1. Culture Shock & Identity Crisis
Challenges The Evangelist Might Face

2. Challenges The Evangelist Might Face
When you are transferred to another culture
…and so on…
The foreigner feels like “a fish out of water“.

3. What makes us “us” and them “them”
What is “Culture?”
The way of life of people passed down from one generation to the next through learning
Culture is what makes you a stranger when you are away from home - Philip Bock
What makes us “us” and them “them”
Bob Sjogren

4. Culture is like an Iceberg.
What is “Culture?”
Culture is like an Iceberg.
Most of it is UNDER the water of awareness

5. What is “Culture?”
BEHAVIOR
BELIEFS
VALUES AND
THOUGHT
PATTERNS

6. WHEN ICEBERGS COLLIDE

7. WHEN ICEBERGS COLLIDE

8. WHEN ICEBERGS COLLIDE

9. Causes of Culture Shock
Collision of “Icebergs” or Internal Cultures
Breakdown of Communication
Identity Crisis
Cues = Signals

10. Breakdown Of Communication
Human beings are social.
When communications break down, we experience pain and frustration
In a cross-cultural encounter, communications will break down

11. Identity crisis
It occurs when we go outside our home culture into a foreign culture and alien environment.
Identity Crisis is our psychological reaction to a totally unfamiliar or alien environment.

12. Culture Shock
Culture shock is a normal but unpleasant and negative experience
• Positive Effects of Culture Shock are:
– Learning experience
– Increase intercultural
understanding
adaptation
integration

13. The “symptoms” and “prognosis” vary with each individual.
Culture Shock
The "software of the mind" does not work in a different cultural environment. (Hofstede)
Is a psychological phenomenon resulting from the stress produced when we leave our home cultural environment.
The “symptoms” and “prognosis” vary with each individual.

14. Symptoms Depression, feeling of helplessness
Hostility towards the host culture and its members
Home sickness
Lethargy
Fear of physical contact
Foreigners often join to complain about the host culture
Stereotyping

15. Six stages of Culture Shock
1- The preliminary stage (preparation) 2- The spectator stage (honeymoon)

16. Six stages of Culture Shock
3- The participation stage 4- Problems begin to arise, the shock stage

17. Six stages of Culture Shock
5- Adjustment stage 6- Reentry stage. Culture shock in reverse may set in with individuals but this time in their native land.

18. Stages of Culture Shock+
1. Euphoria
Feelings
2. Culture shock
3. Acculturation
4. Stable state
Time - 1. 2. 3. 4.

19. Integration / Multiculturalism
Possible Outcomes
Identification with host culture
Identification with original culture
High
Low
Assimilation
Separation
Integration / Multiculturalism
Marginalisation
One rejects his culture of origin and adapts to the host culture, completely converting to its values & behaviours.
Both cultures are perceived as being “equal“ AND mutually compatible. The person feels “at home“ in both Cultures
Both cultures are perceived as being “equal“, but mutually incompatible
The host culture is rejected and the norms of the original culture are strengthened.

20. “Culture Shock” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFbPCj_cajY

21. Integration / Multiculturalism
Possible Outcomes
Identification with host culture
Identification with original culture
High
Low
Assimilation
Separation
Integration / Multiculturalism
Marginalisation
Joseph
Lot’s Wife
Ester
Daniel
St. Paul
 Now when Peter[a] had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.  14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you[b] compel Gentiles to live as Jews?[c] 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
ولكن لما اتى بطرس الى انطاكية قاومته مواجهة لانه كان ملوما. 12 لانه قبلما اتى قوم من عند يعقوب كان ياكل مع الامم ولكن لما اتوا كان يؤخر ويفرز نفسه خائفا من الذين هم من الختان. 13 وراءى معه باقي اليهود ايضا حتى ان برنابا ايضا انقاد الى ريائهم. 14 لكن لما رايت انهم لا يسلكون باستقامة حسب حق الانجيل قلت لبطرس قدام الجميع ان كنت وانت يهودي تعيش امميا لا يهوديا فلماذا تلزم الامم ان يتهودوا. 15 نحن بالطبيعة يهود ولسنا من الامم خطاة
Moses
Oprah
Lot
Peter when he refused to eat
Gal 2: 11

22. Is it possible to minimise the impact?
First: Be Aware
Next: Remember
Third: Accept

23. Curing culture shock Pray Don’t think that you’re strange or abnormal
Prepare yourself for Cultural Adaptation:
- Knowledge: Forewarned is forearmed.
- Skills: Learn Local Communication Complexities.
- Abilities
- Attitudes

24. Curing culture shock 4) Force yourself to look for the best
5) Train yourself to enjoy the diversity of people, not fear it.
6) Find a host national who is sympathetic whom you trust.
7) Be Realistic in Expectations
8) Be Patient, Understanding, and Accepting of Self and Hosts.

25. Cope or Cop Out?!!
The positive result can be: Increased self-development.
The negative result: Losing a possible growth opportunity.

26. What Is The Real Value Of The International Experience?
Self-control and self-confidence
Awareness of another international culture through experience
Awareness of our own internal culture
Self-awareness of our own values and identity
Each situation represents a life turning point that can cause the person to advance.
But who will view it as an opportunity and who will view it as a tragedy.

27. THANK YOU!