Table of ContentsIntroductionDefinition of “Culture Shock”Stages of Culture ShockThe U-Curve ModelCriticisms of the Phases ModelHow to Mitigate Culture Shock for Exchange StudentsConclusionBibliographyIntroductionThousands and Numbers Thousands of students around the world enter a foreign country to live abroad for a period of time while studying. Sometimes just for a short period of time, but other times for life chapters. Experiencing different cultures and connecting with people from all over the world is part of today's society. Useful for your own social contacts but also later to find the perfect job and become what you always dreamed of. But new cultures often involve huge differences from familiar, proper behaviors or mannerisms. Focusing on how these differences particularly influence the start of life in another country for students, it is worth mentioning that there is a special term for this way of behaving and feeling. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay on “Culture Shock.” Culture shock has become increasingly significant due to changing society, changing global structure/infrastructure, and the ever-changing stages of globalization. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to reveal the stages of culture shock so that it can be detected more easily and to give tips for solving upcoming problems between different cultures during student exchanges. We can also wonder whether the stages of culture shock are correctly differentiated and whether there are impacts on quality of life or productivity. Definition of “Culture Shock” To define the term culture shock, we can generally say that it is “a mental state that results from the transition that occurs when you move from a familiar to an unfamiliar environment and that you find that your old established patterns of behavior are ineffective. » So, to simplify, it's sort of a natural reaction to unfamiliar environments and especially their culture and behavior. The term was first used by Kalervo Oberg in 1954. He was an American anthropologist who also developed the phase model with the stages of culture shock which are also presented later in this article. Today, other influences are added to Oberg's firsts. This not only causes disruptions in daily life, but also in routines, ego and self-image. Today's typical view has led to a model consisting of four stages and the "U-curve" figure to vividly analyze the process of culture shock. Stages of Culture Shock In general, there are four different stages into which culture shock can be divided. the stages cannot be precisely isolated from each other and not everyone takes these stages automatically. In the following paragraphs, the steps will be presented in detail and illustrated in the form of a “U-curve” at the end. To mention them by name, the stages are divided into excitation phase, disenchantment phase, beginning resolution phase and effective operation phase. Excitement/Honeymoon Phase In this phase, everything new is exciting, interesting, and differences from clean, familiar situations or mannerisms are seen as something good and special. It's exciting to meet new people whobehave differently from those in their country of origin. Many differences appearing in the new culture can lead to motivation or willingness to face new differences and learn more about the country and culture. You are excited by rather small things like smells or sounds. So we can sort of say that anything new and different is good at this stage of entering a new country. It is often also called the honeymoon phase when entering a foreign country. The students are absolutely in love with it and think the decision to go abroad was the best one they have ever made. Disenchantment/Crisis Phase Here you have gotten to know the country and its ways for some time already. You start to notice things that aren't what you imagined. It is often referred to as the period of crisis. Language difficulties or other barriers arise. Students experience feelings of disappointment and begin to feel sad about things that don't work out the first time. This leads to a lack of motivation and everything seems horrible. Additionally, small differences are treated as disasters, leading to considerable stress and frustration. The inhabitants of the host country seem cold and we begin to develop prejudices. Eventually, travelers begin to get homesick. They receive messages from home and even small or unimportant news is treated like major events that they miss. Simple good weather or the opening of a new store can be reasons to intensify the feeling of homesickness and not feeling welcome in the host country. Some typical symptoms are disorientation, feelings of rejection, homesickness, mental and physical illness, feeling misunderstood or even withdrawal from your time abroad. Start of the resolution/recovery phase Since the start of the life abroad project, the traveler has already spent time in their host country. Little by little, understanding of the other culture increases. He gets to know the manners and behaviors that were at first so different from those of his country of origin. Start accepting and perhaps even implementing some less different aspects in the host country. Now, exchange students know how to behave or how to do things in order to get along with the culture and the natives. Maybe it’s driving across the street or agreeing to different work hours. The traveler really gets to know the context of the culture better to better understand how and especially why it works the way it does, because the emotion is really strong. This stage is completed and we can much better focus on the important ways to acquire new knowledge. Success is visible and motivates visitors. Misunderstandings do not automatically lead to stress or frustration, they often end in funny situations that can make you laugh. The attitude of “while I’m here, I should make the most of it” develops. Eventually, everything begins to seem more logical because there is no longer overthinking every action, gesture, or other expression of oneself or the host natives. Acceptance and adjustment happen slowly. Travelers don't exactly identify with the culture and its ways but they get along with it. To put it generally, visitors see everything more objectively and “the individual is now a more fully functioning person and is less dependent on others.” Effective Operation/Adjustment Phase The last phase is referred to as the adaptation stage. The traveler acceptsthe host culture and can be considered part of it. Unlike the third phase, the individual no longer experiences problems or setbacks because he or she is satisfied with the cultural behavior. It is now possible to identify with the host culture. Exploring new differences no longer affects you negatively. You yourself can resolve the upcoming problems or questions. Sure, you see more effective ways of doing something over time, but you think about solutions in a different way. A way more oriented towards the host culture. So a complete understanding is not what you need to accept the host culture, rather it is the way of thinking about how a host native would interact and be facilitated by the flow of events. Often, travelers become attached to the host country a second time (like during the excitement phase) and enjoy living with their current situation. The U-Curve Model In 1955, Sverre Lysgaard developed the U-shaped cultural adjustment curve which describes the stages of cultural adaptation. People experience culture shock when living in a new culture. On the x-axis, the time and on the y-axis, the mood stage is displayed. So, to describe the progress, we can say that the entry into the country abroad, the honeymoon phase is one of the most tense stages of the experience and the stay is feeling good. After a while, the excitement fades more and more until it reaches the minimum by experiencing the crisis. Then a slow but gradual recovery begins and leads to the point of maximum tension and adaptation to the host culture. The naming of some time intervals may be different because all individuals go through the stages at a different pace. Some say it takes a year to adapt to the new culture, others say it takes much longer or longer. But individuals living in a host country for a very long time often experience these curves several times. After reaching the adjustment that leads them to a new honeymoon, they sometimes discover new differences and new problems that cannot be solved on the first try. and a good solution for a person's personal development and leads to positive consequences.Zuckerman, 1978Often, culture shock is associated negatively and with the suffering of the individual. But some people do not experience these stages of suffering. They do not experience the negative aspects mentioned above. These experiences lead to pleasure for those called Sensation Seekers. Adler (1975) and David (1972) Another point of view concerns the development of this individual and the gains he derives from culture shock. He does not suffer from it but rather acquires new values, attitudes and behaviors. The difficulties the traveler faces make him more adaptable, flexible and insightful. How to mitigate culture shock for exchange students There are ways to make exchange students feel better and mitigate some of the consequences of culture shock for them. At the beginning, it is important to be aware of culture shock. If a student is considering going abroad, he or she should educate themselves about this common problem that almost everyone faces. With an overview of what can and probably will happen, one can easily prepare to go through these steps. It is also always necessary to consider the problems that will likely be encountered abroad. Students prepare by learning to be more patient and maintain their composure even in more difficult situations. They must allow themselves to fail at any time and not put themselves under pressure. Additionally, careful care is important. It's necessary