Cultural Differences, Culture Shock Orientation Meeting Strečno

... OR What every exchange student should know about culture before his stay abroad

The best preparation is to understand the concept of culture and the idea of cultural differences

► learned behavior, not hereditary or genetic ► Culture is the acquired knowledge (not instinctual) that groups use in order to  interpret the world around them  generate social behavior  judge the behavior of others What is culture?

► everything that is not a part of nature  Tree – part of nature  Chair – invention and manifestation of culture  Buildings, architecture What is culture?

Communication ► Communication, particularly language, is the foundation of culture. Language labels, creates, maintains, and transforms culture.

Language ► Language is not only the way culture is transmitted ► It is one of the lenses through which culture is created

► An integrated system of learned behavior patterns that are characteristic of any given society or group ► It refers to the total way of life, including how people think, feel and behave What is culture?

Metaphorically, culture is the LENS, through which we see the world

Think of these „cultural lens“ as the ability to see the world colorful or colorless

Think of color-blindness (inability to see different colors) as culture-blindness

Ethnocentrism ► The universal tendency for any culture to see its own values and practices as natural and correct ► The Mediterranean Sea ► “China” means “middle earth” ► In Ecuador, the monument at the equator is roughly translated as “The middle of the world”

Ethnorelativism ► The acquired ability to see many values, beliefs and behaviors as cultural rather than universal

Developing Intercultural Sensitivity The Experience of Difference Denial Defense Minimization Denial Defense Minimization Ethnocentric stages Ethnorelative stages Acceptance Adaptation Integration Acceptance Adaptation Integration

Developing cultural sensitivity and competence requires moving from Ethnocentrism to Ethnorelativism

Defensiveness ► Recognizing a cultural practice as different, but ► Labeling it wrong or inferior ► Or, by labeling one’s own practice superior

► Our own culture or sub-culture comes to us naturally and unconsciously ► Ex: Our handedness  We generally don’t think about what hand we will use to write our names ► Changing our cultural point of view is about as hard as changing our handedness ► Both are possible, but neither is easy

Cultural differences ► Easily noticed differences  Language  Food  Clothing ► Deeper differences  Values  Thinking patterns

The Cultural iceberg 1/8th above the surface 7/8ths below the surface Conscious behaviors Unconscious beliefs and values

Individualism Group Orientation Formality Informality Past Future Directness Indirectness Directness Indirectness Change Permanence

Individualism Group orientation ► Example: development of music players (walkman, discman, iPod)

Individualism Group orientation Western cultures Change Permanence Eastern cultures

Culture shock ► The profound sense of disorientation and discomfort that comes with extended travel or living in a foreign culture markedly different from one’s own

Stages of Culture Shock 1. Initial excitement 2. Irritability and negativeness

„ Some travelers want to go to foreign places but are dismayed when the places turn out actually to be foreign.“ Canadian author Margaret Atwood

Stages of Culture Shock 1. Initial excitement 2. Irritability and negativeness 3. Gradual adaptation 4. Biculturalism

Culture Shock Cycle Pre- departure Months Return... Adapted from a model by: Robert Kohls Normal level of feelings

Reverse Culture Shock 1. Initial Euphoria (may be very brief or not happen at all) 2. Irritability and Negativism (may be very lengthy) 3. Gradual Adaptation 4. True Bi-Culturalism

Culture Shock and Reverse Culture Shock are not just unpleasant side effects of international living. They are the necessary ingredients that bring about quality exchanges.

„Inbound Syndrome“ ► Universal tendency of foreigners to group together, regardless their country of origin ► They become a sub-culture and being foreigners is what they have in common

„ 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

First you need to know your own cultural values

Slovak culture Czech culture

Advantages? ► personality ► biculturalism ► further education ► employment ► your life

Finding help ► To know the road ahead, ask those coming back. Chinese Proverb ► Problems connected with culture shock can be helped by those, who have such experience (rebounds) or who know about the problem (YEO in your club) ► Your parents can’t give you good advice unless they have lived in a different culture for a longer period of time

Prepared by: Ivan Polák, Rotex Slovensko, 2007 From the original: Dennis White, Ph.D., WI, USA Presented at: 2007 USA Canada YE Network Conference,