Culture Shock

It's common to experience a sense of isolation and frustration when confronted by a new culture and language. However, it doesn't have to make life more frustrating and can do much to enrich it, although it's important to be aware of the potential difficulties.

Many people underestimate the cultural isolation that can be experienced in a foreign country, particularly one with a different language. However, even in a country where you speak the language fluently - such as Australia, the United Kingdom or the USA - you'll find that many aspects of the local culture are surprisingly foreign (despite the cosy familiarity engendered by cinema, television and books).

Many factors contribute to the duration and effects of adapting to a new culture, for example, your personality, education, foreign language skills, mental health, maturity, socio-economic conditions, travel experience, and family and social support systems. How you handle the stress of change and bring balance and meaning to your life is the principal indicator of how well you'll adjust to a different country, culture and business environment.

Some people find it impossible to adapt to a new life in a different culture for reasons which are many and varied. Partner dissatisfaction is the most common cause, as non-working spouses frequently find themselves without a role in the new country and sometimes with little to do other than think about what they would be doing if they were at home. Family concerns - which may include the children's education and worries about loved ones at home - can also deeply affect spouses abroad.

When you move abroad you'll need to adapt to a totally new environment and new challenges, which may include a new job, a new home and a new physical environment, which can be overwhelming - and all this before you even encounter the local culture! In your home country you may have left a job where you were the boss, extremely competent and knew everyone. In your new country you may have a steep learning curve which includes being virtually a trainee (especially if you have to rely on your foreign language skills) and not knowing any of your colleagues. You must start from scratch, which can be demoralising.

You shouldn't underestimate the effects that the climate and weather can have on you. Extreme conditions of heat and cold can lead to a lack of energy, poor sleep and dehydration. In some countries, 24-hour air-conditioning is draining and something many people aren't used to.

The fact that many items aren't available can also wear you down, e.g. certain kinds of food, opportunities to practise your favourite hobby or sport, books in your language and good television in a language that you can understand. You will also have to contend with the lack of a local support network. At home you have a circle of friends, acquaintances, colleagues and possibly relatives you can rely on for help and support. Abroad there's no such network, which can leave you feeling bereft.

The degree of isolation you feel usually depends on how long you plan to spend abroad and what you will be doing there. If you're simply going on a short holiday you may not even be aware of many of the cultural differences in some countries, although if you are it will enhance your enjoyment and may save you a few embarrassing or confusing moments. However, if you're planning a business trip or intend to spend an extended period in a country, perhaps working, studying or even living there permanently, it's essential to understand the culture, customs and etiquette at the earliest opportunity. 

CULTURE SHOCK

Culture shock is the term used to describe the psychological and physical state felt by people when travelling, living, working or studying abroad, or even moving to a new environment in their home country (where the culture may vary considerably by region and social class). Culture shock can also be regarded as the period of adjustment to a new country or environment, where, in addition to adapting to new social rules, rules of behaviour and values, you may also need to adjust to a different climate, food and dress. It manifests itself in a lack of direction and the feeling of not knowing what to do or how to do things, not knowing what's appropriate or inappropriate. You literally feel like a 'fish out of water'.

When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.' Clifton Fadiman (American writer)

Culture shock is precipitated by the anxiety that results from losing all familiar rules of behaviour and symbols of social intercourse. These rules and symbols are the thousand and one ways in which we orient ourselves to the situations of daily life: when to shake hands and what to say when we meet people; when and how to tip; how to give instructions to servants; how to buy goods and services; how to use a cash machine or the telephone; when to accept and refuse invitations; and when to take statements seriously and when not to. These cues, which may be verbal, gestures, or facial or hand expressions, are acquired in the course of our life and are as much a part of our culture and customs as the language we speak or our beliefs. Our peace of mind and efficiency depends on hundreds of these cues, most of which are unconsciously learned.

The symptoms are essentially psychological - although you can experience real pain from culture shock - and are caused by the sense of alienation you feel when you're bombarded on a daily basis with cultural differences in an environment where there are few, if any, familiar references. However, there are also physical symptoms that may manifest themselves in the form of an increased incidence of minor illnesses (e.g. colds and headaches) or more serious psychosomatic illnesses brought on by depression. You shouldn't underestimate the consequences of culture shock, although the effects can be lessened if you accept the condition rather than deny it.

Stages of Culture Shock 

Severe culture shock - often experienced when moving to a new country with a different language - usually follows a number of stages (the names of which may vary) and forms, but is typically as follows:

• The first stage is known as the 'honeymoon' stage and usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks after arrival (although it can last longer, particularly if you're insulated from the usual pressures of life). This stage is essentially a positive (even euphoric) one, when a newcomer finds everything is an exciting and interesting novelty. The feeling is similar to being on holiday, therefore when you're on holiday or a short trip abroad you generally experience only the positive effects of culture shock (although this depends very much on where you're from and the country you're visiting - see 'Paris Syndrome').
• The second (rejection or distress) stage is usually completely opposite to the first and is essentially negative and a period of crisis, as the initial excitement and holiday feeling wears off and you start to cope with the real conditions of daily life - except of course life is nothing like anything you have previously experienced. This can happen after only a few weeks and is characterised by a general feeling of disorientation, confusion and loneliness. Physical exhaustion brought on by jet lag, extremes of hot or cold, and the strain of having hundreds of settling-in tasks to accomplish is an important symptom of this stage. You may also experience regression, where you spend much of your time speaking your own language, watching television, videos and reading newspapers from your home country, eating food from home and socialising with expatriates who speak your language. You may also spend a lot of time complaining about the host country and its culture. Your home environment suddenly assumes a tremendous importance and is irrationally glorified. All difficulties and problems are forgotten and only the good things back home are remembered.
• The third stage is often known as the 'flight stage' (because of the overwhelming desire to escape) and is usually the one that lasts the longest and is the most difficult to cope with. During this period you may feel depressed and angry, as well as resentful towards the new country and its people. It may include difficulties such as not being understood and feelings of discontent, impatience, anger, sadness and incompetence. This is inevitable when you're trying to adapt to a new culture that's very different from your home country. Depression is exacerbated because at this stage you can see nothing positive or good about the new country and focus exclusively on the negative aspects, refusing to acknowledge any positive points. You may become hostile and develop an aggressive attitude towards the country, which grows out of the genuine difficulty that you experience in the process of adjustment. If you're frustrated and have an aggressive attitude people will sense this hostility and in many cases respond in either a confrontational manner or try to avoid you. There may be problems with the language, your house, job, children's school, transportation - even simple tasks like shopping may be fraught with problems, and the fact that the local people are largely indifferent to all these problems only makes matter worse. They try to help but they just don't understand your concerns over these difficulties, and must therefore be insensitive and unsympathetic to you and your problems.
• The fourth (recovery or autonomy) stage is where you begin to integrate and adjust to the new culture and accept the customs of the country as simply another way of living. The environment doesn't change - what changes is your attitude towards it. You become more competent with the language and you also feel more comfortable with the customs of the host country and can move around without feeling anxiety. However, you still have problems with some of the social cues and you won't understand everything people say (particularly colloquialisms and idioms). Nevertheless, you have largely adjusted to the new culture and start to feel more at home and familiar with the country and your place in it, and begin to realise that it has its good and bad points.

Transition between your old culture and customs and those of your new country is a difficult process and takes time to complete, during which there can be strong feelings of dissatisfaction. The period of readjustment can last as long as six months, although there are expatriates who adjust earlier and (although rare) those who never get over the 'flight' stage and are forced to return home.

• The fifth stage is termed 'reverse culture shock' and occurs when you return to your home country.Depending on how long you've been away, you may find that many things have changed (you will also have changed) and that you feel like a foreigner in you own country. If you've been away for a long time and have become comfortable with the habits and customs of a new lifestyle, you may find that you no longer feel at ease in your homeland. Reverse culture shock can be difficult to deal with and some people find it impossible to re-adapt to their home country after living abroad for a number of years.

The above stages are present at different times and everyone has their own way of reacting to them, with the result that some stages are longer and more difficult than others, while others are shorter and easier to cope with.

Reducing the Effects 

Experts agree that almost everyone suffers from culture shock and there's no escaping the phenomenon; however, its negative effects can be reduced considerably and there are certain things you can do before leaving home:

• Positive attitude. The key to reducing the negative effects of culture shock is a positive attitude towards the country that you're visiting or planning to live in - if you don't look forward to a holiday or relocation, you should question why you're doing it! There's no greater guarantee for unhappiness in a foreign environment than taking your prejudices with you. It's important when trying to adapt to a new culture to be sensitive to the locals' feelings and try to put yourself in their shoes wherever possible, which will help you understand why they react as they do. Bear in mind that they have a strong, in-bred cultural code, just as you do, and react in certain ways because they're culturally 'trained' to do so. If you find yourself frustrated by an aspect of the local culture or behaviour, the chances are that they will be equally puzzled by yours!

• Research. Discover as much as possible about a country before you go, so that your arrival and settling in period isn't quite as much of a surprise as it might otherwise be. There are literally hundreds of publications about most countries as well as dozens of websites for expatriates. Many provide access to expatriates already living in a country who can answer questions and provide useful help and advice. There are also 'notice boards' on many websites where you can post a message or question 

• Forewarned is forearmed. Reading up on a country and its culture before you leave home will help you familiarise yourself with the local customs and language, and make the country and its people seem less strange on arrival. You will be aware of many of the differences in the new country and better prepared to deal with them. This will help you avoid being upset by real or imaginary cultural slights and also reduce the chances of you offending the locals due to cultural misunderstandings. Being prepared for a certain amount of disorientation and confusion (or worse) makes it easier to cope with it.

•  Visit the country first. If you're planning to live or work abroad for a number of years or even permanently, it's important to visit the country to see whether you think you would enjoy living there and be able to cope with the culture before making the leap. Before you go, try to find someone in your local area who has visited the country and talk to them about it. Some companies organise briefings for families before departure. Rent a property before buying a home and don't burn your bridges until you're certain that you have made the correct decision.

• Learn the language. As well as a positive attitude, overcoming the language barrier will probably be the most decisive factor in combating culture shock and enjoying your time abroad. The ability to speak the English and understand the local vernacular isn't just a practical and useful tool (the one that will allow you to buy what you need, find your way around, etc.), but the key to understanding a country and its culture. If you can speak the language, even at a low level, your scope for making friends is immediately widened beyond the usual limited expatriate circle. Obviously not everyone is a linguist and learning a language can take time and requires motivation. However, with sufficient perseverance virtually anyone can learn enough of another language to participate in the local culture. Certainly the effort will pay off and expatriates who manage to overcome the language barrier find their experience abroad much richer and more rewarding than those who don't. If you make an effort at communicating with the local people in their own language, you'll also find them far more receptive to you and your needs.

• Make a conscious effort to get involved in the new culture; be proactive and go out of your way to make friends. Join in the activities of the local people, which could be a carnival, a religious festival or some economic activity. There are often plenty of local clubs where you can practise sport or keep fit, join an arts club, learn to cook local dishes, taste wine, etc. Not only will this fill some of your spare time, giving you less time to miss home, but you'll also meet new people and make friends. If you feel you cannot join a local club, perhaps because the language barrier is too great, then you can always participate in activities for expatriates, of which there are many in the most popular destinations. Look upon a period spent abroad as an opportunity to redefine your life objectives and learn and acquire new perspectives. Culture shock can help you develop a better understanding of yourself and stimulate your creativity.

• Talk to other expatriates. Although they may deny it, they have all been through exactly what you're experiencing and faced the same feelings of disorientation. Even if they cannot provide you with advice, it helps to know that you aren't alone and that it gets better over time. However, don't make the mistake of mixing only with expatriates as this will alienate you from the local culture and make it much harder to integrate. Don't rely on social contact with your compatriots to carry you through, because it won't.

• Keep in touch with home. Keeping in touch with your family and friends at home and around the world by telephone, email and letters will help reduce and overcome the effects of culture shock.

• Be happy! Don't rely others to make you happy, otherwise you won't find true and lasting happiness. There are things in life which you can change and if you need them to change you must do it yourself. Every day we are surrounded by things over which we have little or no control and to wail about them only makes us unhappier. So be your own best friend and nurture your own capacity for happiness.

Culture shock is an unavoidable part of travelling, living and working abroad, but if you're aware of it and take steps to lessen its effects before you go and while you're abroad, the period of adjustment will be shortened and its negative and depressing consequences reduced. 

FAMILIES ABROAD

Family life may be completely different abroad and relationships can become strained under the stress of adapting to culture shock. Your family may find itself in a completely new and possibly alien environment, your new home may scarcely resemble your previous one (it may be much more luxurious or significantly smaller) and the climate may be dramatically different from that of your home country. Your new country may be much richer or poorer than your home country and you will need to adapt to this. Bear in mind that it's much more difficult to adjust if the country is significantly poorer, when the images and experiences confronting you may be distressing. You may find yourself with servants, a novelty at first but, if not handled well, could be a potentially difficult situation for the family. If possible, you should prepare yourself for as many aspects of the new situation as you can and explain to your children the differences they're likely to encounter, while at the same time dispelling their fears.

Culture shock can affect non-working spouses and children more than working spouses. The husband (it's usually the husband) has his work to occupy him and his activities may not differ much from what he had been accustomed to at home. On the other hand, the wife has to operate in an totally new environment which differs considerably from what she's used to. She will find herself alone more often, a solitude intensified by the fact that there are no close relatives or friends on hand. However, if you're aware that this may arise beforehand, you can act on it and reduce its effects. Working spouses should pay special attention to the needs and feelings of their non-working partners and children, as the success of a family relocation depends on the ability of the wife and children to adapt to the new culture.

Good communication between family members is vital and you should make time to discuss your experiences and feelings, both as a couple and a family. Questions should always be raised and, if possible answered, particularly when asked by children. However difficult the situation may appear at the beginning, it will help to bear in mind that it's by no means unique and that most expatriate families experience exactly the same problems, and manage to triumph over them and thoroughly enjoy their stay abroad.