Unit: 2 - Lesson: 3
Christine - Challenges Acculturating

Questions from the instructor for this forum:

• Is it easy for you to change your habits and/or lifestyle?
• If you are an immigrant, tell us about your experiences acculturating.

I think it is always hard to change lifestyle, habits or enviroment. I think it is not necessary change place of living to go through these four stages of acculturating. If you have experience of changing of work (company), you have sismilar experience of acculturation.

I see that it's very hard to change own lifestyle at all. When I enter a new place anyway I look for likeminded people to save my habbits.

Every relocation in my life was at different age - at each relocation moment I've a different habbits and It's hard to compare which of them are more comfortable :)

I have never thought about process of changing my lifestyle. However, I changed my life in 2000(I had graduated from high school, left my parents' home, moved to Moscow, started living in a dorm). I changed my life in 2006(I had graduated from a university, started working as engineer, rented a flat). In 2007 I and my girlfriend decided to live together, we got merried in 2008, we had our daughter in 2009......So, my lifestyle was changing for whole my life. I've just noticed that. It was pretty easy for me.

• Is it easy for you to change your habits and/or lifestyle?

I don’t really know whether it’s easy for me to change habits; I would like to think that I can do this comfortably! I do know that I am usually excited about new experiences. However, I know that adopting a new lifestyle is a major transformation. It must be easier for some people than for others, depending on their personality.

• If you are an immigrant, tell us about your experiences acculturating.

I have lived in different places, and have therefore experienced much of what is described in the Expansion article, “Four Stages of Acculturation.” I have also observed my students from other countries, as they move through these stages. Even though it can be challenging, I believe that it is a process of enrichment as well as of survival. It is one of the rewards of connecting with different people in different cultures.

I cannot imaging that I live in other country, not in Russia. But if we tell about habits I think everybody change there habits and lifestyle during the life. So am I, and it is often not easy, for example before I found my current job I had thought that I can work all the day and it was not so difficult.

And of course we should change some habits when we start live with other person, and we are exposed his habits' influence.

I have been living in Russia for all my life, but I'm planning to relocate to America this year.

I'm totally agree that the main challenge is the language.

Regarding the habits and lifestyle, I suppose that if  you move to another country you have to adjust yourself to this country.   This is the only way to do not feel isolated.

Currently, I refer to newness with interest and excitement. So, as for movement overseas for a while, I'd love to do it. I would watch how foreigners live, what is the different between their and mine lifestyle and then I will be able to appreciate advantages of each country. I wouldn't say it's hard to me to change my habits, but I can suppose so, because I didn't try that :)

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

I lived 12 years in USA but it is too difficult to change my habits and lifestyle. I try my best to addopt to everything but sometime I miss my culture.

Is it easy for you to change your habits and/or lifestyle?

After living in the USA for more than 20 years, it is still hard for me to adapt to this culture. I miss a lot the social environtment I had in my country, especially the time I used to spend with my extended family. The regular daily work schedule is too long here and the lunch breaks are too short. It hasn't been easy for me to get used to not having enough time to just enjoy my hobbies and to spend more time with my family.

When I came to United States it was hard because I couldn't understand anything that the teacher said. Also when my sister was watching TV  I was bored because I didn't  understand  and I fell asleep. At chrismas time it was hard for me because I missed my family. In United States christmas is like one more day. It is totally different in Mexico. All my family came to my house to prepaired the tradicional Mexican food and pinatas. My favorite part was when all my brothers and sisters were together all night outside in front of the fireplace. They were telling jokes, it was fun. Finally I'm still traying to understand Americans.

I’ve been in Santa Rosa only since 8 months; it means that I’m still in the early stages of my acculturating process.  Most of my efforts    are focused on the language:  This is challenging  for me, first  because I am an adult and my learning process is slower  than that of younger people, and second because  I have no opportunities now  to meet other  people and practice the little I speak.

That’s why I planned to go back to school and learn and practice English; after that I’m also planning to complete a study program to achieve a Vocational Certificate or an Associate Degree.

I think that the college could be a good start, for me, for the purpose of knowing   American culture and Americans more closely; I’d like to socialize more with Americans, but I don’t think I will encounter more problems other than these:  I can define myself as a open- minded and quiet tolerant person, and this should mean that I will live my life without being in conflict with Americans’ habits and life style.

I want to live following my culture, knowing better and respecting this country’s culture, but not changing my habits.

Living in a country that is not yours, in my opinion, will be a lifetime acculturation process.

Thank you for your comment, Esperanza.  I know what you're talking about.  It is DEFINITELY NOT easy to learn this language.  But one good thing is: you can listen to these conversations as many times as you need or want, and every time you will understand a little bit more. You can also read the transcripts with direct links to the vocabulary items (they have been added).  Little by little, you'll become comfortable with this material.  Good luck!

THAT WAS NOT SO EASY.

I STILL CONTINUING IN THAT PROCESS, THE BIGGER PROBLEM FOR ME IS THE LANGUAGE

THEREFORE , I AM HERE STUDYING ESL.

ESPERANZA PEREZ.

I know what she is talking about....hahaha!