Cross-Cultural Adjustment

ByDanK.Smith,PhD,AssociateDirector,InternationalStudentsandScholars,UCSantaBarbara
tremendousopportunityforpersonalgrowthand
awarenessofyourownculture,aswellastolearnabout
thecultureinwhichyouarenowliving.

Theprocessoflivinginaculturedifferentfromourown
canbeanexcitingandstimulatingexperience.Itisalsoa
tremendouschallengeaswerealizethatournormal
wayofperceivingandbehavingmaynotbeappropriate
inthenewculturalsetting.Eachofushasbeen
conditionedbyourfamily,friends,andeducationaland
religiousinstitutionsourculturetoact,interpret,
think,perceive,andfeelincertainways.Thesearebased
oncertaincorevaluesofourculture,suchasbean
individual,mightisright,ortimeismoney.These
valueschangefromculturetocultureand,therefore,the
behaviorsleadingtosuccessorhappinessinthatculture
changealso.Understandingthosevalues,then,isakey
tounderstandingtheculture.

Theexperienceofculturaladjustment,orcultureshock,
takesplaceinstagesthatcanbeshorteneddepending
uponyourpreparation,yourunderstandingofthe
process,yourwillingnesstotakerisks,andyour
acceptanceofthenecessitytomodifyyourbehavior.
Thefirststageisthatofthetouristwhoseinvolvement
inlocaltraditionsisminimal,whoseknowledgeofthe
cultureissuperficial,andwhoperceptuallyscreensthe
surroundingsandremainswrappedinthesecurecomfort
ofhisorherownculture.
Afteramonthortwo,thepersonal,social,andcultural
differencesintrudemoreandmoreintoyourlifeandyou
becomefrustratedwithhowdifficultyourlifehas
become.Youmaytrytoavoidcontactwiththelocals,
complainalotaboutthestupidwaytheydothings
there,hangoutwithothersfromyourowncountry,and
sleepalottocopewiththeassaultonyourpersonal
comfortzone.Youmightevenfeelangrywiththelocals
andbecomehostiletowardthem.Bycontrast,youmight
justabandonyourownculturalwaysandgonative,
becomingmorelocalthanthelocals.Thesewaysof
copingare,ofcourse,maladjustedwaysofresponding
tothenewculturalenvironment,andresultinmaking
youinhibitedfromfunctioningwithfulleffectivenessand
fromtakingfulladvantageoftheexcitingopportunities
availableinthecrossculturalexperience.

Basedonthesevaluesweeachcreateourownpersonal
interpretationofourexperiences,whichisreinforcedand
sharedbyourfriendsandculturalinstitutions.Thisvalue
orientationandwayofbehavingisrarelychallenged,
sinceitisacceptedbyourpeersandhelpsusfeelsecure
inourenvironment.Itisonlywhenweencounter
someonedifferentfromusandchoosetospend
extendedtimewiththatpersonorinadifferentculture
thatournormalresponsesandthevaluesthatsupport
themarecalledintoquestion.Thisisespeciallytruewhen
ourbasicneedsforfriendship,respect,etc.cannolonger
besatisfiedbyourusualwaysofbehaving.
Whathasbeeneasyforustodoinourowncultureis
suddenlydifficultandineffective,orinsulting,tothosein
theforeignculture.Webecomefrustratedandirritated
aswefindourpreviouslyacceptedwaystobeinconflict
withthelifestyleofthosearoundus.Wemayfeel
anxiousaboutthesuddenlossorchangeinourfamiliar
surroundings.Therearenolongerthethousandsof
nonverbalcuesweunconsciouslyrelyontotellushow
toactandreact.Werealizethatitisnecessarytochange,
toadjusttotheforeignculture,buthowdowebegin?

Thealternativetotheseresponsesistoneitherreject
yourownculturenorthewaysofthenewculture,but
rathertoadapttothenewsituationbyremainingopen
tolearningandbehavioralgrowth.Itrequiresyoutopay
attentiontothosearoundyou,refiningandexpanding
yourskillsininterpersonalinterculturalcommunication
throughbeingcreativelyflexibleinyourresponsestothe
newsituation.Youmustbewillingtotakerisksandmake
mistakesasyouaskquestionsandmodifyyourbehavior
andinterpretationstocoincidewiththoseofthelocals.
Inthisway,yourpersonalrealityisalteredbythe
cultureinwhichyounowliveandyouarereadytoenjoy
therestofyourexperience:thethirdandfourthstages.

Webeginbyrelaxingandrealizingthatthisexperienceof
frustrationispartofanormalreactiontothechallengeof
thecrossculturalexperiencethatisreferredtoasculture
shock.Itisapositivesignthatyouhave,infact,realized
thatyouarelivinginaforeigncultureandarenolonger
willingtobejustatourist.Youwanttobeaparticipantin
thelifeoftheculture.Acceptingthischallengeoffersyoua

Withregardtosomepracticalskillsandattitudesto
developasyouapproachandparticipateinthecross
culturalexperience,therearesomeexcellentbookson
thesubject.SomeoftheCampusEAPOfficeshave
additionalinformationsheets,andsomeUCcampuses
offercoursesinwhichyoucanlearnandpracticethese
abilities.

Bythethirdstageoftheprocess,afteraboutfour
monthsintheforeigncountry,yourlanguageskillsare
increasing,youarelearningthelocaltraditionsand
customs,andyouareabletomakefriendswiththelocal
peopleasyourunderstandingandsensitivitytakethe
placeofcriticismandjudgment.
Finally,duringthefourthstage,youhavedeveloped
meaningfulwaysofcopingwiththestressesthatare
placeduponyoubyculturaldifferences.Youcanderive
pleasurefromtherelationshipsyouhaveandgive
meaningtoexperiencesinwaysthatarerelevantto
othersaswellasyourself.Youareafullparticipantinthe
cultureandarereluctanttothinkaboutgoinghome,
whereyouwillbegintheprocessalloveragaininthe
formofreentryshock.

Thebasisofallpositiveadjustmentisintercultural
communication.Thatistheprocessofcommunicating
withsensitivityandpayingattentiontothedifferencesin
valuesandbehaviorsofthosewithwhomyou
communicate,realizingthatitisimportanttolisten
withallyoursensesandassumeyouhavenotcompletely
understoodorbeenunderstoodunlessyouhave
exploredeachothersmeaningsinaspiritofmutual
respectandacceptance.Inthisway,interactioninan
atmosphereofsupportivenessandtrustwillfoster
meaningfulcommunicationandfriendship.

Butdontworry;youhavehadplentyofpractice
adjustingtochange!