G. (2009). Culture Shock and Clinical Depression: Foreign Teachers Guide to Living and Working in China . Middle Kingdom Life, 2009.

Wong, P. T. P., and Wong, L. C. J. (2006). Handbook of multicultural perspectives on stress and coping . NY: Springer Science, Inc.

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IvyPanda. (2019, May 7). Coping With Cultural Shock and Adaptation to a New Culture. https://ivypanda.com/essays/culture-shock/

"Coping With Cultural Shock and Adaptation to a New Culture." IvyPanda , 7 May 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/culture-shock/.

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IvyPanda . 2019. "Coping With Cultural Shock and Adaptation to a New Culture." May 7, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/culture-shock/.

1. IvyPanda . "Coping With Cultural Shock and Adaptation to a New Culture." May 7, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/culture-shock/.

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IvyPanda . "Coping With Cultural Shock and Adaptation to a New Culture." May 7, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/culture-shock/.

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Culture Shock — What Is It

Once in a while people are forced by circumstances to move from may be their countries and maybe go into other countries. This could be for short visits and for others it may be for long durations; may be due to school or work. The experience of moving and going to settle in a new environment is never always interesting. The effect is however different for different people. Culture Shock is the disorientation and change that is experienced after an international relocation. The change is always due to difference in weather, culture, language, customs, values, landscape, mode of dressing and food. You will feel as if you are in the wrong place; everything will appear abnormal and you will often find things hard to comprehend. Culture shock is not exclusive for international relocation. Change of environment in for students and employees can also cause culture shock in most cases the productivity of the person is greatly reduced and they spend a lot of energy and time trying to get back on track or to get used to the new order of doing things.

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Symptoms of Culture Shock

In most cases Culture Shock will appear like homesick to most people. Although many people will have different signs of culture shock, it is never hard to tell that someone is suffering from culture shocks. The most common is that someone may look sickly. They will feel sad and lonely. The following are common signs of Culture Shock; Sleeping problems, either sleeping too much or insomnia, getting angered really fast, feeling of being vulnerable or being a target, homesickness, getting obsessed with unusual stuff like cleanliness and urge to cook, feeling insecure and shy, missing your home culture and the fear of learning a new culture and trying to adapt.

All people have different symptoms and most are those that have a combination of them. In many cases people are emotional over very trivial issues and you need to be careful with them otherwise you may end up devastating them. Check this " write my college essay " to save your time and money.

How to deal with Culture Shock

The best way to avoid or reduce Culture Shock is to be enthusiastic. Try to keep your fears at bay. Yearn for a positive interaction with the host and the culture of the people there. It is also important to try and do as much research on the culture of the host. At this time one will get to know of the possible causes of culture shock and find a way to handle it.

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