If a person chooses to live in a different country will experience a cultural shock in varying degrees. The degree will depend on how different are the host from the home culture and what preparation the individual has before going into the host culture.
Zeller and Mosier developed a theoretical and graphic explanation of the process that occurs from the time the person travels until he returns home.
They called W intercultural. W is because the different highs and lows that are experienced are observed make a W in a graph.
The first thing you experience is a great motivation for the trip, change and knowledge of the unknown. They refer to this stage as the " honeymoon " which usually lasts less than one year. The individual is extremely attracted to people, different customs, music, art, thoughts and behaviors. You feel that you grow and learn.
In the second stage, called "cultural shock" is where they begin to have friction due to differences. Is a personal disorientation due to the same. They feel they are in an unfamiliar territory and these differences produce intractable problems. Is the most positive step but also in which the individuals feel more anxiety and intense personal conflict. This was described by Zeller and Moiser. But it is the beginning of the period of adaptation to another culture.
The third stage is the initial adjustment. It's where a sense of well being for having successfully handled the differences. It is an overcoming the culture shock phase.
In the fourth stage called mental isolation. Although individuals feel in a more familiar territory begin to compare things and facts between the two cultures, their own and the host. This step is tricky because it is where many choose to return to their country of origin because of the feeling of "not belonging." Those staying go to the next stage of cultural shock. They must learn to live between "two worlds." They find that although they have more knowledge of the host culture this last one is not as "so warm" as home is.
Many go to their homes for a limited visit or rest and find that they have changed. The country which they left is no longer the same, but who really changed washe or she. At this stage, there are returnees to the origianl country experience conflicts with their friends, their families ... with his own culture.
The last stage is called " acceptance, integration and connectivity." is the stage in he host culture are more entrenched social network and comes an internally feel of growing up, I won!. People have more realistic views about another culture and customs. He or she feels that the culture of origin has become a little bit foreign. It has a real sense of wellbeing, acceptance and connectivity when it has adapted to the new world.
The W model:
Paula Figueiredo
PM Intercultural Agent
PM Intercultural Agent
MBA Master International Business Administration & Foreign Trade
www.intercultural-agent.com
http://www.linkedin.com/company/pm-intercultural-agent?trk=company_name
www.facebook.com / pm.interculturalagent
Skype: intercultural-agent
Mail: info@intercultural-agent. com
