RRt\lTI'flCE 6Concluding
paragraphs
Chapter4- IFromParagraphto"Essay 73Step 1 Readthefollowingessayandthetwopossibleconcludingparagraphs.
Step 2 Thenanswerthequestions.CultureShock
Movingtoa newcountrycanbeanexciting,evenexhilaratingexperience.
Ina newenvironment,yousomehowfeelmorealive:seeingnewsights,eating
newfood,hearingtheforeignsoundsofa newlanguage,andfeelinga different
climateagainstyourskinstimulateyoursensesasneverbefore.Soon,however,
thissensorybombardmentbecomessensoryoverload.Suddenly,new
experiencesseemstressfulratherthanstimulating,anddelightturnsinto
discomfort.Thisis thephenomenonknownascultureshock.Cultureshockis
morethanjetlagorhomesickness,andit affectsnearlyeveryonewhoenters
a newculture-tourists,businesstravelers,diplomats,andstudentsalike.
Althoughnoteveryoneexperiencescultureshockinexactlythesameway,
manyexpertsagreethatit hasroughlyfivestages.
Inthefirststage,youareexcitedbyyournewenvironment.Youexperience
somesimpledifficultiessuchastryingtousethetelephoneorpublictransporta-
tion,butyouconsiderthesesmallchallengesthatyoucanquicklyovercome.
Yourfeelingsaboutthenewculturearepositive,soyouareeagertomake
contactwithpeopleandtotrynewfoods.
Soonerorlater,differencesinbehaviorandcustomsbecomemorenotice-
abletoyou.Thisis thesecondstageofcultureshock.Becauseyoudonotknow
thesocialcustomsofthenewculture,youmayfindit difficulttomakefriends.
Forinstance,youdonotunderstandhowtomake"smalltalk,"soitishardto
carryona casual,get-acquaintedconversation.Onedayintheschoolcafeteria,
youoverheara conversation.Youunderstandallthewords,butyoudonot
understandthemeaning.Whyiseveryonelaughing?Aretheylaughingatyouor
atsomejokethatyoudidnotunderstand?Also,youaren'talwayssurehowto
actwhileshopping.Is thisstoreself-service,orshouldyouwaitfora clerkto
assistyou?If youbuya sweaterinthewrongsize,canyouexchangeit?These
arenotminorchallenges;theyaremajorfrustrations.
Inthethirdstage,younolongerhavepositivefeelingsaboutthenewculture.
Youfeelthatyouhavemadea mistakeincominghere.Makingfriendshasn't
beeneasy,soyoubegintofeellonelyandisolated.Nowyouwanttobewith
familiarpeopleandeatfamiliarfood.Youbegintospendmostofyourfreetime
withstudentsfromyourhomecountry,andyoueatinrestaurantsthatserveyour
nativefood.Infact,foodbecomesanobsession,andyouspenda lotoftime
planning,shoppingfor,andcookingfoodfromhome.
Youknowthatyouareinthefourthstageofcultureshockwhenyouhave
negativefeelingsaboutalmosteverything.Inthisstage,youactivelyrejectthenew
culture.Youbecomecritical,suspicious,andirritable.Youbelievethatpeopleare
unfriendly,thatyourlandlordistryingtocheatyou,thatyourteachersdonotlike
you,andthatthefoodismakingyousick.Infact,youmayactuallydevelop
stomachaches,headaches,sleeplessness,lethargy,orotherphysicalsymptoms.
Finally,youreachthefifthstage.Asyourlanguageskillsimprove,youbeginto
havesomesuccessinmeetingpeopleandinnegotiatingsituations.Youareableto
exchangethesweaterthatwastoosmall,andyoucansuccessfullychataboutthe
weatherwitha strangeronthebus.Yourself-confidencegrows.Afterrealizingthat
youcannotchangeyoursurroundings,youbegintoacceptthedifferencesand