Concept of the method
4. CULTURE SHOCK
Culture shock is a term used to describe the anxiety and feelings that people have when they are in a new environment different from their own (like being in a different country). Anxiety, surprise, disorientation, confusion, etc. are some of the feelings that people experience when they are in different environment.
One of the most difficult problems affecting immigrants is culture shock. It is a deeply personal experience and it affects individuals in many different ways. [1]
Also, studies mention that immigrants, apart from culture shock must also face bereavements, as they might have lost family members while they were travelling to a new country. (Eisenbruch, 1990)[2]
STAGES OF CULTURE SHOCK[3]
- Honeymoon – arrival in the new culture. People feel excited about their new life and everything is interesting. Feel like being a tourist because the person’s basic identity is still rooted ‘back home’. .
- ·Disorientation - what used to be familiar is gone. Newcomers are overwhelmed by the requirements of the new culture, have new stimulus in the new environment. They also have new eating habits.
- ·Mental Isolation / Hostility – Newcomers face difficulties in their daily life in a new culture. Difficulties are practical and emotional in terms of financial and social adjustments, poor language skills, sense of loneliness and nostalgia. Often newcomers feel angry and offended towards the new culture for causing difficulties and they start complaining.
- ·Adjustment / Integration - The first adjustment happens when newcomers obtain language skills and make friends. They start to enjoy new cultural experiences as they respond to new cues and have an increased ability of understanding the new culture. They are now able to see the bad and good points of both cultures.
- Biculturality – “In this stage the newcomer has become absolutely comfortable in both the old and the new culture. There is some controversy about whether anyone can really attain this stage.”