The Stages of Cultural Adjustment

When moving from one “culture” to another, individuals pass

through definite stages of cultural adjustment. This adjustment is
an ongoing process as demanded by each new situation. The
following discussion is based on a five-stage model as identified
below:

1. The Honeymoon Stage

Characterized by exhilaration, anticipation and excitement,
the person is fascinated with everything that is new. An individual
in this stage will often demonstrate an eagerness to please, a spirit
of cooperation, and an active interest as you speak.

These individuals are delightful to work with and to work for, BUT
in their enthusiasm to please you they frequently nod or smile to
indicate understanding when in fact they have not understood.
When their misunderstandings mount up, they are likely to
experience the second stage of cultural adjustment.

2. The Hostility Stage

This stage is characterized by frustration, anger, anxiety, and
sometimes depression. Following the initial excitement is
frustration with the bureaucracy. For those for whom English is a
second language, there is the weariness of speaking and listening
in English every day. They may feel upset because, although they
have studied English, they don’t seem to understand many of the
colloquialisms of the English language. Sleep patterns may be
disrupted and the individual may suffer from indigestion and be
unable to eat.
 Sometimes these individuals react to this frustration by rejecting
the new or predominant environment in which they feel
discomfort. The internal reasoning might be, “If I feel bad it’s
because of them,” thus blaming the external environment for the
bad feelings. Some of these hostilities are translated into fits of
anger over minor frustrations, excessive fear and worse, complete
withdrawal. For students in the classroom, many academic
problems begin during this stage.

Such individuals are in a difficult and painful stage. They can

be difficult to work with and to work for. They, in particular, need
your tolerance (they’ll test it), your patience (they’ll try it), and
your willingness to work with them so that they can move on to the
third stage of cultural adjustment.

3. The Humor Stage

This follows when the individual of another culture begins to relax
in a new situation and begins to laugh at minor mistakes and
misunderstandings which previously would have caused major
headaches in the hostility stage. This more relaxed stage occurs
after the individual who has made some friends is able to manage
the size and complexity of the new environment, understands the
work, and begins to experience successes. These individuals are
generally easy to work with and for because they are relaxed,
receptive, and open to direction.

4. The Home Stage

This occurs when the individual not only retains allegiance to
his/her home culture, but also “feels at home” in his/her newly
acquired one. This student has successfully adjusted to the norms
and standards of the new environment and should be commended
for the ability to live successfully in two cultures.
 5. The Integration/Acceptance Stage

The humor stage follows when the international student begins to

feel comfortable and relaxed in the new environment. The student
begins to smile or even laugh at minor mistakes and
misunderstandings which previously would have caused major
headaches during the hostility stage. The student feels more able to
get needed information.

This more relaxed state is accomplished by making some friends,

finding recreational outlets, understanding one’s studies, passing
some tests, or finishing a research paper. The student is relieved
once some progress has been made in managing the complexity of
the U.S. university where organization of time, professors’
expectations, subject content, language, and rules of behavior are
all different.