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As a new migrant to Australia, you will almost certainly experience some form of
Culture Shock.
This is explained very well at a web site at
http://www.doctortravel.ca/culture_shock.asp
Some excerpts are detailed here, and we recommend reading the full article,
(if the link no longer works, please let us know, as we do have a full copy of
the article):
Stages of Culture Shock:
Psychologists describe five distinct phases (or stages) of culture shock.
- Tourist or honeymoon phase. At first a person's stay in a new
country, everything usually goes fairly smoothly. This period could last 6
months or longer. The newcomer is excited about being in a new place and
experiencing a new lifestyle. The newcomer may have some problems, but usually
accepts them as just part of the newness. The newcomer may find that "the red
carpet" has been rolled out for him or her. The feeling is the same for
developing and highly developed countries.
- Emptiness or rejection phase. The newcomer has to deal with
transportation problems (buses that don't come on time), shopping problems
(can't buy favourite foods) or communication problems. One may start to seem
like people no longer care about your problems. They may help, but they don't
seem to understand your concern over what they see as small problems. You
might even start to think that the people in the host country don't like
foreigners and are becoming alien. The symptoms listed above start to present
themselves in full force. The newcomer may begin to feel aggressive and start
to complain about the host culture/country. However, it is important to
recognize that these feelings are real and can become serious. This phase is a
kind of crisis in the 'disease' of culture shock. It is called the "rejection"
phase because it is at this point that the newcomer starts to reject the host
country, complaining about and noticing only the bad things that bother them.
At this stage the newcomer may either move on to the third stage, seek comfort
with a colony of countrymen “Colony Syndrome” or simply go home.
- The Conformist Phase is characterized by gaining some
understanding of the new culture, its ideals and values. A new feeling of
pleasure and sense of humour may be experienced. One may start to feel a
certain psychological balance. The crisis is over when one starts understand
and tolerate cultural differences. The new arrival may not feel as lost and
starts to have a feeling of direction. The newcomer is now 90% adjusted to the
new culture.
- Assimilation Phase or Complete Adjustment: In this stage we
accept the food, drinks, habits and customs of the host country, and may even
find some things preferable in the host country to things at home. One
realizes that there are different ways to live and that no way is really
better than another, just different. Finally, the “expat” has become
comfortable in the new place. Upon the final return home the traveller will
miss the country and cherish the memories forever.
- The fifth phase of culture shock is called "reverse culture shock" or
"re-entry shock" and occurs when returning home. Most returning expatriates
have a fairly rough time before settling at home again. Your international life
will have changed you for ever.
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