How to Survive Culture Shock

Surviving Culture Shock addresses the stresses that everyone feels when crossing cultural boundaries for short or long term. The ethnocentrism that is true of every culture results in unfair judgment of other cultures and impedes effective interaction. We will explore this dynamic and how to minimize it. We also explain the three stages of the culture shock cycle– tourist, rejection, and adaptation, their natural progression, how to recognize each stage, and the best way forward to a culturally appropriate healthy balance. We also address the inevitable reality of reverse culture shock that often hits unexpectedly upon returning “home” to one’s culture of origin.