CULTURE SHOCK

1
CULTURE SHOCK

• Presenters
• Melissa Hughes, Immigration
• Compliance Specialist
• Sarim Tot, Intern

2
Overview

• Definition
• The Symptoms
• The Stages of Culture Shock
• Minimization of Culture Shock
• Discussion
• Q A

3
What is culture shock?

• A physical or emotional discomfort or anxiety
  that one suffers when coming to live in another
  country or a place that is different from the
  place of origin
• Source Guanipa, C. (1998). Culture Shock.
  Retrieved on February 1, 2006 from
  http//edweb.sdsu.edu on February 1, 2006.

4
The Symptoms

• Loneliness, melancholy, sadness
• Loss of Identity
• Lack of confidence
• Longing for family
• Developing stereotypes about the new culture
• Anger, irritability, unwillingness to interact
  with others
• Aches, pain, and allergies
• Feeling depressed, vulnerable, and powerless
• Insomnia
• Feeling lost
• Source Guanipa, C. (1998). Culture Shock.
  Retrieved on February 1, 2006 from
  http//edweb.sdsu.edu.

5
The Four Stages of Culture Shock

• The Tourist or Honeymoon Stage
• Emptiness or Rejection Phase
• Conformist Phase
• Assimilation Phase
• Source International Travel Health and
  Vaccination Clinic. Culture Shock. Retrieved on
  February 1, 2006 from www.doctortravel.ca/culture_
  shock.asp

6
Honeymoon Stage

• Person is excited and a experiencing a new
  lifestyle
• Everything goes by smoothly
• Duration Could last up to 6 months or longer

7
Emptiness or Rejection Stage

• Dealing with problems such as transportation,
  different foods, communication, etc.
• Feeling alienated by the host country
• Complaints about the host country may arise
• Individual can use to find comfort with the host
  country or simply go back to the country of origin

8
Conformist Phase

• Gaining more understanding of the new culture
• Feeling a sense of humor and pleasure about host
  country
• The newcomer is approximately 90 adjusted

9
Assimilation Phase

• Acceptance of food, habits, drinks, and the
  customs of the host country
• Realization that there are different lifestyles
• A feeling of comfort

10
Variation

• Not everyone will experience all of the phases in
  the sequential order.
• It is normal to experience culture shock. It is
  also normal to experience as few as one stage or
  as many as all four phase.

11
Tips for Minimizing or Fighting Culture Shock

• Recognize? Accept? Focus
• Dont forget the good things that youve
  accomplished
• There are always resources for you to take
  advantage of
• Ask for help if you need to do so
• Exercise, swim, do aerobics, etc.
• Be patient and constructive

12
Questions and Answers

• To contact us
• International Student and Scholar Services   128
  Bowman Hall, P.O. Box 5190
• Kent State University Kent, OH, 44242-0001   
• Phone [phone] 
• Email isss_at_kent.edu    Website
  http//dept.kent.edu/cicp/isss/