Reading Expansion

Four Stages of Acculturation

An individual or family relocating overseas is about to Clue tremendous changes in their life. They will be intrigued -- and Clue -- by new sights, sounds, smells and ways of thinking and living. Changes in cultural identity, social position and etiquette will all take getting used to. Foreign languages, dress, food and customs are all part of the excitement and challenge of moving to a new land.

Anyone who moves to another country will Clue go through acculturation. Whether people choose to or not, they will go through these four stages of acculturation.

EUPHORIA -- When first in a foreign country, one finds it quite Clue that most things are so unlike back home. During this initial phase the immigrants will experience a period of excitement over the newness of the surroundings.

RESISTANCE -- Frequent comparisons between home and the new country make everything back home seem so much better. Many people in this stage experience culture shock. This term refers to phenomena ranging from mild irritability to deep psychological panic and crisis. Persons undergoing culture shock view their new world with resentment and Clue between being angry at others for not understanding them and being filled with Clue.

TRANSFORMATION -- Usually this is about nine months Clue, when individuals feel more familiar with the environment and begin to see the good side of the new country. Often, people in this stage go to the extreme of Clue their own culture. Some people may try to take on a totally new cultural identity. They refuse to speak their native language or Clue with their own countrymen. They tend to view their own culture with a negative attitude and Clue, and its customs and traditions as backward or uncivilized. However, no matter how much a person changes outwardly, he cannot shed his roots. Culture is embedded in a person's thinking and behavior. One simply cannot shed one's cultural roots and transform into a different person.

Ideally, people continue the natural course of acculturation to the final stage of INTEGRATION. Cultural barriers are Clue. Individuals finally learn to appreciate both their own heritage and the new way of life. If new immigrants understand and anticipate the four stages of acculturation, much of the stress and turmoil of relocation can be dealt with.

• From the book LIVING ABROAD by Dr. Cathy Tsang-Feign • www.livingabroadbook.com