The world today is getting smaller and smaller as travel becomes more accessible and cheaper. There are many reasons to move country for an extended period. To broaden the mind, to experience another culture, to learn a language or for a better life. Sometimes the move is out of necessity, to be with a loved one, for a better life for your family or for a change in career.
In Ireland we have many multinational companies and organisations such as Facebook, Google, and Amazon to name but a few of the bigger ones. With the change in our employment landscape there has been an influx of people from around the globe making Dublin a more international place.
Irish people are also well known for travelling and working for both long and short periods as well as permanently abroad.
For some people moving abroad means a huge adjustment and sometimes this can be a struggle.
Culture shock is a very real phenomenon for people that live abroad for extended periods of time, not just on holiday. They must adjust to living in a new country with its own laws, traditions, culture, music and food.
To move and live in a country is much different to merely visiting. Michelle Barker (1990) identified 5 stages of culture shock, as with many of these ‘stages’ they are not necessarily linear, however, they do offer a good idea of the experience one can have while adjusting to a new culture.
Stage 1: The Honeymoon Stage
This phase is exactly what it sounds like, it is the stage when everything is new and wonderful. It is the stage that is most like a holiday. Everything is new and interesting, you may go and see all the touristy sights, eat the local food, and enjoy the atmosphere of your new home. We still have a connection with our home.
Stage 2: Negotiation Stage or Disintegration
At this stage we start to notice some problems, we may not understand the language or the accent. We may misunderstand people and in turn be misunderstood. This can lead to frustrations and small problems can often seem overwhelming. We start to miss the familiar back home and can start to perhaps feel a bit lonely.
Stage 3: Adjustment Stage or Reintegration
This is where we begin to understand a bit of the language and customs, we develop a bit more of a balanced view of our new home. You begin to understand how things are done, even if you still believe it is better at home. This can still be a difficult stage as we adjust, we miss home, and miss the ease to which we used to be able to do simple things.
Stage 4: The Autonomy or Adaptation Stage
Sometimes known as the ‘bi-culture’ stage, we understand and accept the new cultures traditions and appreciate them. You can operate within your new society and gain your autonomy back. You have friends, you have foods you like and a routine that you enjoy. While we still may miss people at home, we have a new life here.
Stage 5: Re-Entry Travel Shock or Reverse Culture Shock
This is the feeling that occurs when we return home after living abroad for a period of time. You miss the routine you had abroad, the community that you became a part of or formed for yourself, you miss the food and the culture. You must now re connect with your own culture, this can be surprisingly challenging. Friends and families’ lives have carried on with out you, as yours did with out them. We can feel out of the loop and lonely in our own home country.
Most of the issues that arise from moving abroad or indeed those that happen from returning from abroad, happen in stage 2 or stage 5. Some of the issues that arise from culture shock may be:
These issues can happen for people moving home after a long time away, just as easily as for people moving abroad and these are things, I have experienced for myself having done both.
Through therapy, we will work on support structures and integration. This process will look different for every client and together we will make a plan and work on techniques to ease this transitional phase. Culture shock is very real but it is something that can be overcome, paving the way for new, fulfilling experiences.
