Globalization has become a trend in the 21st century. A lot of international students have come to the U.S. to study in higher education institutes. Although studying abroad seems like an exciting event, it is not always easy to adapt to another culture without encountering difficulties. As an international student myself, I have experienced many cultural shocks while living in the U.S. Therefore, I decide to delve into the field and do some research about other international students' experiences here.
People may wonder, "what is cultural shock?" or "How is it different to live in different cultures?" According to Wikipedia, cultural shock is defined as "the personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to immigration or a visit to a new country, a move between social environments, or simply travel to another type of life." In my own understanding, cultural shock is the situation in which one’s own cultural background meets a conflict with another culture. It raises one’s confusions and frustrations, sometimes homesickness also. Therefore, if we do not appropriately deal with cultural shock, it could turn the exciting abroad experience to a negative one.
According to a research, one usually experiences the stage of “Honeymoon” when one first arrives in a new country. However, after about 3 months, the excitement becomes disappointment after experiencing “cultural shock”. As one adjusts himself or herself, it reaches the stage of “adaptation.” This usually happens after 9 months, since one has already established a stable social circle of friends and new life habits. However, this is just a general view. There are a lot of factors that could possibly affect the perceived competence. For example,extroverts tend to adapt to the new environment faster than introverts. People who had previous living abroad experiences can adjust themselves during a shorter period. All in all, it depends one’s character, experiences, and many other factors.
Of all the international students, Asian students usually have a more difficult time adapting themselves to the U.S. culture. One prominent reason is that asian societies are more collectivism-oriented, while American society is more individualism-oriented. This difference leads to different interpretations of the “good” and the “bad”. For example, Chinese children are taught to give up seats to the elderly on the bus as a rule. However, in the U.S., this is not something the society encourages people to do. People may think that giving up seats to the elderly could be a discrimination against the old, especially if the elder is very healthy. The difference is also indicated in social and living perspectives. Therefore, asian students are more likely to experience greater cultural shock.
I have been asked a question by one of my American friends, “do you think international students here are expected to act like Americans or be Americanized?” I think it is a good question. As all societies have different measures of “goodness”, it is important to learn the new culture and act in a way that people can accept. However, international students also carry their own traditions and values. It is also important to be a unique self. I hope through my video, people can increase their awareness and understandings of the international students around them. If there are more understandings and fewer judgements, there would be more efficient communications and understandings between the cultures.
People may wonder, "what is cultural shock?" or "How is it different to live in different cultures?" According to Wikipedia, cultural shock is defined as "the personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to immigration or a visit to a new country, a move between social environments, or simply travel to another type of life." In my own understanding, cultural shock is the situation in which one’s own cultural background meets a conflict with another culture. It raises one’s confusions and frustrations, sometimes homesickness also. Therefore, if we do not appropriately deal with cultural shock, it could turn the exciting abroad experience to a negative one.
According to a research, one usually experiences the stage of “Honeymoon” when one first arrives in a new country. However, after about 3 months, the excitement becomes disappointment after experiencing “cultural shock”. As one adjusts himself or herself, it reaches the stage of “adaptation.” This usually happens after 9 months, since one has already established a stable social circle of friends and new life habits. However, this is just a general view. There are a lot of factors that could possibly affect the perceived competence. For example,extroverts tend to adapt to the new environment faster than introverts. People who had previous living abroad experiences can adjust themselves during a shorter period. All in all, it depends one’s character, experiences, and many other factors.
Of all the international students, Asian students usually have a more difficult time adapting themselves to the U.S. culture. One prominent reason is that asian societies are more collectivism-oriented, while American society is more individualism-oriented. This difference leads to different interpretations of the “good” and the “bad”. For example, Chinese children are taught to give up seats to the elderly on the bus as a rule. However, in the U.S., this is not something the society encourages people to do. People may think that giving up seats to the elderly could be a discrimination against the old, especially if the elder is very healthy. The difference is also indicated in social and living perspectives. Therefore, asian students are more likely to experience greater cultural shock.
I have been asked a question by one of my American friends, “do you think international students here are expected to act like Americans or be Americanized?” I think it is a good question. As all societies have different measures of “goodness”, it is important to learn the new culture and act in a way that people can accept. However, international students also carry their own traditions and values. It is also important to be a unique self. I hope through my video, people can increase their awareness and understandings of the international students around them. If there are more understandings and fewer judgements, there would be more efficient communications and understandings between the cultures.