Agenda for today
- Learning strategies as frames for understanding our reaction to the unfamiliar
- Defining a culture shock
- Different types of reactions to a culture shock
- Challenge three. What tools can we use to become open minded?
Peer exercise
How do you present yourself in your culture?
Besides your name, what is self-evident in the way you present yourself in your culture and why?
- I think the way you present your self is different from culture to culture. Some are more formal while others are quite informal in their speech and body language. As an example from my own cultural background. I have lived in Denmark all my life and the way you present yourself here is quite different from Pakistan where I am originally from. In Pakistan when you present yourself you always tell your whole name. Because from your surname people can tell your status and which area you are from. Which is very different from Denmark/Danes?
What tools can we use to become open minded?
- I think in order to become open minded you can do alot of different things. I think you should step out of your comfort zone in many ways. Try food you never thought you'd like, take a trip to a place you never considered interesting, and try a hobby or sport that never caught your interest before. Whether you love or hate the activity, your opinion will be based on personal experience rather than closed-minded speculation. Also in these processes, experiencing different cultures and ways of living. I think the more knowledge you have of different cultures other than your own, the more it opens up your mind. You might experience good things and some bad. The key thought is to be open to new experiences, and maybe change in previous ways of thinking about these experiences. Becaise you learn from your experiences.
Culture Shock
- You can get a a culture shock when you travel as soon as you reach the country. You might immediately begin to miss your home country, even things disliked and miss your home food, family, friends, etc. Some people find it impossible to accept foreign culture and integrate. They isolate themselves from the environment and people. Some integrate fully and take on all parts of the culture while losing their original identity. Then there are those that manage to adapt the aspects of the culture they see as positive, while keeping some of their own and creating their unique blend. They have no major problems returning home or relocating elsewhere (cosmopolitan).
- What might be perfectly normal in one culture, for instance, spending hours eating a meal with your family, might be unusual in a culture that values a more fast paced lifestyle. The differences between cultures can make it very difficult to adjust to any new surroundings. You might encounter unfamiliar clothes, weather, and food as well as different people, schools, and values. You might find yourself struggling to do things in your new surroundings that were easy back home
Culture Shock
- You can get a a culture shock when you travel as soon as you reach the country. You might immediately begin to miss your home country, even things disliked and miss your home food, family, friends, etc. Some people find it impossible to accept foreign culture and integrate. They isolate themselves from the environment and people. Some integrate fully and take on all parts of the culture while losing their original identity. Then there are those that manage to adapt the aspects of the culture they see as positive, while keeping some of their own and creating their unique blend. They have no major problems returning home or relocating elsewhere (cosmopolitan).
- What might be perfectly normal in one culture, for instance, spending hours eating a meal with your family, might be unusual in a culture that values a more fast paced lifestyle. The differences between cultures can make it very difficult to adjust to any new surroundings. You might encounter unfamiliar clothes, weather, and food as well as different people, schools, and values. You might find yourself struggling to do things in your new surroundings that were easy back home
