Culture Corner

Learning about your host culture

Don’t wait until you are overseas to learn about your host country. A little knowledge can go a long way in establishing good relations with people in your host country. Should you bring gifts? If so, what’s appropriate? How formal should you be with your fellow students and faculty? What should you expect in terms of requirements for your classes? What are some major political issues facing the country? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you get off to a good start and will build your confidence.

Also, many students find themselves intimidated by the knowledge people from other countries have, not only about their own politics, history and culture, but also about U.S. American politics and culture. Feeling insecure, it’s easy to shut yourself off from these conversations further preventing you from gaining the knowledge you seek! We are not suggesting you know everything, but rather, prepare yourself with a few key pieces of information. You can do a lot of pre-departure research on the internet.

Here are a few suggestions for getting prepared. Of course, you can’t do all these before you go. Select areas most interesting or most challenging to you. The more you know, the better.

  • Literature

    Check out books, novels, short stories, poetry, etc. Learn about the major literary figures and their works.

    Read non-fiction books on history, geography, politics, etc.

    Seek out travel writing.

    Explore language readers and textbooks for cultural information.

    Read Michael Paige’s Maximizing Study Abroad: A Students’ Guide to Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and Use. University of Minnesota, 2004.

    Travel Books: Get a complete and updated one. Let’s Go, Lonely Planet and The Rough Guide are good budget travel books with good background information on countries and world areas.

  • Internet

    Visit the U.S. Department of State travelers’ website

    Read local newspapers from the major cities of the world. Many local newspapers have English versions (e.g., Spiegel in Germany, Haaretz in Israel)

    CIA World Factbook

    Student Study Abroad Handbooks on different countries

    Look up maps of the country. Have an understanding of where the major cities and other important geographical areas are located.

    Preparing to Study Abroad: The Cross-Cultural Experience

  • Language Learning Resources

    The ArtCenter library subscribes to a language learning resources, Mango, which students can access by going to the Online Resources page on the ArtCenter library website

    Podcasts, free language lessons and apps you can download from the internet (e.g., Duolingo)

    Take a class. See what options are available through ArtCenter’s cross-enrollment program or look into a local language school. People will be very appreciative of your attempts to learn the language of your host country, and you will have a lot more fun and a richer experience if you can interact with people from the country.

  • Basic Facts to research

    1. Names of political leaders
    2. Names of political parties
    3. Major religion(s)/spiritual beliefs and their effect on the host country
    4. Hot topics of the day (e.g., government scandals)
    5. Recent conflicts and the role of the U.S. in those conflicts
    6. Type of government
    7. Year of independence and circumstances
    8. Economic conditions
    9. Cultural diversity (immigration and refugee populations, etc.)
    10. U.S. role in local economy, politics and culture

Cultural Adjustment

Two Rules for Successful
Cross-Cultural Adjustment

1. Assume differences

When going abroad, keep an open mind to unexpected differences. The differences that do exist but are not as apparent, such as attitudes toward the government’s role in one’s life, family relations, attitude toward elderly people and traditions, etc., are not as easy to encounter as differences in food and clothing. Cultural immersion is an integral part of the study abroad/exchange experience and it is a multi-faceted journey, just learning about the sounds, smells and tastes in a country are just the beginning. Experts of regions, countries, and even cities spend a long time becoming extremely familiar with the multitude of aspects such as history, politics, economics, religion, TV programming, language, etc. “Cultural learning” begins from the start, just like learning a new skill, at first you will be a beginner and then you will progress as you learn more. It is a “passive” learning process which until one is confronted by a different culture, may not be readily apparent.

2. Do unto others as they would have done unto themselves.

In other words, don’t expect to carry on a conversation about baseball with an Australian who is interested in cricket or walk into a Japanese home with your shoes on. Instead of the “Golden Rule,” where one refers to one’s own values, try to think of the host culture’s values and interests and concur as much as possible with them. Of course you don’t have to “go native,” but you should try to learn about your host culture’s values, customs, popular culture, etc., as much as possible. Being aware of the host culture does not mean you have to adopt that culture but it can help to keep your mind open to differences in a positive way.

Culture shock

Cultural shock is a totally normal and logical reaction to differences we encounter in a foreign culture. Culture shock doesn’t result from just one event, and it usually doesn’t strike suddenly, or with any cause. It builds slowly from a series of small events. It also comes from living and working in an ambiguous situation. Living abroad will make you question your values, which you may have taken as absolutes before.

  • symptoms of culture shock

    Being homesick

    General fear and mistrust

    Retreat from other people

    Hostility towards the host culture and its people

    Increased desire for sleep

    Increased attention to hygiene

    Increased consumption of foods and drink

    Not knowing how to cope with your environment

    Extreme reactions to little frustrations—especially anger

  • Stages of cultural Adjustment

    Being fascinated with all the new things you are experiencing

    Feeling uncomfortable because you don’t belong

    Rejecting the foreign culture and people as being strange (culture shock)

    Learning to decipher foreign behavior and customs

    Accepting and enjoying the foreign culture

  • How to deal with culture shock

    Be aware that this will happen and prepare for it by learning and accepting the new culture

    Deal with it like any other stress: get out and about, get exercise, listen to music, phone home, talk with friends

    Interpret the new culture:

    Ask yourself, “Based on what I know, I think it means this. But my thinking is based on my assumptions. What else could it mean? Are my assumptions valid?”

    Consider altering your point of view or at least consider at least one different perspective

    Stay involved by engaging yourself in local activities

    Form and maintain friendships in the community

    Keep a cultural diary (by writing down your experiences you gain a fresh perspective and learn more about your true self)

reverse culture shock

One of the greatest challenges of studying abroad is coming back home. Many people expect to have difficulty adjusting when they go abroad, but no one expects to have struggles when they return. This is what’s called “reverse culture shock.” You’ve just had an amazing experience abroad and you want to talk about it. Unfortunately, your parents and your friends may not be as interested as you would prefer. You’ve learned about a new culture and, chances are, you’ve changed some of your old values and ideas. You may have trouble re-assimilating into American culture, and on top of that, “ArtCenter culture.”

ArtCenter may look completely new to you after spending a semester abroad. Many students have difficulties readjusting to the hectic schedule and the stress on campus. Again, re-entry shock is inevitable and even the best prepared will have some challenges getting back into the swing of things. The following ideas might help you during your first months back:

  • Remember what you did when you were abroad and adjusting to your new country. Use those same techniques that helped you cope then to assist you with your readjustment now.

  • Play the role of the observer, not a judge. It’s easy to criticize, much more difficult to understand. You’re looking at American culture from a very unique standpoint now. Take your time and think about what you see.

  • Expect to feel frustration and depression. Knowing this will happen will not prevent these feelings, but it will keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

  • Take your time. Don’t rush into big decisions when you’re depressed.

  • Meet with the Exchange and Study Away office to discuss your experiences and learn ways that you can share your experiences with the ArtCenter community as well as serve as a contact for other students interested in study abroad.

  • Schedule an appointment to meet with an on-campus counselor through CSE.

  • Check out the Lessons from Abroad website and virtual conference for more tips and resources on how to deal with re-entry.

  • The Department of State Reverse Culture Shock website also has a number of useful resources.

Re-entry can be tough, but with time your re-entry shock will fade. You will readjust to life in the U.S., and at ArtCenter, too.