文化冲击

Anticipating future events - such as your initial departure.

Plan ways to maintain relationships with people at home while you are away. 一定 to allow ample time to say goodbye to all the people who are important to you, and 计划如何保持联系. This assures people that you will continue to care about 他们.

Planning to stay in touch does not require a promise to email, text or call on a strict schedule, but it does help to establish a realistic plan for communication.

You will be extremely busy getting settled and learning about your new environment, so it is essential that long periods between communications do not alarm your family 家里的朋友.

Some surprises always await you when you arrive in a new place. 人们可以走路 talk more quickly, traffic patterns may be 让人困惑 and buildings may look different 比预期的.

Such differences are easy to see and quickly learned. 上课的方式 are taught, registration for courses, and other procedures may seem strange or very 让人困惑. The international student office is often the best place to go for help 这样的事情.

At first, although the new situation is a bit 让人困惑, most students also find it to be exhilarating, a time of new experiences, sights, sounds and activities. 与 so much to learn and absorb in the new 文化, the initial period of settling in 经常看起来像是一场冒险. During this time, you will tend to look for and identify similarities between your home 文化 and your 主持人的文化. 你会发现人们 真的很友好和乐于助人. The procedures are different, but there are patterns, things that you can learn and depend on. You may classify other aspects of the 文化 that seem unusual or even unattractive as curious, interesting or "quaint.“有 will be many opportunities to meet people off campus; such opportunities can be rewarding, but they also present an expanded array of cultural puzzles.

Gradually, as you become more involved in activities and get to know the people around you, differences-rather than similarities-will become increasingly apparent to you. Those differences may begin to seem more irritating than interesting or quaint. Small incidents and difficulties may make you anxious and concerned about how you should best carry on with academic and social life. As these differences emerge, they can 让人烦恼，有时甚至令人震惊. 文化冲击 does not happen all at once. It is a feeling that grows little by little, as you interact with other students, faculty 还有社区里的人.

For many this gradual process culminates in an emotional state known as "文化 shock," although it is seldom as dramatic as the term implies. 培养的常见症状 冲击:

• 极端的乡愁
• Desire to avoid social settings which seem threatening or unpleasant
• Physical complaints and sleep disturbances
• Depression and feelings of helplessness
• Difficulty with course work and concentration
• 失去幽默感
• 无聊或疲劳
• 对东道国文化的敌意

Students are sometimes unaware of the fact that they are experiencing 文化 shock 当出现这些症状时. There are ways to deal with this period of 文化 shock, so it helps to recognize that 文化 shock may lie behind physical symptoms and irritability.

文化是相对的, which explains why individuals from different 文化s may perceive U.S. 规范不同. 对一些人来说，美国是一个非常重要的国家.S. communication style may seem too direct, while others may find it not direct enough. As an international student, you will be exposed to many new customs, habits and ideas. 试一试 to avoid labeling 他们 as "good" 或“坏."

Adjusting to a new 文化 does not mean that you have to change your own values, but it is important to respect those of other people. 当你发现自己身处 unfamiliar situation try to think of it as a new adventure. 允许自己好奇 about the way things are perceived and done in this new environment.

Since you will encounter unfamiliar rules and norms observing how others are acting in situations can help you understand what behavior is expected of you. 注意 to both the verbal and nonverbal communication of others in order to get a more complete 这是正在发生的事情.

在你需要帮助的时候寻求帮助. Asking for assistance or an explanation is not a sign 软弱的. Understanding others and making yourself understood in a new language (or context) requires lots of rephrasing, repeating and clarification. 这可能会有帮助 to ask questions like "as I understand it you are saying... 对吗??"

Learning to function in a new environment is not easy. 感到焦虑是很自然的 或者有时感到沮丧. The key is to remind yourself that these feelings are normal and are likely to be situational and temporary.

You will inevitably make mistakes as you explore a new 文化. 如果你能找到 humor in these situations and laugh, others will likely respond to you with friendliness 和支持. Keep in mind that others will probably make mistakes, too. 当一个人 makes an inaccurate assumption or a generalized statement about your 文化, it may 因为缺乏信息. If you are comfortable with doing so, this can be an opportunity to share information with others about yourself and your 文化.

Be mindful about keeping a healthy diet and getting enough exercise and rest. 试一试 to find an activity that you enjoy and make it part of your routine. 身体 active can help reduce your stress level.

A U.S. friend (or another international student who has been in the U.S. 数 years) can be a great consultant on cultural expectations. 当你有问题时 or need a second opinion on something this person can help clarify confusions and provide support as you adjust to your new environment.

Many international students find it helpful to discuss their concerns with others who are going through similar transitions. Talking with others about their adjustment to the new 文化 can provide ideas and insights about your own experience.

The process of adjusting to a new 文化 requires time. 它也可能需要不同的 amount of time for different areas of adjustment. 试着鼓励自己成为这样的人 patient with this experience and not be overly critical of yourself.

Adapting to a new 文化 is an ongoing process. It may be challenging at times, but most students who experience 文化 shock agree that going through this transition helped 他们 to learn more about 他们selves and to develop greater confidence in their 适应新环境的能力. It can also lead to a renewed appreciation of 自己的文化. There are many people on campus who are available to provide you 的支持下. Keep in mind that you do not have to struggle alone. 你可以伸出援手 to the counseling office on any campus at 816.604.1000.

Throughout the period of cultural adaptation, take good care of yourself. 读一本书 or rent a video in your home language, take a short trip if possible, exercise and get plenty of rest, write an email or telephone home, eat good food and do things 你喜欢和朋友在一起. Take special notice of things you enjoy about living in the 主持人的文化.

Although it can be disconcerting and a little scary, the "shock" gradually eases as you begin to understand the new 文化. It is useful to realize that often the reactions and perceptions of others toward you-and you toward 他们-are not personal evaluations but are based on a clash of cultural values. The more skilled you become in recognizing how and when cultural values and behaviors are likely to come in conflict, the easier it becomes to make adjustments that can help you avoid serious difficulties.