In this new blog series, we will be exploring some of the common challenges faced by students during the early stage of studying at an international English medium institution. While most students do eventually adapt successfully to their new cultural context, primarily due to a range of support courses provided by the host institutions on arrival, the initial adaptation process can still be a stressful experience.
Consequently, there is now an increasing demand for host institutions to provide some form of online introductory learning experience to help potential students anticipate the initial cross-cultural challenges prior to their leaving home.
Therefore, over the next four weeks, we will focus on how to anticipate and reduce culture, learning, timetable, and communication shock starting with an overview of the typical causes of culture shock.
What is culture shock?
The process that can lead to culture shock often initially commences on arrival in a new cultural context with some short honeymoon period of excitement, or even euphoria, which can deepen the subsequent descent into the unanticipated shock phase (Lysgaard, 1955). This second phase is typically experienced as a sense of disorientation due to what appears to be a sudden loss of all previously shared social values, familiar communication signalling, and learnt behavioural expectations. At a more serious level, individuals can develop some combination of fatigue, frustration, sadness, loneliness, homesickness, or even physical illness. If not managed, such emotional reactions can continue towards ever more negative perceptions leading to direct culture clash.
Therefore, anticipating potential culture shock and planning to manage the consequences is essential for prospective overseas students to ensure a successful cross-cultural learning experience. To achieve this important objective, students need to discipline themselves to banish negative feelings that can disrupt a perhaps once-in-a-lifetime learning adventure.
Planning ahead to manage potential culture shock more effectively
Consequently, even before leaving home, students need to agree a contract with themselves to do the following and keep reviewing these commitments listed below on arrival in the new host learning context.
Accept an early encounter with culture shock is normal, not a sign of personal failings
Commit to the reality that studying overseas is not a holiday but will require hard work
Refer back to the original important reasons for the decision to study overseas
Maintain regular contact with family and close friendship networks at home
Focus on reading all the student guidelines produced by the host university or school
Avoid the temptation to culturally isolate with other students from the home culture
Plan to attend some extracurricular activities to help integrate into the host community
Refrain from negatively comparing differences in the host context with things at home
Identify at least one new positive experience in the host culture each day
Remember that time flies so make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Finally, note very carefully that in the host culture overseas students are regarded as ambassadors for their home culture. Therefore, be prepared from the outset to fulfil this demanding expectation.
Question 1
What might be the reasons why some overseas students experience a greater sense of culture shock than others?
Question 2
What might trigger the more debilitating descent into outright culture clash in the host context?
Question 3
What contrasting educational expectations might lead to a sense of learning shock during the initial study experience of some overseas students?
We will explore the issue of learning shock in our blog post next week.
References
Lysgaard, S. (1955). Adjustment in a foreign society: Norwegian Fulbright grantees visiting the United States. International Social Science Bulletin, 7, 45-51.
Visit our page on Academic Expectations to learn how to adapt to contrasting cross-cultural learning expectations.
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