In this article, you will learn what things you might experience when leaving your home culture,

how to adapt to your host culture, and what you can expect when returning to your home culture again. It is important to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally to have a healthy intercultural adaptation. The following information is a compilation of strategies, ideas, tips, and suggestions to follow in your journey to your international setting. Leaving your home culture Before heading straight to your international assignment, there needs to be preparation in terms of your knowledge about the host culture. This is important because if you have no idea what to expect, then you will be in greater shock than you need to be. An important tip, therefore, is to research what you can about the culture. Research topics such as: worldview, acceptable/unacceptable behavior, language, communication, time orientation, activity orientation, values, beliefs, and customs. According to Kohls (2001), the best way to learn new things about your host country is to ask questions. Ask people who have been to the country, ask professors, research online. Learn new things and collect information that is useful to you. Basic information to look for is the history of the country, basic factual information, and a human profile of the average citizen in the country. Take with you something that is familiar to you. When we go overseas, most of our identity reinforcements are suddenly withdrawn; they are replaced with things that, at first, are all too foreign (Kohls, 2001, p. 57). We see everything and foreign and unknown, but what is really foreign is ourselves to that country. Because of this, it is always a good idea to take something with you a central piece of your home identity. This will give you something familiar, comfortable, and safe in the midst of a new, unfamiliar world. Next, be aware of ethnocentrism. Everyone has the thoughts and feelings of, My culture is better than yours. Understand that your culture is not superior to your host culture, and so go with an

open mind to learning and experiencing new things. Do not think too highly of yourself, and be open to the new culture even before you arrive. Adapting to your host culture Being conscious of your situation when adapting to your host culture is critical. You need to know that it will be difficult, but that there are things that you can do in order to better your situation and create the best possible experiences. Once you have arrived, you need to begin getting settled. There are ways that you can begin orienting yourself once you are in the new country. First, you can start with your spatial center where you will be living. Kohls (2001) suggests look for places to eat around it, where people gather, and where the important places such as the post office, transportation, and U.S. embassy are. Identify who lives around you and look for English speakers. Next, you can begin to learn the basic names and phrases that appear around. This will help you know how to get home and how to get around. You should then look for differences; do not just accept that everything is different, but rather look for those differences, embrace them, and learn about them. Finally, talk to people! It is important to have relationships when you are away from home. Also, these new relationships will help you better understand the culture. If you meet other Americans, accept their friendships, but do not let negative opinions and feelings linger around you. Make sure that you surround yourself with positive people. Next, you need to know about culture shock. Kohls (2001) defines it as the term used to describe the more pronounced reactions to the psychological disorientation most people experience when they move for an extended period of time into a culture markedly difference from their own (p. 91). It is important to know the symptoms and understand what you are going through. Overall symptoms include: anxiety, homesickness, depression, feelings of inadequacy, paranoia, confusion, and helplessness. You come in to the country excited and with high expectations, you then begin to

only focus on the differences (which are troubling), next you go through a gradual adjustment, and then you reach adaptation and an ability to function in the new culture. How do you respond to culture shock? You know about it now, but what can you do about it? Kohls (2001) provides insight into what you can do to have a healthy response to culture shock. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Realize that everyone who goes overseas goes through culture shock. Be ready to learn something from culture shock. Make a list of all the positive things in your situation. Avoid other foreigners or Americans who are negative about their situation. Work on maintaining a healthy sense of humor. Make friends with the nationals. Find an American who has already gone through culture shock and has a positive attitude toward the host country. 7. Keep busy, keep active, and keep your mind occupied. 8. Have faith that you will work through the culture shock. Returning to your home culture When returning to your home culture, you may get reverse culture shock, depending on how long and how well you adapted to your host culture. The stages are similar. First, you are excited to be back home. Next, you begin to miss things about the host culture; you notice that you may act differently and your social group may notice. Finally, you need to readjust to your home culture again. The following are suggestions to help you readjust to your home culture: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Share your experiences with people. Learn about the new fads and what is going on in media if you missed anything. Look for places where there are international events and get plugged in. Join a forum online where others who have gone abroad share their experiences. Identify about what is bothering you, interpret why it is bothering you, and then evaluate it (How do you feel about it?). Conclusion There is a whole cycle for your international assignment. There is a process of preparing to leave your home culture, adapting to your new host culture, and then coming back home again. This article contains basic suggestions and information about your transitions as you go to your host culture, but it is important to do more research. There is a lot to learn about traveling abroad!