My Cultural Shock Experienced in Lancaster, UK

1084 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Differences in communication

With our advancement of information technologies, we can communicate with our friends instantly without the restrictions of time and space. Such instantaneous communication has the potential to increase the amount of communication that occurs among people from different cultures (Lustig and Koester 7-8). However, we are not able to experience other countries’ culture unless we have been to that place.

In this journal, I will share my cultural shock experienced in Lancaster. It is a small city in the North West of United Kingdom (UK) which is a historic city dominated by Lancaster Castle. I am going to analyze my cultural shock by using the D-I-E framework. I will describe my experience in Lancaster in two sections, which are interactions and doing group assignments with students. Then interpret the situations and afterwards evaluate it. Self-reflection and improvements on intercultural competence will also be included in the conclusion.

Interactions
Interpersonal communication is a form of communication that involves a small number of individuals who are interacting exclusively with one another and who therefore have the ability both to adapt their messages specifically for those others and to obtain immediate interpretations from them (Lustig and Koester 19). However, when I was in Lancaster, I had encountered difficulties in communicating with the local students and I could not understand their messages at once. I felt confusion and frustration so I was not able to respond to them immediately. The main reason behind is contributed to the language difference between HK and UK. The mother language in HK and UK are different and I found that I miss my familiar language which at home would have been part of my everyday environme...

... middle of paper ...

...ngth, both verbal and nonverbal communication skills, ability to adapt to new environment and cultural awareness which I should understand how people with different cultural backgrounds think and act. By appreciate the host culture and solve the conflicts in between, intercultural relationships can be built up. Consequently, I will attain acculturation in the country and gain valuable experience for my personal growth.

Works Cited

Jandt, F. E. (2010). An introduction to intercultural communication: Identities in a global community.6th ed. L.A.: Sage.
Lustig, Myron W., and Jolene Koester. "Introduction to Intercultural Competence."Intercultural competence: interpersonal communication across cultures. 7th ed. New York: Pearson, 2012. Print.
Turner, Y. and Robson, S. Internationalizing the University. London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2008. Print.

Show More
Related

  • Paul Goldberger Disconnected Urbanism

    1343 Words  | 3 Pages

    From walkmans to CD players to iPods, technology has evolved over the succession of the years; humans have taken extensive steps towards a technological transformation that has revolutionized the manner in which several individuals communicate with one another. Likewise, various humans have opted for more modern methods to connect and contact their loved ones such as speaking on a cell phone, video chatting, e-mailing, instant messaging, and conversing through social media. With these contemporary methods of communication, global interaction has now been facilitated and easily accessible; conversing with individuals from across the world is as transparent and prompt as speaking with individuals within the same city. Nonetheless, these technological

    Read More

  • Cultural Self-Awareness And Self Awareness

    1149 Words  | 3 Pages

    The initiation of intercultural effectiveness can be derived from behaviour impacted by its cultural differences and “cultural self-awareness includes recognition of one’s own cultural influences upon values, beliefs, and judgements, as well as the influences derived from the professional’s work culture” (Winkelman, 2005, p. 9)

    Read More

  • Mexican American Culture: The Film Selena

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2013). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Read More

  • The House I Live In Movie Analysis

    1850 Words  | 4 Pages

    Martin, Judith N., and Thomas K. Nakayama. Intercultural Communication in Contexts. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print.

    Read More

  • Common Problems Faced by International Students in the UK

    942 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the first and most common problems most, if not all international students face when they first arrive in the UK for study is culture shock. culture shock is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary(2014) as the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone when they are suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes. When students first move to the UK they observe and experience several things for the first time and it tends to overwhelm them. New international students often find themselves feeling powerless and unimportant which often forces them into self-isolation(Bailey, 2005). The culture shock also tends to result in the students being unable to make friends in their new community because they are unsure of what is customary and regarded in good light (Bailey, 2005).

    Read More

  • Experiences of International Students in the UK

    1329 Words  | 3 Pages

    International students studying in the UK in 2011-2012 totalled 435,230 which is an increase of two per cent from the preceding year (UKCISA statistics, 2012). As a student of the University of Essex which has the reputation for being one of the UK’s most internationally diverse universities with students from over 130 countries (University of Essex, 2013) I, myself have had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. Living with international students has led me to detect differences, as well as similarities in social, academic and cultural views. This has hugely influenced my research topic.

    Read More

  • Interpersonal Communication Reflection Paper

    1065 Words  | 3 Pages

    Interpersonal communication is one of the significant skills while communicating with other individuals. It normally covers an extensive area and includes both verbal and non-verbal communication. Body language and facial expression may affect the accurateness of the message transmission directly. Interpersonal communication skills normally ensure that the message is sent and received correctly without any alteration thus improving the communication efficiency. Learning diverse aspects of interpersonal communication has greatly aided me in better understanding of what it consists. I am capable of applying the knowledge gained from this course to my personal experiences. This paper reflects on my personal experience in learning interpersonal communication.

    Read More

  • Aspects of the Communication Process; Interpersonal Communication

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gudykunst, W. B., Young. Y. K, (2003). Communicating with Strangers: An Approach to Intercultural Communication, 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Read More

  • The Tapestry Metaphor

    1533 Words  | 4 Pages

    Lustig, Myron W., and Jolene Koester. Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication across Cultures. 4 th ed. Boston: Pearson Education Inc., 2003.

    Read More

  • Cultural Competence and Intercultural Communication

    1667 Words  | 4 Pages

    When individuals or groups from different cultures communicate, this process is called intercultural communication. The transaction process of listening and responding to people from different cultural backgrounds can be challenging. The greater the difference in culture between two people, the greater the potential of misunderstanding and mistrust. Misunderstanding and miscommunication occur between people from different cultures because of different coding rules and cultural norms, which play a major role in shaping the patterns of interaction (Jandt, 2012).

    Read More

  • Intercultural Communication: An Eveolving Discipline

    1868 Words  | 4 Pages

    Intercultural communication is an evolving discipline that occurs between individuals from contrasting backgrounds. It include...

    Read More

  • Cultural Sensitivity

    1969 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...al to have an open mind to be able to gain insight toward learning new information and to gain new perspectives toward the other culture. Every group of people or country has their own issues that can impact its cultural beliefs, values, and attitudes. If a person has not had to face oppression, understanding how to relate to another person can be challenging. A person’s positions will impact his or her interests toward resolving issues. The expectations about others will affect everyday relationships. We all make mistakes, but minimizing conclusions and stereotypes will help to gain the trust of the other person.

    Read More

  • Problems In Intercultural Communication

    1552 Words  | 4 Pages

    Humans have been communicating since four million years. On the other hand, the birth of culture is estimated to have taken place about 35,000 years ago. Today, both culture and communication have evolved considerably and have become interdependent of one another, to the point that communication is considered to be a product of culture. Thus, our own culture has a deep impact on our thoughts and behaviors. Since each culture has its distinct aspects, intercultural communication can be the cause of conflict and disorder. There are three main issues which are at the root of the problem of intercultural miscommunication : language as a barrier, cultural diversity and ethnocentrism. I will analyze these three notions in situations in which intercultural communication is frequent such as : the workplace, the classroom and vacation trips.

    Read More

  • Culture Shock In Africa

    1354 Words  | 3 Pages

    African students have been traveling to different parts of the world for educational purposes. It is important to examine culture shock and adaptation in Africans studying in various areas. In the USA, the official language is English which is similar to some African countries. Kenyan, Nigerian, Egyptian, Ghanaian students e.t.c are usually enrolled in the universities (Open door, 2012). In a study by Loretta Gbemudu Evivie (2009), six students from Western Sub-Saharan Africa were interviewed in depth and it was found that the symptoms of culture shock were caused mostly by financial issues. These symptoms were feelings of homesickness, loneliness, isolation, psychological stress. Their perceptions of a lack of social support were caused by apparent cultural differences. Factors noted for affecting cultural adjustment is preconceived ideas about the education system (Constantine, 2005), prejudicial and discriminatory treatment (Senyshyn, R. M., Wardford, M. K., & Zhan, J. 2000)

    Read More

  • Multicultural Manners

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...is becoming increasingly more diverse, meaning that students should be more intercultural competent. The Multicultural Manners book is not a replacement for intercultural classes, but whether a supplement. It is not very dense and is easy to read. The student can carry it with them whenever they need it. In the back of the book, there is a section dedicated to explaining different cultures and their beliefs. This can help the universities’ students from making similar mistakes, expressed in the above scenarios. Multicultural Manners would be a great addition for the students.

    Read More

More about My Cultural Shock Experienced in Lancaster, UK

Open Document