Read the text. Five sentences have been removed from the text. Choose from the sentences A-E the one which fits each gap (1-6)

A. What previously seemed exciting, new and challenging is now merely frustrating.

B. Those who neither completely reject their own culture nor that of the new country tend to be most successful at overcoming culture shock.

C. Not everyone experiences the exact stages but most travellers will go through the highs and lows of living in a new culture.

D. One should keep in touch with his or her own culture

E. It is not worth relying on TV to get cultural pointers.

F. Even a sense of belonging appears.

Culture shock is snappy and somehow we all know what it means to us, although if asked, we may find it as difficult to define as ‘jet lag’ or ‘homesickness’. Some researchers describe five stages; others believe it is a six or even seven stage process. 1

The different stages roughly are as follows:

At first you are excited by the new environment and a few frustrations do not spoil your enthusiasm. When experiencing some difficulties with simple things like, for instance, making telephone calls, or using public transport, you tend to down-play negative emotions. 2 .

A person may feel isolated and withdrawn from life around.

In the next stage a newcomer may become opinionated and negative. The feeling that everyone is against you and that nobody understands you dominates. Limpet-like you cling to other students from your home country, hoping to have your negative stereotypes reinforced.

However, an individual begins to re-assert himself and due to successes in negotiating a variety of social situations and, maybe, increased language skills, ones’ self-esteem grows. A person can accept the negative differences and tolerate them while realizing there is no opportunity to change the surroundings a newcomer feels relieved and strengthened from having overcome the difficulties. 3

Just as everyone’s experience of culture shock is unique, the symptoms associated with it vary, too. They can range from the physical - headaches, lethargy, sleep problems, loss of appetite and digestive irregularities - to the psychological, irritability and anger over minor frustrations, confusion about morals and values. Suffering from culture shock often leaves people feeling moody, isolated and insecure.

Researchers believe that the beginning of the negative phases happen most often within two to six months of living in a new culture. Scholars ague that the more well-travelled and practised at absorbing, accepting and adapting a person is, the more easily he or she can overcome culture shock. Some individuals do not seek cultural adjustment, either because they do not agree with the values and behaviour prevalent in the new country, or because they fear to loose too much of their own cultural identity. Living in a cultural vacuum may not be easy and can lead to feeling, and being treated, like an outsider.

Others deny or even reject their own culture and unquestioningly embrace everything new. 4

They will attempt to mix and merge aspects of both cultures and thus become bicultural.

Some strategies are recommended to minimise and cope with, culture shock. Research has shown that our expectations affect how we react to a new country. One should read useful booklets about the country, talk to someone who has lived in the country about problems and disappointments they have experienced. It will be useful to find out some social survival skills (how to address people in different social groups, how gender roles affect social relationships, what constitutes acceptable behaviour in a range of everyday situations, how gestures and body language differ from your country’s).

5 National soap operas and films give a stereotypical and often idolised view.

To reducethe strain of culture shock newcomers can explore their immediate environment to get to know the neighbourhood.

Another good step is to locate useful places such as the post office, the doctor’s surgery ,etc. Reading a local newspaper will help to hold conversations with locals without feeling the outsider. In case of being unsure of the language skills, one has a good chance to improve them by watching TV and listening to the radio. 6 On the other hand mixing only with compatriots or other international students will make no point. Keeping fit physically helps reduce stress, too.

We should avoid comparing them and us, good and bad. Establishing why people behave the way they do and placing their behaviour in a social or economic context is more helpful.

Adapting to a different climate, different social conventions and different cultural values can be a complex and sometimes painful process, but coming out at the other end is rewarding, enriching and definitely worth the effort!