Introduction
Due to
globalization, our world has grown to take the shape of a global village. We
have an ever increasing number of international travelers, on a quest to tour
for work, leisure, and education in foreign countries. There exists growing
concern about a kind of ailment facing individuals who are first time educated
travelers. This is the emotional shock one has when moved from environments
they have grown up in, therefore, well adapted to, to alien habitats. The
anthropological term used to explain this phenomenon is “culture shock.”
Culture
Shock
Coined in 1960,
this term can be traced back to well known Finnish anthropologist Kalervo Oberg
who described culture shock as a situation “…when and individual enters a
strange culture…”he becomes “…like a fish out of water…” (Ward, 2001). It is mainly used to describe the
experience of individuals as they try to adjust in host habitats. Culture shock
exists in the company socialization, acculturation, and enculturation depending
on the age of individual. Adjustment is characterized by confusion as to how to
take care of critical aspects such as traditions, values, experiences, and
boundaries in the host culture.
Typical
reactions to this shock include waves of frustration, sense of loss of status,
rejection by host culture, anxiety and helplessness (Pedersen, 1995). For instance, a Malawian University sent a young
student to a North American University on a two-year exchange program. Two
weeks later, he placed an emotional call to his faculty dean, asking for
permission to return home. North American students, he described, were way out
of his league. Their meals were weird and unhealthy. Their social groupings
were racial and discriminative. Everyone seemed to be super busy.
He claimed that
the cost of living was unimaginable, saying that he did not want to incur extra
expenses on things that did not matter. The dean, who recalled his own
experiences as an exchange student in a Russian University advised him to
concentrate on his students against all odds. The exchange student is now doing
his last semester, and is more than reluctant to come back home.
Every year, an
increasing number of Africans leave their small comfortable economies and place
themselves in complex alien western societies. Almost all, be sure of it,
suffer from emotional distress. However, victims are not always one-way.
Americans find themselves having a devil of a time when immersed in cultures
characterized by inefficiency, poor sanitation, and religious conservatism (Lewis, 2011).
Stages
of Culture Shock
Culture shock is
a picture of immense confusion classified into four stages: first, honeymooning
period. The contrasting features of mother-alien cultures are treated in
excitement and hope placed on fun (Storti, 2007).
For instance, the Malawian exchange student, on moving to the US, loved the new
lease of life, and western habits. He felt associated with both Malawians in
Diaspora and hospitable Americans. However, his honeymooning phase filled with
new discoveries, and curious observations is sure reach a terminal.
Second, the
negotiation or flight stage kicks in when one becomes culture conscious
creating anxiety. Excitement that was once felt during honeymooning disappears,
and is replaced by tones of frustration. Clear differences in language,
personal and public hygiene, traffic situations, food, and technology further
widen the rift defining culture differences hence totally disconnection the
individual (Ward, 2001). The young
Malawian, adjusting to alien American culture, felt homesick because he had not
yet grown to fit into this society. Language differences prove to be a
fundamental factor when creating new social circles, and seeking desirable
attention.
Third,
adjustment or fight phase happens when one grows used to the general hosting
culture. The individual creates new ways of accepting this new culture like it
where his own. Slowly but surely, the culture becomes normal. Earlier negative
perspectives that caused sweaty palms are reduced (Pedersen, 1995).
Lastly, fit or
mastery phase reveals and individual who comfortably settled in alien culture.
Cultural acquisitions do not always mean that mother cultures are completely
forgotten, in fact, people will tend to be bicultural. Biculturalism means that
visitors convert only to desired alien cultures choosing to keep most of
primary characteristics such as languages (Pedersen,
1995).
In moving
between cultures, an individual changes his considerably normal status. While
his releasing culture offered recognition, and approval; the receiving culture
initially introduces him as otherwise. Foreigners are classified under a group
of minorities whose voice is a shocking experience (Lewis, 2011). Circumstances force such individuals, then, to
fight for recognition in the event regaining their self esteem.
The initial
signs of settling reappear in an individuals’ sense of humor: when he laughs at stupid things that
irritated him at first. He emerges from his cocoon, and starts making new
friends. The general acceptance of this new society shows a tendency to adapt
and function accordingly (Storti, 2007).
Eventually, he will learn to harness his fear, and concentrate on what brought
him to this society. For instance, a Kenyan visiting the US shared his
encounters with an American host, where he mistook a complementary to be an
insult.
Tackling
Culture Shock
In a bid to
cushion the impacts of culture shock, anthropologists offer a number of
suggestions to individuals planning to migrate to foreign economies. First,
they should train themselves to remember that, as fortune would have it, they
do not attract that much attention. This way, they have an advantage of
learning to fit in without any problem. Fitting in would include a gradual
biculturalism in fashion, food, learning to use technology, and language (Storti, 2007).
Secondly,
holiday makers, scholars, and migrant workers should always appreciate the
temporary existence of culture shock. They should, therefore, prepare
themselves days before travel to help cushion the impacts. Thirdly, they should
accept culture shock as a one-on-one essential tool of learning how to gain
existence among strangers. Culture shock, experts say, is a life skill that
experiments with attitude towards alien cultures, and social interaction in
strange lands (Ward, 2001).
They advocate
for the acceptance of every culture being equally good, as long as it can
sustain humanity. Ethnocentric individuals, highly susceptible to being
judgmental, have a higher chance of hit harder by culture shock. Prior training
in cultural diversity would encourage one to well adapt (Storti, 2007). For instance, an American on a Russian tour should
be able to know how to tackle what he finds in Russia. Cultural difference
would teach him to be flexible enough in personality in a way that both retains
his cultural identity and recognizes the right of Russians to practice their
own. Such a new understanding ensures an ease of communication and a rare warm
environment in foreign lands. Culture shock serves as the best teacher from
which victims get to say a tale of two lands:
home, and foreign (Ward, 2001).
References
Lewis, G.
(2011). Culture Shock: The American Dream of an Island Native.
Bloomington, IN: Xlibris
Corporation.
Pedersen, P. (1995). The Five Stages of Culture Shock:
Critical Incidents Around the World. NY: ABC- CLIO.
Storti, C. (2007). The Art of Crossing Cultures. London:
Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Ward, C. A. (2001). The Psychology of Culture Shock.
London: Routledge.
LIONEL INZAHULI SAVAGE
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