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SillySally · Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 167

Culture shock is not a disease or illness that you get and then get rid of. It is not like a cold or the flu that you catch and then cure or let go.

Culture shock is cyclical, returning when you least expect it and in an unrecognizable form each time.

It is more like high blood pressure or alchoholism, you own it for life.

http://www.asu.edu/clas/anthropology/bajaethnography/shock.htm

http://www.nyexpat.com/Movingwchildren.htm
"Culture Shock
Culture shock is an integral part of relocating, everyone suffers from it to some extent.

The term 'Culture Shock' can be misleading, as it is not only the different culture of the host country that can be unsettling. Instead of the label culture shock, try considering the phrase, 'stress and anxiety resulting from unfamiliar surroundings'.

When moving abroad, not only the predominant culture of the people and city around you changes, there is often a lifestyle change for the family too. Apartment living instead of a house with a garden, a private school instead of a state school. An increase in disposable income, domestic staff being employed in the home, only one parent working.

Even if you can buy recognisable and favourite food items in the host country, there are likely to be changes to taste, quality and price due to local climatic conditions, production and preparation methods and the cost of importing.

These lifestyle changes can be as difficult for a family to adapt to as the cultural changes.

The change in environment can lead children to become depressed, anxious, unhappy, badly behaved and physically ill.

Advance preparation and introduction to the likely changes will mean that they are less surprising and ultimately less problematic."

So kick back, relax, enjoy China. After all, not everyone is fortunate enough to have culture shock!

struelle · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai

I would suggest an even broader definition that focuses on the theme of loss: losing loved ones, losing a job, losing money, etc. The general idea is that after a voluntary or involuntary loss, you need to adapt to those changes and get on with living a life that has irreversibly been changed.

These losses are an ongoing part of life, regardless of whether you 'lose' your lifestyle in your home country, and move abroad. Of course, you also gain something else after the loss.

But fundamental to this definition of culture shock is that there no turning back. Even if you pack it in and eventually return to your home country, you have still changed as a result of the experience.

Steve

cujobytes · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 2:19 am Post subject:

SillySally · Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 167

cujobytes · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:22 am Post subject:

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Gosh! My 'denial phase' must be lasting 34 years. Will it ever end and will I ever experience the true culture shock that the OP is talking about???

cujobytes · Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2005 4:07 am Post subject:

Yup, sorry mate, you've got culture shock, there's no getting over it you know.

SillySally · Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 167

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Face it, Silly. Not everyone gets so-called culture shock. And not everyone who does get it passes through the same so-called stages. Those are simply generalised constructs. They don't apply to everyone everywhere. To presume to know what sort of cultural responses an individual has to a particular place/time is -- well, it's simply presumptuous! And kinda 'silly'. Wink

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

I'd say most people go through culture shock when they first go to work abroad -- even those who didn't think they'd ever get culture shock. Some people probably don't even realize that they have culture shock. I didn't think I would get culture shock when I first went to China to teach. I thought to myself, hey, I am of Chinese heritage, I've visited China before, I can speak Chinese, and I am familiar with northern Chinese food. So everything should be a snap. Wrong I was! The first 3 months were the worst days of my life in China. It didn't help that thanks to SARS, the school was locked down so I was bored out of my mind stuck inside a tiny little school located nowhere near Qingdao city centre.

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

tw:

Okay, that was your experience. Now what about 'most people'? Your evidence for them?

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

tw, I frequently 'bash' the U.S.

I always have done so.

And I am a happy U.S. citizen who frequently resides for long periods in that happy land.

So does that mean I have always had culture shock in my own culture??? Shocked

Let's not confuse 'culture shock' with simple disagreement or dislike about something in a culture. Based on such thinking, many Chinese also have culture shock about China because they 'bash' something or other there.

I still want solid evidence for your citing 'most' people who live in another culture. Citing the people on these forums is hardly evidence for 'most'. They're simply the 'loudest'!

SillySally · Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 167

I am of the opinion that Dave's ESL Cafe plays a very important role for those with culture shock. I have often wanted to thank Dave for this forum because I think it has helped many people through some very rough times, even those who have left in a huff!