Cross-Cultural Resources
The opportunity to live and study in another country is unparalleled in its adventures, its benefits, and experience would say, its challenges. Learning to navigate the complex web of another culture's values, beliefs, and thought processes is truly a life's study. While most students only have a semester or two to undertake this demanding and meaningful mission, the Office for Study Abroad encourages all participants in study abroad to consider the benefits of preparing for their cultural transition.
An investment in study prior to departure and reference to these resources while abroad can help participants, and their families, better understand the intricacies of cultural transition and gain more significant meaning from the experience while it occurs. The Office for Study Abroad gratefully acknowledges the cited contributions of colleagues whose research in cultural transition and education abroad informs the resources provided here and in the predeparture handbook distributed to GW students as part of the on-campus orientation program.
What is "Culture"?
If you were to ask several different people what they thought culture meant, you might get a list like the one below, taken from Survival Kit for Overseas Living (L. Robert Kohls, 1984), a classic in the literature:
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Components of Culture |
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As you can see, culture is a total way of life of any group of people. Culture will impact the way you interact with everyone in your new environment including your home stay family, the bus driver and the professor. It will be essential to your study abroad experience and we encourage you to take some time to understand what culture is and how it will affect you abroad.
Take the time to read the sections below, and the more thorough information in your Predeparture Orientation Handbook. The exercises and suggestions will help you as you prepare yourself to make the adjustment to a different culture.
Know Thyself
The following is an excerpt from the Predeparture Orientation Handbook. Please see the culture section of the handbook for more information and exercises on cultural adjustment.
Skills That Matter
Some people adapt to a new culture more easily than others. Understanding yourself, your goals, your way of thinking, behaving, and going about everyday tasks will facilitate your adjustment to a new environment. While there is no set formula to insure that you will have an effortless transition process, there are certain skills and or traits you have (or with minimal effort, can develop) that can make your adjustment process easier. Below is a list of skills that are important in adapting to a new culture:
- Tolerance for Ambiguity
- Low/Goal Task Orientation
- Open-Mindedness
- Being Nonjudgmental
- Empathy
- Communicativeness
- Flexibility: adaptability
- Curiosity
- Sense of Humor
- Warmth in Human Relationships
- Motivation
- Self-Reliance
- Strong Sense of Self
- Tolerance for Differences
- Perceptiveness
- Ability to Fail
Add to this list any of yours that are not listed. Then on a scale of one (low) to five (high),rate yourself in each of these characteristics. Write the number beside each one and total them. If you scored less than 55, you may want to begin developing some of these skills.
Now, circle the traits you think are the most important. It has been proved that a sense of humor,low goal/task orientation and an ability to fail are essential skills for easing the transition abroad.
A sense of humor is important because there is going to be much to weep or get angry or annoyed or embarrassed or discouraged about. No matter how many of the other traits you have, the ability to laugh things off will be a true benefit. Oftentimes, students undertake tasks that are unrealistic and set goals for themselves that are unattainable. Please remember, expectations can cause disappointment. So, while we encourage you to set objectives for your experience, do not refuse to adjust them to the realities of your new environment. The ability to tolerate failure is critical because everyone fails at something at some point, especially while overseas.
It is important for you to recognize the skills you currently possess that will aid you in adapting to a new culture and begin to cultivate them. You will find that this will not only serve you well during your study abroad experience, but it will also help you cope with transitions throughout life.
Adapted from Survival Kit for Overseas Living, (L. Robert Kohls, 1984) p. 105-107.
Know Thy Host Country
The following is an excerpt from the Predeparture Orientation Handbook. Please see the culture section of the handbook for more information and exercises on cultural adjustment.
Understanding as much as you can about your host country (and yourself) can greatly reduce the severity of your culture shock. We recommend that you spend a great deal of time familiarizing yourself with the culture, history, politics, and every day life of your host country and city. A great practical way to learn about your host country and prepare for your trip is to create your own Personalized Study Abroad Handbook.
The following questions are just a few things to consider when researching your host country (more are included in the Predeparture Handbook). Allow yourself plenty of time for researching your host country, and don't forget about the many international students and resources at GW that can help you.
- How do people organize their daily activities?
- What is the normal meal schedule?
- Is there a daytime rest period?
- Do women work outside the home?
- In professional jobs?
- What is the predominate religion?
- Is it a state religion?
- Are they tolerant of other religions?
- Have you read any of its sacred writings?
- In the education system, what kind of learning is most valued?
- What is the normal work schedule?
- Is it important to be on time?
Culture Shock
The following is an excerpt from the Predeparture Orientation Handbook. Please see the culture section of the handbook for more information and exercises on cultural adjustment.
Many students study overseas to experience another culture, where you may feel depressed, homesick, or frustrated with your new surroundings. You should recognize that this is only temporary, and as you become more accustomed to this new environment, you will start to appreciate the differences. While you may have probably heard of culture shock, this section is designed to prepare you to recognize, cope with and understand culture shock.
Reactions to Culture Shock
While no two people deal with culture shock in the same way, there are common reactions shared by many. The following chart list the multiple reactions that people normally have to culture shock.
| Overall Symptoms | Withdrawal Symptoms | Aggressive Symptoms |
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Source: Survival Kit for Overseas Living by L. Robert Kohls (p. 92)
Prescriptions for Culture Shock
- Understand symptoms and recognize signs of "culture fatigue".
- Realize that some degree of discomfort and stress is natural in a cross-cultural experience.
- Recognize that your reactions are largely emotional and not easily subject to rational management.
- Gather information before you go so at least the difference will seem familiar if not natural. Knowledge is power.
- Look for the logical reasons behind host culture patterns. It "fits" the culture, discover why.
- Relax your grip on your normal culture and try to cheerfully adapt to new rules and roles.
- Don't give in to the temptation to disparage what you do not like or understand. It probably won't change.
- Identify a support network among host nationals, expatriates, work group, or within school setting. Use it, but don't rely on it exclusively.
- Understand that it is a passing phase of what will be, in retrospect, a time of great learning and personal growth.
- Give yourself quiet time, some private space, and don't be too hard on yourself.
© Bruce La Brack, Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication 2001
Tips for Cultural Integration
Find out about current events of your host country and city. Read the newspaper, even if it's in English. Learn about your host's local, national, and international events, concerns, and news to better understand the culture and opinions of the average citizen in your host country.
Take advantage of invitations and opportunities to interact with locals. Get to know someone, young and old!
Develop a repertoire of conversation topics (sports, films, politics, authors, music, popular figures, etc.) to enhance your interaction with the locals. Certain topics may not be considered appropriate for discussion in public or between genders, so be observant of these customs.
Practice your foreign language skills or learn a brand new language. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because they are a great way to learn and can be funny, too!
Form positive relationships with your hosts. Be courteous, respectful, and aware of cultural differences and taboos.
Join a local group in your community such as a language conversation group, sports club, book club, cooking class, or church.
Cooking is a great way to learn about cultures and traditions. Learn how to cook local recipes from your host family or a cooking class, and bring some recipes from home to share with your host family and new friends.
Attend cultural events that are not typically for tourists, such as an elementary school dance or a Swiss yodeling contest. Ask your host family and friends what local events are of interest and importance to them.
Besides special cultural and holiday events, find out what other interesting and unique activities your hosts engage in on a daily basis, such as mushroom gathering in the Czech Republic.
Try to shy away from familiarity. Eat at local restaurants or pubs instead of American restaurants. Limit the time you spend with other Americans and English speakers. Avoid locations heavily visited by tourists.
Discourage yourself from negatively comparing your host country to the US. Things will be different, which is why you came! Instead of looking at these new environments, customs, and behaviors with criticism, try to understand what makes your host country tick.
Keep an open mind. Food, religion, thought patterns, and social habits will seem strange, but allow yourself to be open to not only understand them, but to participate and try new things.
Spend time reflecting on you daily encounters in order to deepen your understanding of your experiences and host culture. A journal is a good way to do this.
Above all, have fun! This is the experience of a lifetime. You are not a tourist, but a participant in a global encounter with the amazing opportunity to learn about another culture, another way of life, and another person on the other side of the world.
By Joanne Kramb, January 2002
Personalized Study Abroad Handbook
Travel guidebooks can be a great resource for study abroad,but most are not tailored to your specific interests or needs. An alternative way to prepare for your upcoming program is to create your own Personalized Study Abroad Handbook. You can include personal information, practical resources, and the research you collect about your host country. This is not only fun and useful, but also a great memento of your program. Most of the information you will want to include online, so search site such as tourist information, American expatriate sites, embassy homepages, and cultural etiquette where you can cut and paste the information into your handbook. You can still make use of your travel guidebooks by photocopying relevant information to include in your personalized book.
Here are some suggestions on what you should include:
Name, address, phone number, and email of the host family or residence where you will be staying while abroad.
Your study abroad office contacts both abroad, and at home. Procedures for studying abroad with your school that would be useful to have while abroad.
The phone, fax, and email address for your academic advisor.
An emergency contact name, phone number, address, and email.
A copy of your passport. Your flight information. Your travel itinerary.
The address, directions, and phone number to the nearest American Embassy in your host country.
Addresses, phone numbers, and emails to all the friends and family you will want to write from abroad. Print stick-on address labels and include the pages in your book! Email is the cheapest and easiest, but postcards are fun, and writing letters can be therapeutic!
Instructions on how to make phone calls from your host country to the US.
Conversion sheets for the metric system, currency, Fahrenheit to Celsius, oven settings, clothing and shoe size charts, and power outlet voltages.
Special recipes from home. Plan to do a little cooking for your hosts!
Country maps, city maps, subway maps, maps of places you plan to visit. Directions from the nearest subway, bus, or train to the place you want to go.
Translation charts. You can find many charts online with common phrases, food and menu translations, and pronunciation. Include language translation information for any other countries you will be traveling to while abroad.
Landmarks and places of interest. Although store-bought travel guides may provide this condensed information, it is all available online, and the research you will do looking for it can be very educational. Tourist type websites usually list historical information, admissions costs, opening times, directions, and special events for places of interest.
Historical, political, and current event information about your host country. Understanding the host culture and its past will make your trip more fulfilling. Information on politics and current event swill provide you with conversation topics as well as understanding of the culture.
Information about the culture of your host country. Find a site about cultural etiquette. Research sports, music, authors, food, and pop culture.
Special events that will occur while you are abroad. You can find festivals, concert schedules,and other event information online. Look for events that are special for the culture, such as the famous Spring Music Festival in Prague.
Information and locations of services you might need. Computer access is sometimes a problem abroad, but there are many Internet cafes. Include a page in your book with locations of the cafes near your residence.
Although you should try to limit your time spent with other Americans, and in places that Americans and other tourist congregate, you may experience a time when you need American companionship. Look for a few places to speak English, eat familiar food, watch a movie, or shop. But please don't go there too often!!
Leave blank pages in between sections and at the end. You may want to write something down later.
After gathering all your documents and printouts, get your Personalized Study Abroad Handbook spiral bound at a printing shop for around $5.
By Joanne Kramb, April 2002