Faculty Handbook

Culture shock

You will have both an academic and disciplinary role with the students. You should decide on your expectations and limits and communicate those to the students during pre-departure and on-site orientations.

Be aware of possible indicators of culture shock that include: compulsive eating or lack of appetite; feelings of helplessness, irritability, and loneliness; homesickness; sleeping more than usual; feeling depressed; getting angry easily; decline in inventiveness, spontaneity, or flexibility; stereotyping of host country/culture; increase in physical ailments or pains; inability to work effectively; boredom; or unexplainable crying. Most study abroad participants will experience some form of culture shock. However, some might experience it after only two days in the host country, others not until three or more months into their stay. In addition, the concrete indicators of culture shock vary from individual to individual.

Encourage students to take care of their health and eat well to help them through these stages. If your students display one or more of these behaviors, it is very likely that they are going through the culture shock phase of cross-cultural adjustment. The bibliography in the Appendix may prove useful when preparing to deal with student cultural adjustment and shock.