1、Surviving among aliens: Managing Culture Shock,Culture Shock,Who am I? How to adapt to an international exchange experience successfully?,Purpose:,What is culture Shock? Symptoms Stages CausesHow to cope with it? General strategies Observe & modify your own ways of doing things Verbal & non-verbal c
2、ommunication style Tips for Finland,What is culture Shock?,“Cultural shock is caused by the anxiety resulting from losing all our familiar signs and symbols when we move to a new environment” (Oberg, 1958). Lack of direction Not knowing:What to do? How to do things? When to do things?,What is cultur
3、e Shock?,Physical symptoms headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhea Behaviour towards peopleDont speak the language impatient, exasperatedSystems of work (Differ/Wrong) anger, frustrationAggression/ Racism towards locals “rude“, “dirty“, “lazy“However Opportunities! Learn new perspectives Deve
4、lop better understanding of yourself,Cause of Culture Shock?,BUT: Appropriate behaviour can be learned observation, asking locals and other foreigners,Conflict and uncertainty between our values/rules and those of the new culture anxiety cultural shock,Stages of Culture shock,new experiences are exc
5、iting,be a tourist,feel fortunate for having the opportunity to move abroad.,send postcards home,people are friendly and you smile a lot, youre in control,make contacts in clubs and associations, sign up for some activities,your own sense of culture is not threatened,join a language course,daily fru
6、strations can build into disillusionment,look after yourself, exercise, avoid alcohol,the good things of home loom large,get out, be with people continue language practice,keep busy set daily goals and make the effort to achieve them.,Stages of Culture shock,a sense of standing up to the things and
7、people that are frustrating you,build your network of friends,take that holiday you booked continue language study,determination to work things out and get things done,spend time with people who enjoy being there keep writing to people back home,feel in control and positive again about where you are
8、,try new things, and explore the culture,self-understanding and more tolerance of others,practice the language,a sense of comfort operating in the host culture,youre helping others get through their adjustments,do things you intended to do while in this country before its time to leave,Final Stage o
9、f Culture shock,youre more successful in communications with locals enjoying being where you are adept at finding things no longer stereotyping understanding local customs,maintain key relationships,How to cope with it?,Remember that despite being different, the others are probably being friendly to
10、 you in their own way.Understand that you will have to change your familiar ways in order to integrate.learning about how to communicate is important,Differences in Communication Styles,VERBAL COMMUNICATION,NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION,Start observing how locals act. ”When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
11、,Differences in Communication Styles,Ways of Speaking: expressiveness, emotion, animation, intimacy in address, volume Who speaks? monologue vs. dialogue, female vs. male, superior vs. subordinate Structuring interaction: starting a conversation, appropriate topic, taking turns, ending a conversatio
12、n Maintaining a conversation: opinions, questioning, joking Communication Styles: direct vs. indirect,VERBAL COMMUNICATION,Differences in Communication Styles,Body language: gesturing, dress Eye contact: when appropriate / inappropriate Space: personal space, homes Touch: who can touch whom, where P
13、aralanguage: tone, pitch, stress, speed, superiority/inferiority, sarcasm Attitudes towards time Preparation for talking, amount of time talked,silence How much is enough or too much?,NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION,Cultural Tips for Finland (from Lewis, R. When Cultures Collide),Be frank and open. Get to
14、the point. Be modest and low key. Do not talk too fast or interrupt. Use first names, dress casually and be relaxed about protocol and hierarchy. Eat lunch quickly. ,Cultural Tips for Finland (from Lewis, R. When Cultures Collide),Give Finns physical and mental space. Be punctual. Comply with promis
15、es. Listen carefully to what Finns say its not much, but they mean it. Enjoy shared silences.,Any questions -Biculturalism,V+D+S=R,Vision of future Dissatisfaction with the current situation Knowledge of the first steps to take Resistance to change Try to trace every strange action to its underlying values.,
