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The best way to prepare for life in another cultrue

I think the best way to prepare for life In another culture is equipping yourself
with all knowledge about that culture as well as problems you may face when
living in that culture. Here are some valuable information
Moving to a different country is a new chapter in the life of many people. Often
this move requires lots of sudden changes in our lifestyle. Our environment
shifts, our neighbours change and most of all we see a rapid shift in our culture.
This sudden change in culture can create many overwhelming challenges. This
is called culture shock.
Social scientists have determined that there are typically four stages of culture
shock:

 The “euphoria” or “honeymoon” stage begins with a person’s arrival in a

new country and is associated with overwhelmingly positive impressions
and fascination with the new culture or environment.
 Next, the “withdrawal” or “irritability” stage begins when the initial
excitement of being in a new country wears off. In this stage, it is
common for people to feel irritated and critical of the local culture, to be
hyper-focused on differences between the local culture and home, and to
feel isolated or withdrawn.
 The “adjustment” phase is a gradual phase in which an individual
becomes accepting of and accustomed to, the new local cultural norms
and is able to interpret subtle cultural clues in everyday interactions. In
this stage, an individual will be more involved and engaged in the local
society.
 In the final “enthusiasm” or “biculturalism” phase, an individual will
perceive the local culture to be less foreign and much more like home. In
this stage, an individual not only will understand the local culture, they
will greatly enjoy it and actually prefer some of these cultural practices
over those of their home.

Culture shock is a real phenomenon faced by many ex-pats living in foreign

countries. However, this shock is nothing to worry about as it is natural, and it
takes time to adjust in a new environment.
If you are an ex-pat experiencing culture shock, here are some tips that you can
do to improve your situation and get a better grip of the new culture.
Culture is relative
Culture is relative, which explains why individuals from different cultures may
perceive American norms differently. For some, the American 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. Try to avoid labeling them as "good" or "bad" according to the culture
you are from. Remember that there may be parts of a culture you dislike or
disapprove of, but these are part of a broader social system, and therefore make
more sense inside that system.
Keep an open mind
One of the most effective ways of dealing with culture shock is to keep an open
mind and welcome the surprising experiences as they arise.
Adjusting to a new culture doesn’t mean that you have to change your own
values, but it is important to respect those of other people. When you find
yourself in an unfamiliar situation, try to think of it as a new adventure. Allow
yourself to be curious about the way things are perceived and done in this new
environment.
Starting your life in a new country is an experience of a lifetime. While you’re
at it, try to make the best out of it. Instead of being overwhelmed by the change,
focus on all the benefits and new things you previously didn’t have. Try to see
things from a different perspective and teach yourself to adapt.
Make the most out of your opportunities and look at all the new places and
culture you have to explore. Visit historical sites, learn new languages and try to
blend in with the locals and make the most out of your experience.
Commit to saying yes as much as possible. Accept invitations to events, eat
strange food, offer to help out a new friend, and discover your new home’s
cultures and traditions for yourself. Of course, you should also use common
sense and be sure to stay safe, healthy and not push yourself too hard.
Use your observation skills
You have to keep in mind that the place you are going to have different social
tendencies. So my advise would be to, at first, observe the people in the country
you are going to: their habits, communication styles and values. Learn the rules
of living in your new country. Try to understand how and why the local people
act the way they do. Their behaviour and customs, although they may be
different from your own, are neither better nor worse than what you are used to.
Learn as much as you can about your host country and it will make it much
easier for you.
Since you will encounter unfamiliar rules and norms, observing how others are
acting in situations can help you understand what behavior is behavior is
expected of you. Pay attention to both the verbal and nonverbal communication
of others in order to get a more complete picture of what is happening.
Give yourself (and others) permission to make mistakes
Don’t expect to get everything right. You’re bound to make mistakes, forget
things, and get lost. The first few weeks are all about getting it wrong, wasting
time, not understanding, feeling stupid. There will be plenty of time to catch
up… after all, it’s common for people to be off with flu for a few weeks and
still get through the year successfully.
You will inevitably make mistakes as you explore a new culture. If you can find
the humor in these situations and laugh at them, others will likely respond to
you with friendliness and support.. Keep in mind that others will probably make
mistakes, too; when someone makes an inaccurate assumption or a generalized
statement about your culture, it may be due to a lack of information. If you’re
comfortable with doing so, this can be an opportunity to share information with
others about yourself and your culture.
Take care of your physical health
Be mindful about keeping a healthy diet and getting enough exercise and rest.
Try to find an activity that you enjoy and make it part of your routine. Being
physically active can help reduce your stress level. Find ways to relieve stress:
exercising can help you burn off nervous energy while exploring your new
home. Yoga or meditation could help you relax. Exploring new hobbies or
joining a student club on campus, especially those that encourage socializing
and meeting new people, can help you overcome culture shock.
Seek out support from other people
The best way to survive culture shock is to talk with other people who are
experiencing the exact same thing. Talk to your friends in your program; talk to
your local coordinator; talk to anybody who is sharing that experience with you
because they can truly empathize. Ask them about how they feel, strategies
they’ve used to cope with cultural differences.
Also, learn from them. They may have figured out something you’re still
confused about.
Making friends with other international students and locals will help you to feel
more at home. International students will be able to understand what you are
going through and provide advice on how to cope, while locals will help you
develop a deeper understanding of the culture and country.
If you were an oversea student at a university, don’t hesitate to approach your
advisors, counsellors, professors in case you are in distress. Most universities
have well-trained facilitators to help students facing such difficulties. Feel free
to reach out to them if needed. Tackling such issues alone could cause more
damage to your mental health than you imagine.
It is good to stay in touch with family and friends back home. But remember, if
you spend all your time connected to them, it just keeps feeding homesickness
even more. So, forget your phone for a while and go exploring! Call your family
and friends but remember to not stay in contact with them too often. It will only
result in feeding your homesickness even more.
Be patient - don’t try to understand everything immediately
You have left all your previous habits, changed your environment and are
surrounded by new customs and people. Know that initially, you will face
powerful feelings of insecurity and confusion. And it is totally normal. After all,
you have completely changed the way you lived your previous life.
The process of adjusting to a new culture requires time. It may also require a
different amount of time for different areas of adjustment. Try to encourage
yourself to be patient with this experience and not be overly critical of yourself
Remember, culture shock is an absolutely common reaction when you travel to
a new environment and happens with most international students-so you’re not
alone. It can be easily dealt with patience ans gradual acceptance of the new
culture. Use it as a stepping stone to explore new opportunities and learn to be
more adaptive

1. Learn the language

Learning the language of the country where you’ll come ahead of time will be
invaluable in terms of acclimating to the new culture, and in reducing some of
the effects of culture shock, particularly in the second “withdrawal” or
“irritability” stage.

When people don’t speak the language of the host country, they may feel
excited about being in a foreign country at first, but eventually they will become
frustrated or angry if they find communication barriers difficult to overcome
when trying to accomplish daily tasks.

During this phase of negative emotions and frustration, many people will
actively seek and exclusively interact with native speakers of their own
language, forming “cliques” that aren’t necessarily involved with members of
the host country and speakers of the local language.
By limiting your interactions to speakers of your language, your ability to
immerse yourself in the host country and culture will be severely limited.
Learning as much of the language as you can before you leave your home
country is the best way to get the most out of your time abroad,

2. Do your research
Take time to do as much research as you possibly can about the host country.

More than likely, you already know a little about the country where you’ll come
– after all, you probably chose that location for a reason. Aside from having a
broad perception of the country, however, try to develop more specific
knowledge of that country and its cultural practices.

You can read the materials from the bookstore or library or search out
websites, blogs, forums, videos, podcasts, or any other resource pertaining to
travel and life in the host country. Many travelers are sharing their experiences
online or offering advice to others. You’ll be surprised at how much useful
information you will find by spending a little bit of time searching on Google.

I.Curent and previous approaches to the study of cross-cultural

communication
Currently, there are four primary approaches to the study of intercultural
communication: social science, interpretive, critical and dialectical. Since its
early development, intercultural communication has been an interdisciplinary
field.
The Social Science Approach
The social science approach is based on the assumptions that human behavior is
predictable and that there is a describable external reality. This approach, also
called the functionalist approach, is based on research in the fields of sociology
and psychology. Scholars seek to describe and predict behavior by using the
social science approach, and they frequently rely on quantitative methods.
These scholars believe that culture is a measurable variable, and that culture
influences communication in much the same way as personality traits do. The
goal of the social science approach is to predict how culture influences
communication.
The Interpretive Approach
Interpretive researchers are interested in describing human behaviors which
they believe to be unpredictable and creative; they believe that culture is both
created and perpetuated through the means of communication. The interpretive
approach uses qualitative research methods that originated in the fields of
anthropology and linguistics. These methods include field studies,
ethnographies, observations and participant observations. Interpretive
researchers typically become directly involved with members of the
communities they are studying and often form close friendships with them. The
interpretive approach studies culture from the perspective of members of the
cultures being studied rather than through a framework imposed by the
researcher.
The Critical Approach
The critical approach views reality as subjective and focuses on the importance
of studying the context in which communication occurs. Critical scholars view
culture in terms of power struggles and study cultural differences specifically as
they relate to unequal distribution of power within society. They are interested
not only in studying human behavior across cultures, but also in effecting
change in society. They believe that by their study and analysis of the role of
power in cultural encounters, they can assist people in opposing the oppressive
forces in society.
The Dialectical Approach
The dialectical approach acknowledges the value of the social science, critical
and interpretive approaches, at the same time, it requires that we do not limit
ourselves to the perspective provided by one of these approaches. The
dialectical approach calls for the simultaneous acceptance of all three
perspectives. An acceptance of multiple perspectives expands our perception of
the world and allows us to create new categories and to see the complex
potential of the study of intercultural communication.

The previous approach: Qualitative Research

Qualitative researchers seek to develop a comprehensive understanding of
human behavior, using inductive approaches to investigate the meanings people
attribute to their behavior, actions, and interactions with others. In other words,
qualitative researchers seek to gain insights into life experiences by exploring
the depth, richness, and complexity inherent to human phenomenon. To gather
data, qualitative researchers use direct observation and immersion, interviews,
open-ended surveys, focus groups, content analysis of visual and textual
material, and oral histories. Qualitative research studies involving cross-
language issues are particularly complex in that they require investigating
meanings, interpretations, symbols, and the processes and relations of social
life.