This document discusses the different phases of culture shock that people often experience when moving to a new culture. It begins with an initial "honeymoon phase" where everything is exciting and new. This is typically followed by a period of "anxiety" as the novelty wears off and adjusting to the new culture becomes more difficult. People may feel negativity, miscommunication, and dislike for the new culture during this phase. Eventually, most people adjust further and start to feel more at home in the new culture. However, some people experience "reverse culture shock" when returning to their home culture, finding it dull in comparison. The document provides examples from the author's own experiences with these phases of culture shock in different cultures.
2. Best advice for intercultural
communication?
• Study English
• Study English hard
• Study English like crazy
3. English is the “global” language
• It’s your best chance
• So study like crazy!
• Even if you eventually live in a country where
they people don’t speak English …
• …learning English now will help you learn
another language later
• Language is probably the most difficult part of
any foreign culture
4. Language is the best tool in
intercultural communication
• But it’s not the only consideration
• What other things do you need to think
about?
25. My experience in Japan
• So many new things
• Nice, polite hosts
• People speak English
• Hosts genuinely enjoy visitors who find
everything exciting
• So new visitors are popular
• So people are even nicer …
28. Like with a real marriage …
• … maybe you shouldn’t start a family too early
• … your feelings may change later
• … even so, you SHOULD enjoy it
• Why not?
36. • Compare the old and the new (maybe the new
doesn’t seem so good)
• The rhythms of the new culture may not suit
you
• You start to realize that you are not
communicating so well