3.8 Culture shock

[checked revision]

Latest revision as of 19:16, 26 May 2021

The culture shock model (Oberg 1960) provides a theoretical basis for what people experience when they spend some time living abroad.

What are the phases and how are they characterized?

The following figure shows the different phases in a culture shock:

Preparation,
Honeymoon entry,
Culture shock, and
Adjustment.

Culture Shock Model

How people experience going abroad

Which symptoms can occur?

In most cases, a variety of so-called expatriate stress symptoms can occur of different types and intensities.

Of course, there are also phase-specific differences and differences in character and experience. People who have been abroad several times, e.g. those in diplomatic service, have almost no more stress symptoms after a few international assignments.

What can be done about the symptoms?

It is important that you get in touch with the topic before you go abroad. Then you will know that it will get better again after the down time. This will help you to cope with the bad times and not give up. You can also prepare individual strategies for coping and discuss them with other people, e.g. in preparatory workshops.

Such strategies could look like this:

Do you play an instrument? Try to join an orchestra in Lübeck or the local area.
Do you play some kind of team sports, like handball or soccer? Maybe you can find a team in Lübeck to play with.
Did you always want to learn something specific, e.g. archery or 3D printing? You will certainly find a group in Lübeck that you can join, too.

If you inform yourself about the opportunities beforehand on the internet, you can get in touch before your trip and arrange an appointment.

So it is about being aware of potentially stressful situations, thinking about the intensity with which you might react to them, and what might help you to get through the culture shock.

Notice

If you spend a year or longer in Germany, you should do the same again when you travel home.

Where can you get help?

You are not alone! If you are facing problems, especially during the down phase, that you are unable or unwilling to deal with on your own, you can e.g. contact

the International Office team,
the psychosocial support of the UKSH, or
the psychosocial emergency service.

Or maybe you can just share your experiences with other international students, discuss it on social networks with peers or simply talk to your family or friends at home.

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-In the following interview, we would like to present the culture shock model and how to deal with the effects of culture shock.
+<loop_index id="5ff454711f19b">Culture shock</loop_index>
-Professor Ladwig, you have dealt with the culture shock model in detail. Could you give us a brief explanation?
+The culture shock model (<cite id="60ae6e72ac71b">Oberg+1960</cite>) provides a theoretical basis for what people experience when they spend some time living abroad.
-Es geht in dem Modell darum, darzustellen, wie Menschen, die ins Ausland gehen (Expatriates), mit dieser Situation generell umgehen bzw. wie sie sich in dieser Situation fühlen.
-====What are the phases and how are they characterized?====
+== What are the phases and how are they characterized? ==
-----
+The following figure shows the different phases in a culture shock:
-Visualisierung
+# Preparation,
-----
+# Honeymoon entry,
-====Which symptoms can occur?====
+# Culture shock, and
+# Adjustment.
-In den meisten Fällen treten bei sog. Expatriates Stresssymptome der unterschiedlichen Art und Intensität auf. Auch hier gibt es phasenspezifische Unterschiede  und natürlich auch Unterschiede im Temperatment und in der Erfahrung. Menschen, die schon öfter im Ausland waren, z.B. aus dem diplomatischen Dienst, haben nach einigen Auslandseinsätzen so gut wie keine Stresssymptome mehr.
+<loop_figure title="Culture Shock Model" description="How people experience going abroad" index="true" id="60ae69b4c468b">[[File:CultureShockModel.png|600px]]</loop_figure>
-====What can be done about the symptoms?====
-Is it possible to take preventive measures before entering Germany to alleviate the crisis phase?
-Ja. Wichtig ist, dass sich die Studierenden vor der Ausreise mit dem Thema beschäftigen, das Modell kennen und eben auch wissen, dass es wieder nach oben geht nach dem Tal der Tränen und dass sie das aushalten und nicht aufgeben. Zusätzlich können sie gedanklich (z.B. in Vorbereitungsworkshops) für sie persönlich passende Überlebensstrategien entwickeln und mit den anderen Teilnehmenden diskutieren. Z.B:
+== Which symptoms can occur? ==
-* ich spiele Horn und versuche im Gastland in ein Orchester zu kommen und kontakte es evtl. schon vor meiner Abreise und machen schon einen Termin aus.
-* oder ich bin Sportler:in, spiele seit Jahren Handball im Team und versuche im Ausland auch in ein Team zu kommen
-* oder ich wollte immer schon Bogenschießen lernen, und werde mir aktiv im Gastland eine Gruppe suchen, wo ich das lernen kann…
-Also es geht darum, sich die Stresssituation vorab schon anzusehen, zu überlegen, wie man mit welcher Heftigkeit wohl reagieren wird (auch hier sind die Temperamente ja sehr unterschiedlich) und was helfen könnte, durch das Tal, durch den Kulturschock zu kommen… und sich auch über einen Rückkehrschock Gedanken zu machen, wenn man ein Jahr oder länger weg war (insbesondere z.B. unsere jordanischen Studentinnen bekamen einen Rückkehrschock „ich fühle mich wie im Gefängnis“, weil sie hier in Deutschland viel Freiheiten genossen hatten
+In most cases, a variety of so-called expatriate '''stress symptoms''' can occur of different types and intensities.
-Who can the students turn to if they face great difficulties and are unable to get out of the crisis phase?
+Of course, there are also phase-specific differences and differences in character and experience. People who have been abroad several times, e.g. those in diplomatic service, have almost no more stress symptoms after a few international assignments.
-You are not alone
-IO Team, psychosoziale Beratung und psychosozialen Notdienst UKSH.
+== What can be done about the symptoms? ==
-die sozialen Netzwerke, die Kontakte nach zu Hause etc.
+It is important that you get in touch with the topic before you go abroad. Then you will know that it will get better again after the down time. This will help you to cope with the bad times and not give up. You can also prepare individual strategies for coping and discuss them with other people, e.g. in preparatory workshops.
-----
-Medium: Interview mit Frau Prof. Ladwig (Video)
+Such strategies could look like this:
-----
+* Do you play an instrument? Try to join an orchestra in Lübeck or the local area.
+* Do you play some kind of team sports, like handball or soccer? Maybe you can find a team in Lübeck to play with.
+* Did you always want to learn something specific, e.g. archery or 3D printing? You will certainly find a group in Lübeck that you can join, too.
+If you inform yourself about the opportunities beforehand on the internet, you can get in touch before your trip and arrange an appointment.
+So it is about being aware of potentially stressful situations, thinking about the intensity with which you might react to them, and what might help you to get through the culture shock.
+<loop_area type="notice">If you spend a year or longer in Germany, you should do the same again when you travel home.
+</loop_area>
+== Where can you get help? ==
+You are not alone! If you are facing problems, especially during the down phase, that you are unable or unwilling to deal with on your own, you can e.g. [[Contact information|contact]]
+* the International Office team,
+* the psychosocial support of the UKSH, or
+* the psychosocial emergency service.
+Or maybe you can just share your experiences with other international students, discuss it on social networks with peers or simply talk to your family or friends at home.