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CultureShock:AFishOutofWaterKalveroObergwasoneofthefirstwriterstoidentifyfivedistinctstagesofcultureshock.Hefoundthatallhumanbeingsexperiencethesamefeelingswhentheytraveltoorliveinadifferentcountryorculture.Hefoundthatcultureshockisalmostlikeadisease:ithasacause,symptoms,andacure.Wheneversomeonetravelsoverseastheyarelikeafishoutofwater.Likethefish,theyhavebeenswimmingintheirownculturealltheirlives.Afishdoesn'tthinkaboutwhatwateritisin.Likewise,weoftendonotthinktoomuchaboutthecultureweareraisedin.Ourculturehelpstoshapeouridentity.Manyofthecuesofinterpersonalcommunication(bodylanguage,words,facialexpressions,toneofvoice,idioms,slang)aredifferentindifferentcultures.Oneofthereasonsthatwefeellikeafishoutofwaterwhenweenteranewculture,isthatwedonotknowallofthecuesthatareusedinthenewculture.Psychologiststellusthattherearefivedistinctphases(orstages)ofcultureshock.Itisimportanttounderstandthatcultureshockhappenstoallpeoplewhotravelabroad,butsomepeoplehavemuchstrongerreactionsthanothers.Duringthefirstfewdaysofaperson'sstayinanewcountry,everythingusuallygoesfairlysmoothly.Thenewcomerisexcitedaboutbeinginanewplacewheretherearenewsightsandsounds,newsmellsandtastes.Thenewcomermayhavesomeproblems,butusuallyacceptsthemasjustpartofthenewness.Theymayfindthemselvesstayinginhotelsorwithahome-stayfamilythatisexcitedtomeettheforeignstranger.Thenewcomermayfindthattheredcarpethasbeenrolledoutandtheymaybetakentorestaurants,moviesandtoursofthesights.Thenewacquaintancesmaywanttotakethenewcomerouttomanyplacesandshowthemoff.Thisfirststageofcultureshockiscalledthehoneymoonphase.Unfortunately,thishoneymoonphaseoftencomestoanendfairlysoon.Thenewcomerhastodealwithtransportationproblems(busesthatdon'tcomeontime),shoppingproblems(can'tbuytheirfavoritefoods)orcommunicationproblems(justwhatdoesChillout,dude.mean?).Itmaystarttoseemlikepeoplenolongercareaboutyourproblems.Theymayhelp,buttheydon'tseemtounderstandyourconcernoverwhattheyseeassmallproblems.Youmightevenstarttothinkthatthepeopleinthehostcountrydon'tlikeforeigners.Thismayleadtothesecondstageofcultureshock,knownastherejectionphase.Thenewcomermaybegintofeelaggressiveandstarttocomplainaboutthehostculture/country.Itisimportanttorecognizethatthesefeelingsarerealandcanbecomeserious.Thisphaseisakindofcrisisinthe'disease'ofcultureshock.Itiscalledtherejectionphasebecauseitisatthispointthatthenewcomerstartstorejectthehostcountry,complainingaboutandnoticingonlythebadthingsthatbotherthem.Atthisstagethenewcomereithergetsstrongerandstays,orgetsweakerandgoeshome(physically,mentallyorboth).Ifyoudon'tsurvivestagetwosuccessfully,youmayfindyourselfmovingintostagethree:theregressionphase.Thewordregressionmeansmovingbackward,andinthisphaseofcultureshock,youspendmuchofyourtimespeakingyourownlanguage,watchingvideosfromyourhomecountry,eatingfoodfromhome.Youmayalsonoticethatyouaremovingaroundcampusoraroundtownwithagroupofstudentswhospeakyourownlanguage.Youmayspendmostofthistimecomplainingaboutthehostcountry/culture.Alsointheregressionphase,youmayonlyrememberthegoodthingsaboutyourhomecountry.Yourhomelandmaysuddenlyseemmarvelouslywonderful;allthedifficultiesthatyouhadthereareforgottenandyoumayfindyourselfwonderingwhyyoueverleft(hint:YoulefttolearnEnglish!).Youmaynowonlyrememberyourhomecountryasawonderfulplaceinwhichnothingeverwentwrongforyou.Ofcourse,thisisnottrue,butanillusioncreatedbyyourcultureshock'disease.'Ifyousurvivethethirdstagesuccessfully(ormissitcompletely)youwillmoveintothefourthstageofcultureshockcalledtherecoveryphaseortheat-ease-at-lastphase.Inthisstageyoubecomemorecomfortablewiththelanguageandyoualsofeelmorecomfortablewiththecustomsofthehostcountry.Youcannowmovearoundwithoutafeelingofanxiety.Youstillhaveproblemswithsomeofthesocialcuesandyoumaystillnotunderstandeverythingpeoplesay(especiallyidioms).However,youarenow90%adjustedtothenewcultureandyoustarttorealizethatnocountryisthatmuchbetterthananother-itisjustdifferentlifestylesanddifferentwaystodealwiththeproblemsoflife.Withthiscompleteadjustment,youacceptthefood,drinks,habitsandcustomsofthehostcountry,andyoumayevenfindyourselfpreferringsomethingsinthehostcountrytothingsathome.Youhavenowunderstoodthattherearedifferentwaystoliveyourlifeandthatnowayisreallybetterthananother,justdifferent.Finally,youhavebecomecomfortableinthenewplace.Itisimportanttorememberthatnoteveryoneexperiencesallthephasesofcultureshock.Itisalsoimportanttoknowthatyoucanexperienceallofthematdifferenttimes:youmightexperiencetheregressionphasebeforetherejectionphase,etc.YoumightevenexperiencetheregressionphaseonMonday,theateasephaseonTuesday,thehoneymoonphaseonWednesday,andtherejectionphaseagainonThursday.WhatwillFridaybelike?Muchlater,youmayfindyourselfreturningtoyourhomelandand-guesswhat?-youmayfindyourselfenteringthefifthphaseofcultureshock.Thisiscalledreversecultureshockorreturncultureshockandoccurswhenyoureturnhome.Youhavebeenawayforalongtime,becomingcomfortablewiththehabitsandcustomsofanewlifestyleandyoumayfindthatyouarenolongercompletelycomfortableinyourhomecountry.Manythings