Culture Shock and Culture Adjustment -- for June 04 Orientation
(Intro: Culture shock – is not a shock.
You are going to be shocked – but that doesn’t mean you’re having culture shock.
As long as you can say – wow – how exotic .. or even “how gross” –
You are dealing with the situation.
We don’t call it culture shock until you can’t deal with it.)
Culture Shock is more than
Cultural Stress
Culture Conflict
Cultural stress comes from:
Loss of support system
Different Rules for living
Different views of Reality
Stress is difficult, but not culture shock, because
stress is normal
stress heightens awareness
stress brings growth
Cultural conflict is:
Striking out against host culture
Trying to change host culture
Complaining about host culture
Cultural conflict is not culture shock,, because
your self-image is still intact.
Culture shock however is:
When adjustment strategies don’t seem to be working
When you’re not able to deal with your stress
When your conflicts hinder your purpose
Therefore your self-image is under attack
Approaching Culture shock:
Is not a different topic from adjustment
it is the difficult end of cultural adjustment
People have degrees of success in adjustment,
So most experience “more or less” culture shock.
(don’t be embarrassed if you are the first one to make it without)
(if you’re normal, you will have some degree of culture shock)
Learn Adjustment strategies, to:
Minimize culture shock
To survive culture shock
Personalize these strategies, because:
You are still you
Your weaknesses will be magnified overseas
You’ll rely on what has worked before
Expand your resources
Cultural adjustment is difficult because of:
Homesickness
Loneliness
Inadequacy (not knowing what to do)
Homesickness – nature of the problem:
Positive: Shows love for family
Negative: resistance to leaving comfort zone
Coping with Homesickness
Release family to God’s care
See yourself as an extension of your family
(experiencing things for your family, expanding their eyes)
Substitute: love for the new people (lost 2, gained 2100)
Absorption in the new tasks
Loneliness – why a problem:
Even though surrounded with people
You question your acceptance
You’re unclear about position, role
So you don’t know how to act
Coping with loneliness:
Prayer for others
Friendly acts toward others (junior high: be a friend, not get a friend)
See as opportunity for contacting others
Building relationships takes time
Leave timing and results to God
Inadequacy – why a problem
Don’t know what to do
Expectations are too high
Guilt at lack of performance
This is false expectation, false guilt
Coping with Inadequacy
Depend on local people
Accept feeling like infant
Willing to laugh at own mistakes
General hints for Adjustment:
Come as a Learner
Be a good guest
Set priority on support system
Come as a Learner
Rather than an expert
Value their survival strategies
Be a good guest
Courtesy
“When in Rome …” (to a point)
Be content as an outsider
Advantages of not being an insider:
Free from obligation system
Mistakes will be overlooked
Gives others face to accept their hospitality
Cultivate support system
Harmony with co-workers
Invest time with co-workers
Invest in success of co-workers
Culture Shock occurs:
When adjustment strategies have not worked
When conflict and stress has gone to an extreme
After Romance has worn off
Culture Shock is:
Devastation of your self-worth
Detesting your situation
Symptoms in emotional health (withdraw, lack of energy, extreme behavior)
Happens here at home with a different name -- (that’s how I feel sometime)
When it happens abroad, its called “culture shock” (it is treatable)
To Cope with Culture Shock
It is common
It is Normal (your brain knows what it has to do to keep in equilibrium)
There are different degrees
Others have survived
It results in a deeper adjustment
Coping Strategies:
Tell others your feelings (don’t isolate yourself)
Rethink your role expectation
Forgive yourself and others
Does not mean you are a “bad” Christian
Spiritual advantages (plays into our hands)
2 Cor 1:8-9 (promotes trust)
How else can this happen than through adversity?
Spiritual resources
Psalm
Spiritual promises
No temptation
Spiritual identity
Children of God
Self-esteem becomes:
Gal 2:20
…Christ-esteem
Finally,
Reverse Culture shock –
Coming home:
People may not
share your excitement
be interested in your experiences
take the initiative to ask
Coming home But you …
are a new person
have a new perspective
have a deepened trust
Jim Found, June 3, 2004