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CultureShock&TheProblemOfAdjustmentToNewCulturalEnvironments
Iwouldliketomakeafewremarksaboutcultureshock,amaladywhichafflictsmostofustosomedegree.Wemightalmostcallcultureshockanoccupationaldiseaseofmanypeoplewhohavebeensuddenlytransplantedabroad.
Customs,Cues,Norms
Cultureshockisprecipitatedbytheanxietythatresultsfromlosingallfamiliarsignsandsymbolsofsocialintercourse.Thesesignsarethethousandandonewaysinwhichweorientourselvestothesituationsofdailylife:whentoshakehandsandwhattosaywhenwemeetpeople,whenandhowtogivetips,howtogiveorderstoservants,howtomakepurchases,whentoacceptandwhentorefuseinvitations,whentotakestatementsseriouslyandwhennot.
Thesecues,whichmaybewords,gestures,facialexpressions,customs,ornormsareacquiredbyallofusinthecourseofgrowingupandareasmuchapartofourcultureasthelanguagewespeakorthebeliefsweaccept.Allofusdependforourpeaceofmindandourefficiencyonhundredsofthesecues,mostofwhichareunconsciouslylearned.
Whenanindividualentersastrangeculture,allormostofthesefamiliarcuesareremoved.Heorsheislikeafishoutofwater.Nomatterhowbroad-mindedorfullofgoodwillhemaybe,aseriesofpropshavebeenknockedfromunderhim.Thisisfollowedbyafeelingoffrustrationandanxiety.Peoplereacttothefrustrationinmuchthesameway.Firsttheyrejecttheenvironmentwhichcausesthediscomfort:"thewaysofthehostcountryarebadbecausetheymakeusfeelbad."
ForexampleAmericanswhoareinastrangelandgettogethertogrouseaboutthehostcountryanditspeople,youcanbesuretheyaresufferingfromcultureshock.
Anotherphaseofcultureshockisregression.Thehomeenvironmentsuddenlyassumesatremendousimportance,everythingbecomesirrationallyglorified.Alldifficultiesandproblemsareforgottenandonlythegoodthingsbackhomeareremembered.Itusuallytakesatriphometobringonebacktoreality.
Symptoms
Someofthesymptomsofcultureshockare:excessiveconcernovercleanlinessandthefeelingthatwhatisnewandstrangeis"dirty."Thiscouldbeinrelationtodrinkingwater,food,dishes,andbedding;fearofphysicalcontactwithattendantsorservants;afeelingofhelplessnessandadesirefordependenceonlong-termresidentsofone'sownnationality;irritationoverdelaysandotherminorfrustrationsoutofproportiontotheircauses;delayandoutrightrefusaltolearnthelanguageofthehostcountry;excessivefearofbeingcheated,robbed,orinjured;greatconcernoverminorpainsandirruptionsoftheskin;andfinally,thatterriblelongingtobebackhome,tobeinfamiliarsurroundings,tovisitone'srelatives,and,ingeneral,totalktopeoplewhoreally"makesense."
Individualsdiffergreatlyinthedegreeinwhichcultureshockaffectsthem.Althoughnotcommon,thereareindividualswhocannotliveinforeigncountries.Thosewhohaveseenpeoplegothroughaseriouscaseofcultureshockandontoasatisfactoryadjustmentcandiscernstepsintheprocess.
TheHoneymoonStage
Duringthefirstfewweeksmostindividualsarefascinatedbythenew.Theystayinhotelsandassociatewithnationalswhospeaktheirlanguageandarepoliteandgracioustoforeigners.Thishoneymoonstagemaylastfromafewdaysorweekstosixmonthsdependingoncircumstances.Ifoneisaveryimportantpersonheorshewillbetakentotheshowplaces,pamperedandpetted,andinapressinterviewwillspeakglowinglyaboutprogress,goodwill,andinternationalamity.Ifhereturnshomemaywellwriteabookabouthispleasantifsuperficialexperienceabroad.
Butthis"Cook'stour"typeofmentalitydoesnotnormallylastiftheforeignvisitorremainsabroadandhastoseriouslycopewithrealconditionsoflife.Itisthenthatthesecondstagebegins,characterizedbyahostileandaggressiveattitudetowardsthehostcountry.Thishostilityevidentlygrowsoutofthegenuinedifficultywhichthevisitorexperiencesintheprocessofadjustment.Thereismaidtrouble,schooltrouble,languagetrouble,housetrouble,transportationtrouble,shoppingtrouble,andthefactthatpeopleinthehostcountryarelargelyindifferenttoallthesetroubles.Theyhelpbuttheyjustdon'tunderstandyourgreatconcernoverthesedifficulties.Therefore,theymustbeinsensitiveandunsympathetictoyouandyourworries.Theresult,"Ijustdon'tlikethem."Youbecomeaggressive,youbandtogetherwithyourfellowcountrymenandcriticizethehostcountry,itswaysanditspeople.
Thiscriticismisnotanobjectiveappraisalbutaderogatoryone.Insteadoftryingtoaccountforconditionsastheyarethroughanhonestanalysisoftheactualconditionsandthehistoricalcircumstanceswhichhavecreatedthem,youtalkasifthedifficultiesyouexperiencearemoreorlesscreatedbythepeopleofthehostcountryforyourspecialdiscomfort.Youtakerefugeinthecompanyofyourcountrymenandthiscocktailcircuitbecomesthefountainheadofemotionallychargedlabelsknowsasstereotypes.Thisisapeculiarkindofshorthandwhichcaricaturesthehostcountryanditspeopleinanegativemanner.
Stereotypes
The"dollargraspingAmerican"andthe"indolentLatinAmerican"aresamplesofmildformsofstereotypes.Theuseofstereotypesmaysalvetheegoofsomeonewithaseverecaseofcultureshockbutitcertainlydoesnotleadtoanygenuineunderstandingofthehostcountryanditspeople.Thissecondstageofcultureshockisinasenseacrisisinthedisease.Ifyouovercomeityoustay,ifnot,youleavebeforeyoureachthestageofanervousbreakdown.
Cultureshockislessenedasthevisitorsucceedsingettingsomeknowledgeofthelanguageandbeginstogetaroundbyhimself.Thisisthebeginningofhisadjustmenttothenewculturalenvironment.Thevisitorstillhasdifficultiesbuthetakesa"thisismycrossandIhavetobearit"attitude.Usuallyinthisstagethevisitortakesasuperiorattitudetowardpeopleofthehostcountry.Hissenseofhumorbeginstoexertitself.Insteadofcriticizinghemakesjokesaboutthepeopleandevencracksjokesabouthisorherowndifficulties.Heorsheisnowonthewaytorecovery.Andthereisstillthepoordevilwhoisworseoffthanyourselfwhomyoucanhelp,whichinturngivesyouconfidenceinyourabilitytospeakandgetaround.
Finaladjustment
Inthefinalstageofadjustmentthevisitoracceptsthecustomsofthecountryasjustanotherwayofliving.Hecanoperatewithinthenewmilieuwithoutafeelingofanxietyalthoughtherearemomentsofstrain.Onlywithacompletegraspofallthecuesofsocialintercoursewillthisstraindisappear.
Foralongtimetheindividualwillunderstandwhatthenationalissaying,butheisnotalwayssurewhatthenationalmeans.Withacompleteadjustmentyounotonlyacceptthefoods,drinks,habits,andcustomsbutactuallybegintoenjoythem.Whenyougobackhomeonleaveyoumayeventakethingsbackwithyouandifyouleaveforgoodyougenerallymissthecountryandthepeopletowhomyouhavebecomeaccustomed.
Itmightbewelltopointoutthatthedifficultieswhichthenewcomerexperiencesareveryreal.Ifindividualscometoatropicalareafromatemperateonetheyquiteoftensufferfromintestinaldisturbances.Strangefoodssometimesupsetpeople.InRio,forinstance,waterandpowershortagesareveryreal.Whenthesephysicaldifficultiesareaddedtothosearisingfromnotknowinghowtocommunicateandtheuncertaintiespresentedbycustomstheconsequentfrustrationsandanxietiesareunderstandable.
Inthecourseoftime,anindividualmakesthisadjustment.Youdowhatisessentialaboutwater,food,andtheotherminutiaeofdailylife.Youadaptyourselftowaterandpowershortagesandtotrafficproblems.Inshort,theenvironmentdoesnotchange.Whathaschangedisyourattitudetowardsit.Somehowitnolongertroublesyou,younolongerprojectyourdiscomfortsontothepeopleofthehostcountryandtheirways.Yougetalongunderanewsetoflivingconditions.
Yourattitude
Anotherimportantpointworthconsideringistheattitudeofotherstoapersonsufferingfromcultureshock.Ifyouarefrustratedandhaveanaggressiveattitudetothepeopleofthehostcountry,theywillsensethishostilityandinmanycasesrespondineitherahostilemannerortrytoavoidyou.Inotherwords,theirresponsemovesfromapreliminaryphaseofingratiationtoaggressiveridiculeandontoavoidance.
Toyourowncountrymenwhoarewelladjustedyoubecomesomewhatofaproblem.Asyoufeelweakinthefaceofthehostcountrypeopleyoutendtowishtoincreaseyourdependenceonyourfellowcountrymenmuchmorethanisnormal.Somewilltrytohelpyou,otherswilltrytoavoidyou.
Thebetteryourfellowcountrymanunderstandsyourconditionthebetterheisabletohelpyou.Butthedifficultyisthatcultureshockhasnotbeenstudiedcarefullyenoughforpeopletohelpyouinanorganizedmannerandyoucontinuetobeconsideredabitqueer-untilyouadjustyourselftothenewsituation.
AlthoughIamnotcertain,Ithinkcultureshockaffectswivesmorethanhusbands.Thehusbandhashisprofessionaldutiestooccupyhimandhisactivitiesmaynotdiffertoomuchfromwhathehasbeenaccustomedto.Thewife,ontheotherhand,hastooperateinanenvironmentwhichdiffersmuchmorefromthemilieuinwhichshegrewup.
Aproductofhistory
Inanefforttogetovercultureshock,Ithinkthereisvalueinknowingsomethingaboutthenatureofcultureanditsrelationshiptotheindividual.Inadditiontolivinginaphysicalenvironment,anindividuallivesinaculturalenvironmentconsistingofmanmadephysicalobjects,socialinstitutions,andideasandbeliefs.
Anindividualisnotbornwithculturebutonlywiththecapacitytolearnitanduseit.ThereisnothinginanewbornchildwhichdictatesthatitshouldeventuallyspeakPortuguese,English,orFrench,northatheeatwithaforkinhislefthandratherthanintheright,orusechopsticks.Allthesethingsthechildhastolearn.Noraretheparentsresponsiblefortheculturewhichtheytransmittotheiryoung.Thecultureofanypeopleistheproductofhistoryandisbuiltupovertimelargelythroughprocesseswhichare,asfarastheindividualisconcerned,beyondhisawareness.Itisbymeansofculturethattheyounglearntoadaptthemselvestothephysicalenvironmentandtothepeoplewithwhomtheyassociate.
Asweknow,childrenandadolescentsoftenexperiencedifficultiesinthisprocessoflearningandadjustment.Butoncelearned,culturebecomesawayoflife,thesure,familiar,largelyautomaticwayofgettingwhatyouwantfromyourenvironmentandassuchitalsobecomesavalue.
Peoplehaveawayofacceptingtheircultureasboththebestandtheonlywayofdoingthings.Thisisperfectlynormalandunderstandable.Tothisattitudewegivethenameethnocentrism,abeliefthatnotonlytheculturebuttheraceandnationformthecenteroftheworld.
Individualsidentifythemselveswiththeirowngroupanditswaystotheextentthatanycriticalcommentistakenasanaffronttotheindividualaswellastothegroup.Ifyoucriticizemycountry,youarecriticizingme.Ifyoucriticizeme,youarecriticizingmycountry.
Alongwiththisattitudegoesthetendencytoattributeallindividualpeculiaritiesasnationalcharacteristics.Forinstance,ifanAmericandoessomethingoddorantisocialinaforeigncountrywhichbackhomewouldbeconsideredapurelyindividualact,itisnowconsideredanationaltrait.
Insteadofbeingcensuredasanindividual,hiscountryiscensured.Itisbesttorecognizethatethnocentrismisacharacteristicofnationalgroups.Ifanationalcriticizessomeaspectofhisownculture,theforeignershouldlistenbutnotenterintothecriticism.
Thestudyofculture
Specificculturesareproductsofhistoricaldevelopment.BrazilandtheUnitedStates,forinstance,havedifferentculturaloriginsanddifferentculturehistorieswhichaccountforpresentdaydifferences.
Inthiscase,however,thedifferencesarenotgreat,bothculturesbeingpartsofWesterncivilization.Itmightbeusefultorecognizeherethatthestudyofcultureperseisnotthestudyofindividuals.Psychologyisthestudyofindividualpersonality.Sociologyisthestudyofgroupsandgroupbehaviors.
Thestudentofculturestudiesnothumanindividualsbuttheinterrelationshipsofcultureformsliketechnologies,institutions,ideaandbeliefsystems.Hiisinterestednotsomuchinthestudyofcultureassuch,butitsimpactupontheindividualunderspecialconditions.
Commonelements
Anymodernnationisacomplexsocietywithcorrespondingvariationsinculture.Incompositionitismadeupofdifferentethnicgroups,itisstratifiedintoclasses,itisdifferentiatedintoregions,itisseparatedintoruralandurbansettlements,eachhavingitsowndistinctiveculturalcharacteristics.Yetsuperimposeduponthesedifferencesarethecommonelementsofofficiallanguage,institutions,andcustomswhichknitittogethertoformanation.
Thesefactsindicatethatitisnotasimplemattertoacquaintoneselfwiththecultureofanation.Similarlythecultureofone'sownnationiscomplex.Ittoo,differsbyregionandclass.
Americans,forinstance,whogoabroadinvariousgovernmentalandbusinesscapacities,areusuallymembersofthemiddleclassandcarrythevaluesandaspirationsofthisclass,someofwhichareanaccentonthepracticalorutilitarian-workasameanstopersonalsuccess,andsuspicionofpersonalauthority.
Accustomedtoworkinginlargehierarchicalinstitutionslikebusinesscorporations,governmentalagencies,orscientificfoundationswhichhavealifeoftheirownandpersistintime,Americanstendtobecomeimpersonal.Individualsnomatterhowablearereplaceablepartsintheselargeinstitutions.
Alackofunderstanding
Anobjectivetreatmentofyourculturalbackgroundandthatofyournewenvironmentisimportantinunderstandingcultureshock.Thereisagreatdifferenceinknowingwhatisthecauseofyourdisturbanceandnotknowing.
Onceyourealizethatyourtroubleisduetoyourownlackofunderstandingofotherpeople'sculturalbackgroundandyourownlackofthemeansofcommunicationratherthanthehostilityofanalienenvironment,youalsorealizethatyouyourselfcangainthisunderstandingandthesemeansofcommunication.Andthesooneryoudothis,thesoonercultureshockwilldisappear.
Thequestionnowarises,whatcanyoudotogetovercultureshockasquicklyaspossible?Theansweristogettoknowthepeopleofthathostcountry.Butthisyoucannotdowithanysuccesswithoutknowingthelanguage,forlanguageistheprincipalsymbolsystemofcommunication.
Weallknowthatlearninganewlanguageisdifficult,particularlytoadults.Thistaskaloneisquiteenoughtocausefrustrationandanxiety,nomatterhowskillfulthelanguageteacher.
Butonceyoubegintobeabletocarryonafriendlyconversationwithyourmaid,yourneig
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