JunweiCai Jan 23, 2011 WR135 Carothers/ 2:00pm (paper#3) Dr. Carothers Culture shock It is universally acknowledged that culture shock is a very common topic of conversation for people who are new to a culture, because it is the people who immigrate to a strange place have experienced . As Nemours company reported, culture shock happens when a person leaves their familiar situation and moves to a strange place(Nemours). With the development of time, the abroad rate become increasingly. It is reported by the chronicle of higher education website that “some 671,616 international students attended U.S. institutions in 2008-9”(Higher Education) .There is “approximately 340 international students from 22 different countries studying at WOU.” (Western Oregon University) Maybe they all have experienced the above situations and have some different views about culture shock. Actually not all people can adapt to the culture shock after long time to adjust themselves, some people are horribly fed up with moving to a new culture, such as living in a new country, new environment, and new family. They believe that the culture chock often brings some negative effect on people. As the interviews with international students show, some people think that if the people do not realize the customs and culture about this new country, and special occasions, something will make them very embarrassed. I can total understand what they feel because I experienced an embarrassing situation. When I lived in Monmouth, I found people are used to greeting each other. Even if they meet strangers, they will smile and say hello to each other. I considered that this belongs to American customs. One day, on the way back home, I saw a beautiful girl far away from me smile and greet me, but I was very confused because I did not recognize her. After thinking briefly, I tried to wave my hand in response. Suddenly, she asked a question then I realized that she was saying hello to another person. It made me feel very embarrassed. Some international students have said that it is so difficult for them to integrate themselves into the people who are around them, because of the different culture and they cannot find a common interest, and often face some academic challenges, that are difficult for them. They said that language is the biggest academic challenge for them while living in a new environment. As UKCISA company reported, for international students “constantly listening and speaking in a foreign language is tiring. If English is not their first language, they may find that they miss their familiar language which at home would have been part of their everyday environment.” Sometimes they do not know how to use the transportation, or where the restaurants and supermarkets are. In different place people should pay attention to the weather and behavior. People are horribly impatient with the negative effects of the culture shock. Then for the people who live in a new family, some people fell that they cannot accommodate the foreigner’s taste, which can perplex new people, and exchange stedents are allergic to some food. If they live in the new family, the family cannot change their diet habits for exchange students who live in the new family. As Hu said, most Asian international student studying in high school in Australia often chose to live in home-stay. According to an interview with the students, they claim that raw vegetables are cooked better in their countries, and they complain that they usually eat half-cooked vegetables. Furthermore, one student discussed with his family to provide better rice, but his family refused, and they tthought it is the best rice. (Hu) Many people are horribly impatient with these situation, which are caused by culture shock. From my perspective, I am fascinated that people can move to a new culture. And I enjoy realizing new stuff, especially the customs and culture. It is very useful to communicate with foreigners. The people in the first phase of culture shock will be curious about some new things. They attempt to comprehend the different culture and customs and think that everything is better than where they live. Like Danny De Hek emphasizes, “Like anything new, when arriving in a different or new environment you tend to experience a feeling of joy and excitement, anything new or unusual encountered is viewed as fun and interesting, which is why this phase is sometimes referred to as the ‘honeymoon’ stage.” When I came to America, I was very excited because I was in America which is the strongest developed country. While I was constantly exploring, I had learned an amount of knowledge about different areas. Although this always includes the difficulties, when I conquer the difficulties, I am very fulfilled. I like to make friends with different people, so when I came to America, I often communicated with local people.This is why lots of parents send their child to go abroad to studying, because this experience is so valuable. Sometimes people tend to grow in frustrations, after overcoming the differenties; they will have more worthwhile experience. We can benefit from the culture shock; it is useful for our future life. In my opinion, if the people move into new circumstances, culture shock is unavoidable. Every person should experience this situation. The situation cannot change, so we have to adapt to the new situation, such as the Monmouth weather. The local people do not use umbrellas when it is raining outside, and so far we have gotten used to this weather. The culture shock leaves us the most precious experience and we can benefit from it. The American education style is different from Chinese, the professor usually arrange us to have a group meeting, which is a big challenge for us because of culture shock. We have to communicate with local people using English. Although sometimes we cannot understand totally, according to communicating to foreigners, it can improve our spoken- English, and then we can make lots foreign friends. It is a big advantage for the people who go abroad to find a better job in the future. Although it is a little difficult to graduate from the American university, we can learn something what cannot learn in our own country that is a significant reason why more and more people study overseas. The majority of people had experienced the hard times because maybe they are in second part, after spending the most difficult, they will adapt to the new culture, and the experience will be useful through their lives. Reference “Culture Shock”, TeensHealth from Nemours, kidshealth.org, web n.d, 19, Jan,2011 “Number of Foreign Students in U.S. Hit a New High Last Year”The Chronicle of Higher Education,1255 Twenty-Third St, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20037, ezproxy.wou.edu:2058 .1 Feb. 2011. Hu, Xiaoqiong. "The Culture Shock that Asian Students Experience in Immersion Education."Changing English: Studies in Culture & Education 15.1 (2008): 101-105. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO.Web. 1 Feb. 2011. “International students and scholars” Western Oregon University, www.wou.edu, Web. 1 Feb. 2011. “International students and culture shock” UKCISA, http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/culture_shock.php#shock, web, December 2008, 14 Feb.2011 Danny De Hek. “Culture shock” New Zealand Immigration Packs, http://www.nz-immigration.co.nz/lifestyle/culture-shock.html, web, December 2008, 14 Feb.2011