适应不同的文化
作为一名国际学生，你会的 find that there are many differences between 在美国和你自己的国家是怎么做的. 个人互动 人与人之间，语言和非语言的交流等等.，是你的一些方法 可能会注意到一些差异. 给自己一些时间来适应在美国的生活 州. 你可能还会经历一种通常被称为“文化冲击”的现象."
文化冲击 is not quite as shocking or as sudden as most people expect. 它是一部分 学习一种新文化的过程. 你之前可能会感到一些不适 你能在新的环境中很好地工作. 这种不适就是“文化冲击”。 适应过程的阶段.
Just as you will bring with you to the United 州 clothes and other personal items, 当你旅行时，你也会带着看不见的“文化包袱”. 那件行李 not as obvious as the items in your suitcases, but it will play a major role in your 适应国外. 文化包袱包含了对你很重要的价值观 以及在你的文化中习惯的行为模式. 你知道的越多 about your personal values, the better prepared you will be to see and understand 你在国外会遇到的文化差异.
适应新的文化——一些建议
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预测未来的事件——比如你最初的离开.
Plan ways to maintain relationships with people at home while you are away. 一定 to allow ample time to say goodbye to all the people who are important to you, and 计划如何保持联系. 这让人们确信你会继续关心他们 他们.
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Planning to stay in touch does not require a promise to email, text or call on a strict schedule, but it does help to establish a realistic plan for communication.
You will be extremely busy getting settled and learning about your new environment, so it is essential that long periods between communications do not alarm your family 家里的朋友.
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当你到达一个新的地方时，总会有一些惊喜等着你. 人们可以走路 talk more quickly, traffic patterns may be 让人困惑 and buildings may look different 比预期的.
这种差异很容易看到，而且很快就能学会. 上课的方式 are taught, registration for courses, and other procedures may seem strange or very 让人困惑. 国际学生办公室通常是寻求帮助的最佳地点 这样的事情.
调整阶段
出国留学意味着在你的日常生活中做出巨大的改变. 几代学生 have found that they go through a predictable series of stages as they adjust to living 在国外.
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At first, although the new situation is a bit 让人困惑, most students also find it to be exhilarating, a time of new experiences, sights, sounds and activities. 与 so much to learn and absorb in the new 文化, the initial period of settling in 经常看起来像是一场冒险. 在这段时间里，你会倾向于寻找和识别 你的家乡文化和东道国文化的相似之处. 你会发现人们 真的很友好和乐于助人. 程序不同，但都有规律， 你可以学习和依赖的东西. 你可以对文化的其他方面进行分类 that seem unusual or even unattractive as curious, interesting or "quaint.“有 will be many opportunities to meet people off campus; such opportunities can be rewarding, 但它们也带来了更多的文化难题.
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Gradually, as you become more involved in activities and get to know the people around you, differences-rather than similarities-will become increasingly apparent to you. Those differences may begin to seem more irritating than interesting or quaint. Small incidents and difficulties may make you anxious and concerned about how you should 最好继续进行学术和社会生活. 随着这些差异的出现，他们可以 让人烦恼，有时甚至令人震惊. 文化冲击不会一下子发生. It is a feeling that grows little by little, as you interact with other students, faculty 还有社区里的人.
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For many this gradual process culminates in an emotional state known as "文化 shock," 尽管它很少像这个词所暗示的那样引人注目. 培养的常见症状 冲击:
- 极端的乡愁
- 想要避免看起来有威胁或不愉快的社交环境
- 身体不适和睡眠障碍
- 抑郁和无助感
- 学习和集中注意力有困难
- 失去幽默感
- 无聊或疲劳
- 对东道国文化的敌意
Students are sometimes unaware of the fact that they are experiencing 文化 shock 当出现这些症状时. 有很多方法可以应对这段时期的文化冲击， so it helps to recognize that 文化 shock may lie behind physical symptoms and irritability.
应对文化冲击
The most effective way to combat 文化 shock is to step back from a given event that has bothered you, assess it, and search for an appropriate explanation and response. 试试下面的方法:
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文化是相对的, which explains why individuals from different 文化s may perceive U.S. 规范不同. 对一些人来说，美国是一个非常重要的国家.S. 沟通方式似乎过于直接， 而其他人可能会觉得不够直接. 作为一名国际学生，你会的 接触许多新的风俗、习惯和思想. 尽量避免给它们贴上“好”的标签。 或“坏."
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Adjusting to a new 文化 does not mean that you have to change your own values, 但重要的是要尊重他人. 当你发现自己身处 不熟悉的环境试着把它想象成一次新的冒险. 允许自己好奇 关于在这个新环境中看待和处理事物的方式.
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Since you will encounter unfamiliar rules and norms observing how others are acting 可以帮助你理解别人对你的期望. 注意 to both the verbal and nonverbal communication of others in order to get a more complete 这是正在发生的事情.
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在你需要帮助的时候寻求帮助. 寻求帮助或解释并不是一种信号 软弱的. 用一门新的语言去理解别人，让别人理解你 (或上下文)需要大量的改写、重复和澄清. 这可能会有帮助 问这样的问题:“我理解你说的是什么。... 对吗??"
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学会适应新环境并不容易. 感到焦虑是很自然的 或者有时感到沮丧. 关键是要提醒自己这些感觉是正常的 而且很可能是情境性和暂时性的.
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当你探索一种新的文化时，你不可避免地会犯错误. 如果你能找到 humor in these situations and laugh, others will likely respond to you with friendliness 和支持. 记住，其他人可能也会犯错误. 当一个人 makes an inaccurate assumption or a generalized statement about your 文化, it may 因为缺乏信息. 如果你觉得这样做很舒服，这是可以的 an opportunity to share information with others about yourself and your 文化.
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Be mindful about keeping a healthy diet and getting enough exercise and rest. 试一试 找一项你喜欢的活动，让它成为你日常生活的一部分. 身体 积极运动可以帮助你减轻压力.
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A U.S. 朋友(或其他在美国的国际学生).S. 数 年)可以成为文化期望的好顾问. 当你有问题时 or need a second opinion on something this person can help clarify confusions and 在你适应新环境时提供支持.
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Many international students find it helpful to discuss their concerns with others 谁正在经历类似的转变. 与他人谈论他们的调整 to the new 文化 can provide ideas and insights about your own experience.
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适应一种新文化的过程需要时间. 它也可能需要不同的 不同领域的时间调整量. 试着鼓励自己成为这样的人 耐心对待这段经历，不要过于挑剔自己.
适应一种新的文化是一个持续的过程. 有时候可能很有挑战性，但是 most students who experience 文化 shock agree that going through this transition helped 他们 to learn more about 他们selves and to develop greater confidence in their 适应新环境的能力. 它还可能导致人民币重新升值 自己的文化. 校园里有很多人可以为你提供帮助 的支持下. 记住，你不必独自奋斗. 你可以伸出援手 到任何校园的心理咨询办公室 816.604.1000.
在整个文化适应期间，请照顾好自己. 读一本书 or rent a video in your home language, take a short trip if possible, exercise and get plenty of rest, write an email or telephone home, eat good food and do things 你喜欢和朋友在一起. 特别注意一下你喜欢生活的地方 主持人的文化.
Although it can be disconcerting and a little scary, the "shock" gradually eases as 你开始了解新的文化. 认识到这些反应通常是有用的 and perceptions of others toward you-and you toward 他们-are not personal evaluations 而是基于文化价值观的冲突. 你的识别能力越强 how and when cultural values and behaviors are likely to come in conflict, the easier it becomes to make adjustments that can help you avoid serious difficulties.
我会失去自己的文化吗?
Sometimes students worry about "losing their 文化" if they become too well adapted 东道国文化. 别担心:在中国几乎不可能失去文化 你是在那里长大的. 事实上，了解新的文化往往会增加你的 欣赏和理解自己的文化. 不要拒绝机会 to become bicultural; that is, able to function competently in two cultural environments.
Just as 文化 shock derives from the accumulation of cultural clashes, so can an accumulation of small successes lead to more effective interactions within the new 文化. As you increase your abilities to manage and understand the new social system, 最近看起来很奇怪的做法将变得不那么令人费解. 最终你 will adapt sufficiently to do your best in your studies and social life and to relax 充分享受这段经历. 你就会恢复你的幽默感!