The stages of adjusting to a new culture and the stages of returning home

1. C U L T U R A L
A D J U S T M E N T :
E N T RY I N TO N E W
C U LT U R E A N D
R E - E N T RY I N TO
H O M E C U LT U R E

2. Cultural Adjustment Cycle
• When we go from
one culture to
another, we pass
through various
stages…. In fact, it
is like riding a
roller coaster….

3. Cultural Adjustment
Cycle:
Entry into new culture phase

4. Arrival/Honeymoon
 Happy
 Excited
 Nervous

5. Culture Shock
• Physical:
• tired, lack of
concentration, ill, sleep
problems
• Psychological:
• Overwhelmed, homesick,
hopeful, nervous

6. Initial Adjustment
 Begin to
understand a little
about new place
 Less homesick
 More confident
 Self determination

7. Mental Isolation
 Disdain and anger
against host culture
 Self-doubt and worry
 Resentment
 Disappointment in self
or new surroundings

8. Acceptance
and Integration
• Stop trying so
hard
• Accept new place
• Develop strategies
for living each day

9. References www.culturebump.com
 Adelman, M. B. (1988) “Cross-Cultural
Adjustment: A theoretical perspective on
social support. “ International Journal of
Intercultural Relations 12, 3: 183-204.
 Adler, P. (1979) “Culture Shock and the
Cross-Cultural Learning Experience.” In
Readings in Intercultural Comunication,
vol. 2. Ed. David S. Hoopes. Pittsburgh:
Regional council for International
Education.
 Archer. C.M. (1991) Living with strangers
in the USA: Communicating beyond
culture: Regents/Prentice Hall ) can be
bought at UH Print Shop-713-741-5200 or
cma@culturebump.com
 Furnham. A. and Stephen Bochner. (1986)
Culture Shock. New York: Routledge,
Chapman and Hall.

10. Reentry Adjustment
• Cross cultural reentry can be
more difficult than entry
into a new culture as it is
unexpected (it is MY
culture), the sense of loss (of
things that happened there
while you were gone, the loss
of the relationships and
experience in the host
culture), and a sense of
specialness and community
in the host country. This
adjustment also has stages
and the first “Reentry
Anxiety” begins before
leaving for one’s home…

11. Return Anxiety
• Sudden awareness of
leaving host country
“forever”
• Sadness at leaving friends
and experience
• Uncertainty about what
has happened during
absence

12. Return Honeymoon
 Extreme happiness
 Everyone listens to one’s
experiences and is interested
 Special social events to
welcome one home
 NOTE: These experiences
typically last a very short
time.

13. Re-entry Shock
• Same as culture shock
plus alienation from
own culture
• Feeling of betrayal
since this is
unexpected in one’s
“native” culture.

14. Reintegration
 Find a way to
validate both one’s
overseas and one’s
native experiences
and identities
 A lifetime process

15. What is in your luggage on
your trip home?
Knowledge
Skills
Relationships
Personal growth
Other ?

16. S U G G E S T I O N S
F O R
R E I N T E G R A T I O
N
Create a collage, a poem or a scrapbook of your
experience. This helps you to integrate it and is an
easy way to share with people close to you.
Find a class teaching your second language and ask
to volunteer.
Find others who have recently returned from
abroad and form a small support community
Look for other ways to integrate your life and
remember that this is a
lifetime process