This chapter is about intercultural encounters. It explained several
forms of cultural encounter, such as the one in school, in tourism, and so
forth. According to the author, there is always a risk of conflict when encounter
of different cultures occur.
The
most interesting topic in this chapter form e was about the acculturation
curve, which explains the culture shock. According to the author, there are
four stages in the curve: euphoria, culture shock, acculturation, and stable
state. At the first stage, euphoria, people feel positive about the new culture
that they meet, and then turn to negative at the second stage, culture shock. At
the third stage, acculturation, people learn the new culture little by little. Some
successfully adjust the culture while others still have difficulty in adjusting
it. At the final stage, stable state, people find ways to deal with culture.
It reminded me of the orientation session by ISSS when I first got here.
One staff explained us that international students go through several phases to
adjust the culture in the U.S. After they go back to their home, they get
another “culture shock” in their home.
I
think the curve explains the process of adjustment to new culture very well. I
believe in most cases, people just experience the first stage in tourism. If people
stay more than a month to the place, they will be able to experience the second
phase. In addition, people experience stage 2 to 4 several times if they stay
longer (more than a year) in the place. I went through several phases, and I
think I am in the third stage, acculturation, now.
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