Intercultural Guide

iYour Guide to a Successful Intercultural Experience

Your Guide to a Successful

Intercultural Experience

ii Your Guide to a Successful Intercultural Experience

Contents

Preface by Roberto Ruffino ....................................1

The Roles Within the Family ...................................2

Starting Your Experience Off on the Right Foot ....................................................4

AFS Student Adjustment curve and stages ..........12

The Host Family Experience ................................17

What is Culture ? ..................................................19

Effective Intercultural Communicaton ...................24

Intercultural Learning ............................................29

1Your Guide to a Successful Intercultural Experience

Living with others is never easy, even with people who speak our language and share the same environment. Members of a family or a group can be different when it comes to their sex, age, per-sonality, expectations, and preferences. No family relationship or friendship can be expected to last unless it’s shaped, developed and looked after with care and intelligence.

Cultures add yet another dimension of difference that is subtler.

While other differences - mainly sex, age or family roles - are visible right away, cultural differences are often hidden ; they belong to what we at AFS call the submerged part of the iceberg.

They are hidden not only from others but also from ourselves in the sense that the majority of us are not conscience of our cultural limits and have a tendency to identify our behaviour as being ‘nor-mal’ and ‘universal’. Anyone who behaves differently is perceived as being ‘strange’ and is regarded with a certain degree of suspicion.

AFS challenges people in this way by introducing a young person into a family who is not only different in visible ways ( language, education, tastes, habits. Etc. ), but also in invisible ways : values, world view, relationships.

The people who AFS brings together – a host family and a foreign student – learn to appreciate their different individual personalities as well as their distinct cultural baggage, slowly and almost by accident – often by trial and error.

The border between nature and culture is often thin and it takes time and patience to discover what belongs to the nature of a person and makes him or her different from others and what demon-strates more of a different cultural tradition : to understand an individual as a person on one hand and as a bearer of a different culture on the other.

This process is even more complex today, when the world’s youth tend to dress in the same way, listen to the same music, and have similar lifestyles. Digging under the surface of these superficial similarities is yet another challenge. However, the reward for heading down the road to understand others – which ultimately leads to more profound self-discovery – is a joy that is well worth the pain.

This manual offers many practical tips that will make travelling down this road more pleasant for all and it guides and structures the learning that can arise from an intercultural encounter. I congratu-late AFS Interculture Canada for their efforts and wish all readers a wonderful journey.

Roberto RuffinoSecretary General, AFS Intercultura ItaliaHonorary PhD in intercultural education, University of PaduaFounder of EFIL – European Federation for Intercultural Learning

Preface

2 Your Guide to a Successful Intercultural Experience

What is the role of the participant ?AFS places its participants with host families because living with a family is the best way to

be immersed in a new culture and maximize the learning of language, customs, and values, and also because the family can offer support and advice to students who find themselves in a new environment without all the necessary skills.

What role does the student play in their host family ? Given that it is often the first time that they are living abroad, AFS participants rarely know what their role should be and so they often take on the roles that they are most familiar with.

Here are some examples of roles that are not appropriate for AFS participants :

The student is not an honoured guest - Even though the host family may want to prepare special meals, bring the student to local attractions, and give them small treats when they first arrive, it is not possible to maintain this type of behaviour all year long. It would be too difficult and could be seen as unfair to the other members of the family.

The student is not dropping by for a visit – Just as it can be tiring for the host family to treat the student like a guest, it can also be stressful for the student to always feel that they must be on their very best behaviour and act like a guest who is trying not to inconvenience the hosts. Although the youth on exchange will be less inclined to contradict their host parents than their natural parents, they cannot be expected to be on their best behaviour all year.

The student is not a client staying in a paid hotel room – Certain students have the impres-sion that the fees they paid to participate in the AFS program include room and board and they see themselves as clients who have paid for the services and do not need to actively participate in family life. This type of attitude goes against the mission of AFS : to encourage a cultural ex-change between people. The host family, who has volunteered for this position, must cover the costs related to the room and board of the student for the entire year.

The student is not an employee – It is normal to ask the participant to do their part of the daily chores around the house and to help look after the younger children from time to time, just like any other member of the family. However, the student should not be made to feel that they must work harder than the other members of the family in order to justify their presence.

So does that mean that the student is a member of the family ?

Yes, the youth that you host should become a full-fledged member of your family, meaning that they share in the ups and downs, respect the rules, and participate in daily activities. Just like the other children in the family, take time to chat with them, ask questions about their family, about their new school and friends they are making, and also about their home country and culture. AFS encourages the participants to express their needs, their hopes, their fears, their doubts and even their disappointments to their host family but they shouldn’t forget to express their gratitude as well !

The Roles Within the Family


What is the role of the host parent ?Just as it is difficult to define exactly what the role of an exchange student is, the role of the host

parents is also full of grey zones. We tend to describe it as a role somewhere between a parent, grandparent and coach.

Like the natural parents, the host parents…

• Feed and house the youth.• Ensure their safety and well-being.• Establish guidelines for what they consider to be acceptable behaviour.

So, without re-educating the youth to become a perfect Smith or Johnson, explain to them what your expectations are so that they can integrate harmoniously into

Like a coach, the host parents…

• Guide the youth so that they can function on a daily basis in their new Canadian environment.

• Encourage the youth to work on their new language by always speaking to them in English and helping them learn new words.

• Serve as cultural interpreters and explain as best you can the values, beliefs and other elements of your culture in order to help the youth understand the differences between both cultures.

Your role is therefore that of a guide, a support system and a trainer, but not that of an “educator”. You must remember that the behaviour or values that you may feel are important to the education of the youth may not be transferable to their culture.

The relationship between an exchange student and their host family is not one that you

can fully prepare for – you have to learn as you go ! It requires a lot of work, humility and

flexibility, but what you get in return is entirely worth it !

WARNING ! The host family is not in charge of :

Shaping the personality of the youth they host – Their natural parents have been doing

this for a while !

Ensuring that the youth becomes a respectable adult - In many ways, what we consider

to be respectable in Canada is not at all the same thing in Asia or Europe !


Subjects to cover upon the participants’ arrival :

Contact with the natural parents

It is important that the students contact their natural parents as soon as they arrive to reassure them that they have arrived safe and sound. This will help to calm any anxiety the youth may have and it is a good opportunity to introduce yourself to the parents as well.

Jet lag and health

Flights, transfers, time changes, different climates, food, and water have a real effect on the physi-cal state of the participants. It is normal that they will not have much energy for the first few days and that their sleep patterns may be irregular.

• Encourage them to rest and sleep as much as they need to.

• Be discrete and ask them if they are having any digestive issues, like diarrhoea or constipation. The students are not likely to tell you this on their own.

• Ask if they are taking any medication.

• Girls may need help buying hygiene products such as tampons or pads, but may be too shy to ask. Be sure to show them how to dispose of them, as habits are different from country to country. It could also happen that they have an irregular menstrual cycle upon their arrival ; assure them that this is quite normal.

The Arrival

In Canada, when guests knock at our door, we greet them with enthusiasm to show them how happy we are that they are here. However, for exchange students, those first few moments can be very uncomfortable since they don’t yet know our ways of greeting others and will be tired from the long trip.

If your student does not react with enthusiasm to your warm welcome, don’t be offended ! They are probably confused and tired. Accept their behaviour, relax and remem-ber the following points :

• The student probably needs a rest.

• You will need to provide a short orientation upon their arrival ( see below ).

• Be sure that the student knows that you are available to help and answer any

questions they may have.

• Don’t forget to reassure your student that it is normal to make mistakes !

Starting Your Experience Off on the Right Foot


Starting Your Experience Off on the Right Foot

Silence and conversations

North Americans have a tendency to talk a lot when they are with strangers in order to cover up their discomfort. The more we get to know someone, the more comfortable we are with moments of silence. When the student arrives, it will probably be you who does most of the talking in order to avoid those awkward moments of silence. Know that depending on their culture, the student may or may not be used to strangers who talk a lot at the beginning. Be careful not to jump to conclusions and be offended if the youth doesn’t do much talking at first.

Personal space, solitary moments and private property

Be clear with the student about what your expectations are in terms of personal space and private property, since these concepts vary significantly from one culture to the next. Perhaps at home, it is considered normal for them to go into each other’s bedrooms without knocking, or to borrow a CD without asking permission : you might risk being offended, and they might not even understand what they did wrong ! This is why it is always better to have these conversations beforehand.

A tour of the house

When you give them the tour of the house, take this opportunity to explain how all of the appliances work, as they may be very different from what the student has at home ( shower, toilets, washing machine, etc… ). However, be sure to use some tact ! In order to avoid insulting the student by explaining things to them that they already know, it is better to ask them if there is anything different from what they have in their home, or to ask them to describe how their kitchen looks, for example.You can then explain the necessary details to them.

The bedroom

For the youth to feel at home, we suggest providing them with a little welcome basket on their bedside table that contains stamps and envelopes, a list of important phone numbers, a house key, a small card that has the house’s address and phone number and maybe a little message to welcome them to your home.

Deciding on names

It is often hard for the participant to decide how to address their host parents. Discuss it with them, being careful not to make them feel that they have to call you one thing or another. They may never feel comfortable calling you “mom” or “dad”, but you might be uncomfortable with them ad-dressing you as “Mr.” or “Mrs.” Try to find something that makes everyone comfortable.

House pets

You may see Fido or Mr. Whiskers as a member of your family, but it is possible that your student is not used to the same kind of treatment of domestic animals. They may not be comfortable with

Some conversations may seem uncomfortable to have, but they will save you from

situations that could be much more embarrassing later on !


Remember : Just because you have talked with them about something doesn’t mean

that they have understood ! Sometimes behaviour that comes naturally and is typical in our

culture can generate a reaction from the student. Be attentive to communication problems

and talk to them if you think that the youth might be confused or upset.

the dog taking a nap on the sofa beside them, or with the fact that their host sister talks to the cat. In certain cultures, dogs are considered dirty, others see them as food, the same way we see pigs or cows. Explain to the youth your way of treating your pet, but don’t be surprised if they take some time getting used to it !

A few days later…

Subjects to cover once the student is a bit more settled in :

Personal hygiene

In some warmer countries, it is normal to take two or three showers a day. Other students do not use deodorant or use much more perfume than a Canadian youth. Each culture defines for itself what “clean” means. There are surely some “hidden” odours in your home, which go unnoticed by you but may be bothersome to the student. If they have hygiene practices that could be detrimental to their integration, you can speak to them about it, being sure to use a lot of tact.

Language fatigue

Even if the student has studied English for many years at school, having to communicate in this language constantly quickly becomes exhausting. Help them by putting little labels on different objects that we use around the house – this can be a great activity for your children. Also, try not to constantly correct their mistakes during the first few weeks : this may be stressful for them and make them feel that they are being laughed at. Finally if you aren’t sure that they understood you ( they may often just nod instead of asking for clarification ), ask them to reiterate what you said.

Meal times

Everyone has different likes and dislikes when it comes to food ! Don’t forget that it often takes children years to develop a taste for certain foods and that it is normal that your student might not seem to like everything that you prepare. It is alright for them to have different tastes, but don’t prepare special meals for them either, unless there are certain religious restrictions that they must follow. Also, when passing the serving plates around the table, it is better not to start off with the student, so that they can see the appropriate quantity of each dish that everyone takes and how they eat it. It may seem obvious enough to you, but not always to them ! If a person is used to eat rice on a daily basis and suddenly stops eating rice, she might still be hungry after a meal. With time, it will get better and in the beginning, the student could make some rice for himself a few times during the week, if it isn’t inconvenient to you.


Security

Being careful not to scare the youth, discuss any issues of security in your community, the im-portance of locking the doors, emergency exits, the location of the fire extinguisher, the house alarm system, and emergency phone numbers including 911.

A tour of the community

During the first few weeks, introduce your student to important locations in your community : the bank, the pharmacy, the post office, the shopping centre, the corner store, the school, the commu-nity centre. However, it is not recommended to do it all in one day ! Try to show them one or two new places per day.

Don’t forget to show them how to take the city bus, train or subway in your region. Do they need to pay cash or buy tickets ahead of time ? Where are the stops ? Where can they find the schedule ?

Conversations about money

Canadian money will be completely new to your student : show them how to recognize the differ-ent coins and bills and explain to them the value of each by making comparisons with things they buy in their home country. Many visitors are also surprised by the taxes that are charged and don’t know that you have to leave a tip in some places. They might think that they are being tricked into paying more because they are from another country !

Registration at school

On their first day, try to find another student their age who can act as a guide and help them in-tegrate. It is already very stressful for a teenager to start at a new school, imagine not knowing the language, the culture or the school system !


Fact sheet to be filled out by the host family and the student

Within the family

• What should I call you ? ( Dad, first name... ) ___________________________________________________________________________________

• What should I call others who will visit the house ? ___________________________________________________________________________________

• Do I need to keep my room clean at all times ? _________________________________________

• Do I need to make my bed every morning ? ____________________________________________

• Can I put things up on the walls of my room and move the furniture around ? _____________

___________________________________________________________________________________

• How do I use the shower or the bath ? ________________________________________________

• When should I take my shower or bath ? ______________________________________________

• Do I do my own laundry ? _________ Ironing ?__________ How is it done ? ________________

___________________________________________________________________ ________________

• Can I eat anything I want ? ______________ Whenever I want ? _______________

• Do I need to ask permission for certain things ? _________________________________________

• What kind of help should I provide at mealtimes ( set the table, clear the table, wash the dishes... ) ? ________________________________________________________________________

• Will I have specific chores to take care of ?______________________________________________

• What time do I need : To be home at night ? ( Weeknights ) _______ ( Weekends ) ________ In my room ? ( Weeknights ) _____________ ( Weekends ) _________


• What do I say when I answer the telephone ?___________________________________________

• What kind of information is it ok to give over the telephone ? _____________________________________________________________________________________

• When do I need to lock the doors of the house ? _____________________________________________________________________________________

• Are there any special items that I should be careful with ? ( Wood burning stove, BBQ... ) _____________________________________________________________________________________

• Where are the emergency supplies ( extinguishers, first aid kit... ) and how do I use them ? _____________________________________________________________________________________

• Can I invite friends over for meals ? _____________ To sleep ? _____________

• Can I go to friends’ houses for meals ? _____________ To sleep ? _____________

• Can I use the computer ? ( including e-mail or Skype ) How much time per day/week ? _____________________________________________________________________________________ • Are there times during the week when the family gets together and do I need to be present ? _____________________________________________________________________________________

• Are there times during the year when the family gets together and do I need to be present ? _____________________________________________________________________________________

• Are there any details about the family that I should know ? _____________________________________________________________________________________

Outside of the family

• How do I get around the community ?__________________________________________________

• How do I use public pay phones ?_____________________________________________________

• How do I use the mail services ?___________________________________________________

• How do I do my banking ?____________________________________________________________

• How much money should I carry around with me ?______________________________________


• Is it appropriate to wear jewellery or expensive clothes ? ___________

• What pieces of identity do I need to carry with me ? ( Keep your AFS card with you at all times ) _____________________________________________________________________________________

• Are there neighbourhoods or hours of the day

• When I shouldn’t go out alone ? ________________

• To avoid altogether ? __________________

• How should I act if I am approached by a stranger ?

• What should I do if I feel unsafe ?

• In general is it ok for me to get lifts in a car with my friends from school ?

• What should I do if I witness someone taking drugs, alcohol or carrying a weapon ?

At school _______________ On the street _________________

• What do I do in an emergency ?

Home phone number : ____________________

Dad at work : ____________________________

Mom at work :____________________________

Dad’s cell phone : ________________________

Mom’s cell phone : _______________________

A family friend : __________________________

My AFS counsellor : AFS Interculture Canada : 1-800-361-7248 ( 514 ) 288-3282 ( 24 hour emergency line )

911 ( Fire, Ambulance, Police )


Some practical advice……Don’t try to change -

The AFS student will become a member of your family, but it is important not to try to make them a perfect little ‘Smith’ or ‘Johnson’ ! The point of hosting an exchange student is not to change them but often they will pick up cultural influences from your family and the surrounding community.

Like a member of the family -

The student’s adjustment will be much easier if they feel that the host family is interested in them, their culture and their home country, and if they are treated with as much respect and affection as the other members of the family. You can give them advice like you would give your own children, “write a letter home, say thank you, be on time for your appointment, do your chores,” etc…

Adapting the rules -

You must also be prepared to be flexible with the house rules in order to adapt them to the student. Host parents must make decisions based on the situation and the maturity of the youth. If you have younger children, they shouldn’t be treated exactly the same ; host parents without teenagers sometimes forget this ! You must also be able to adapt to the particularity of this situation – they are only in Canada for a short period of time. Your own children might have their entire lives to experience some things in Canada, but exchange students do not !

Communication -

It is very important to keep an open line of communication and not ignore little misunder-standings or frustrations. Spend quality time with your student ( talking, listening, explaining, and doing activities ).

Detecting family tensions -

You will also need to be attentive to the needs of your own family. If there are disagreements or tension, be sure to encourage open discussions.

Emphasizing the importance of school -

Your student will be attending a local school ; it is up to you to help them take their scholastic commitments seriously. Attending all classes, doing their homework, passing exams etc… If they are having difficulties, take the time to consult with their teachers or guidance counsellors.

Taste in clothes -

The student has the right to their own taste in clothes and host parents shouldn’t try to change them but their advice could be helpful with regards to dressing for the weather in Canada !


Mal du pays

Installation

Choc culturel

Les fêtes

Apprentissage culturel

Approfondissement des relations

Fatigue

Arrivée Les dernièressemaines

Réadaptation

After years of observation, AFS has noticed that there is a consistent nature to the adjustment period of each student who goes abroad. The adjustment cycle of an AFS student may vary from one individual to the next, but it can generally be outlined as follows :

AFS Student Adjustment curve and stages

In the preceding section, we touched on the steps that immediately follow the

arrival of the student. It is now time to focus on the path that ideally leads us to intercultural

learning.

Arrival

Fatigue

Deepening the relationship

Home sickness

Culture shock

Setting in

The Holidays

Culture learning

The last weeks

Readjustment

AdjustmentThis step is about adapting the family routine to the new arrival. As a family, you have had years to

adjust to each other and to get to know your habits and preferences. Suddenly, this young stranger arrives with personal baggage, expectations and habits, it’s no wonder that once the initial excite-ment wears off, all sorts of irritations arise !

Interruption of the family routine

It is possible that after the first few weeks of enjoying the “honeymoon” phase, you might begin to feel like strangers in your own home, feeling frustrated or apprehensive. Your children may also be reacting to all of the attention that this young stranger is getting, or feeling upset about having to share their room for the first time. In some families, these situations aren’t too disruptive, while others will find these to be major adjustments. In order to fix the situation, start to recognize what your family routine is like, which often goes on unnoticed, and try to explain it to the student. After, with the par-ticipation of all members, establish a new routine that answers the needs of everyone involved. Once everyone has agreed on the new routine, the frustrations should subside. If your children continue to


feel apprehensive about the new addition to the family, explain to them that their feelings are normal but that they are probably a reflection of their resistance to change as opposed to being directed at the student personally.

You start to recognize their faults

Before the student arrives, the host family has a tendency to romanticize the experience, to believe that their student will be exceptionally gifted, a youth who can adapt to anything, who has no bad habits, or who will be the big brother or sister of their dreams. In all cases, the expectations will be crushed sooner or later when you realize that they are a teenager just like any other, with all of their good qualities and faults. If you are feeling disappointed after your student arrives, remind yourself that it was you who created these unfair expectations.

Establish realistic objectives

Remember the objectives that you had when you initially agreed to invite the youth into your home ? If it was to fix your relationship with your partner, find a friend for your shy daughter, have more help with the chores, or impose your religious or political beliefs on a young mind, you run the risk of being very disappointed with the results. Let us remind you what kind of objectives are realistic :

• To share your way of life• To learn about your own culture and about another culture• To develop a friendship with a person of another culture• To expose your children to cultural diversity, which, in light of increasing globalization, will provide

them with essential life skills

Deepening the relationshipNow that you have clarified your objectives for what you wish to achieve with this hosting experi-

ence, you must increase your efforts to make your way of life logical to the student. In families, the way of life often passes for the rules of the house.

The rules of the house

from the rules that you have already explained to your student regarding the everyday things, there is another series of important expectations that may escape you but that will influence your perception of the youth. These ‘silent’ expectations include : how you express your appreciation, how you express your disagreement, what it means to be “on time” , when it is appropriate to invite friends to the house and where it is acceptable for you to spend time with them ( the living room, bedroom ), the significance of a locked bedroom door ( anger, rest, reflection ) and last but not least, hygiene and bathroom etiquette.

Explain to them why you have established these rules and what they mean to you. It is much easier to follow the rules when you understand the logic behind them. This will also help the student identify elements of your culture and your values.


Don’t minimize the importance of these small misunderstandings ! They are perfect opportunities to learn more about the significance of culture.

Straight talk …

• Take the time to listen !

• Let them know that you are happy they are there and a part of your family. We often take it for granted but these moments are worth so much. Hearing this will make all the difference to the youth who is very far from home and their loved ones.

• Explain to your student that you hope that they take this opportunity to explore and learn new things, and participate fully in family life, all without forgetting their own values.

• Sometimes students will feel guilty knowing that their host family does not receive any financial compensation and they feel that they have to “pay them back” by being a perfect guest, never being in a bad mood, and putting other members of the family before themselves. It is important to let them know why you wanted to host an exchange student and why the experience is worth it, even if you aren’t financially compensated.

Culture ShockOne of the hardest steps for many AFS participants is culture shock, where they come to the

realization that their host country is not perfect and that there are so many things that they still don’t quite get.

However, it is also a crucial turning point. If it is dealt with by the host family with empathy and tolerance, it can be a great learning opportunity. So let’s look at some characteristics of culture shock :

Identity problems

In their home country, the youth knows who they are and what place they hold in their community. However, in a foreign country, they do not know exactly how to act and their behaviour often pro-vokes unexpected reactions. They laugh at the wrong time, sometimes they’re too shy, other times they’re not shy enough ! Basically they don’t feel like themselves : someone who knows what it takes to be a good friend and a good son or daughter. They are painfully aware that their efforts here don’t seem to get the same results as they do back home.

Odd behaviour

Host parents may sometimes be shocked by the change in behaviour they see when their student hits this phase. Culture shock is a stressful experience and can cause changes in their behaviour such as impatience, irrational judgements, or hiding out in their bedroom for long pe-riods of time.


Anger

When they are confused and frustrated, the student will look for the source of the problem, and they have the tendency to identify something nearby – the host family and country. What seemed so wonderful upon their arrival suddenly seems to be the very reason they are upset.

Homesickness

They left everyone they know behind ! ! Never forget this. They will spend almost a year far away from the hugs of their family, far from those who truly understand them.

Recovery

If you offer a sympathetic ear and follow the advice below, the situation will improve !

Advice to support recovery from culture shock :

Talk openly about culture shock and the feelings the student is having.

Encourage situations where the student can make friends and socialize with others

their age.

Give them some time alone, or time to pout without judging them, if you can see that they

need it. Some days are better than others for a deep discussion about their feelings.

Be ready to hear judgements made about your life and know that they are not direct-

ed at you but are more like glimpses of what kind of cultural differences have yet to be

understood.

Don’t give any ultimatums, which can exacerbate the feelings of frustration and mistrust

towards you, and will not lead to a resolution of the conflict.

Encourage them to rest and let them sleep as much as possible !

HolidaysThe holidays usually arrive right around the time when the student is starting to recover from cul-

ture shock. We all know that this time of year can be hard for someone who is away from home, and your exchange student is no exception. They will probably feel very homesick for their friends and family and they will be particularly aware of being the ‘outsider’ in the host family. Even those who have not suffered from a major culture shock will have the tendency to feel more nostalgic. This being said, many youth have a wonderful time over the holidays with their host family. Here is a bit of advice on how to maximize the experience :


Plan in advance

Invite the student to take part in all of your holiday festivities so that they can be reminded of the traditions of their own family. For example, you can help them to send home packages and cards to their friends and family, you can ask them to make a dish that they would typically have at home on a special occasion, and help them to find the perfect time to call home and wish everyone well.

Don’t complicate your plans

Some families put so much effort into creating the perfect holiday for their student that they ulti-mately end up putting too much pressure on everyone. Celebrate like you always have ; the student came to experience real Canadian culture, not the one we wish we had !

Intercultural learning ( see the section below )

The student starts learning about their host culture the moment they arrive, but often the true understanding of the culture can only happen once the smoke from the culture shock clears ! Now the real experience of the exchange takes shape and becomes truly enjoyable. A deeper relation-ship is growing between the family members and the student, which allows for better understanding between them and a more harmonious living situation.

However, not all participants will reach this step during their stay. Sometimes the real learning only happens years later when a different situation triggers some reflection and sheds some light on what they experienced all those years ago. No matter when it happens, know that you will have played an important role in the development of the youth, and they will have surely contributed to yours !

The last weeks

A sense of sadness mixed with fear arises the moment the student sees their program coming to an end. They are apprehensive about returning home. At this moment, the student realizes how much they have changed and how attached they are to those around them. They will often feel guilty that they don’t want to go home !

Once they return home, or shortly after, they will suffer from another culture shock : this one will be related to who they were before they left and who they’ve become while abroad. Participants often feel quite alone since they are still digesting their AFS experience and the people around them just won’t be all that interested in hearing about it constantly. With this final step, they realize that their level of understanding of two cultures has evolved and they are currently in the process of readapting to their original culture.

Are you worried about not being able to remember all of this advice ? RELAX ! And enjoy

every moment of this extraordinary experience !


Up to now, we have mostly talked about the effects of the exchange on the youth… but what about the host family ?

Even though you stay in your own community throughout the hosting experience, you are not sheltered from the culture shock that is provoked by the inquisitive eye that will be focused on your way of life. You will probably experience periods of questioning of your own culture, referred to by King and Huff ( 1985 ) as “quasi-culture shock”.

The Host Family Experience

Quasi-culture shock : A condition that varies in intensity, from light to moderate, where a family will see their own routines, harmonious lifestyle, perceptions and beliefs called into question and disrupted.

Symptoms : Irritability, discouragement and lack of objectivity

Onset : Early in the hosting experience, can last up to a few months, all depending on the efforts to remedy the situation.

Antidote : Knowing that it is a normal phenomenon, and approaching the situation as well in-formed and prepared as possible.

A House of Mirrors

Teenagers already have the tendency to show us a less than flattering image of ourselves. They tend to quickly detect contradictions in the discourse of their parents and, full of idealism that has yet to be tested by the moral ambiguities of life, they often point out behaviour that they see as hypocritical.

For example, they will ask us :

• “Why do you say that drugs are worse than cigarettes and coffee ? Nicotine and caffeine are more harmful and more addictive than marijuana !”

• “Why do you go and work out at the gym, but then take your car to the corner store ?”

Teenagers naturally force their parents to question their own actions. So with a student from abroad, you risk not only being questioned about your way of life and the choices that you make but also about your culture. Questions about your culture are even more difficult to handle since they touch on beliefs and values that we have had since we were children.

Loss of cultural innocence

Once we have been shown that some of our values that we thought were fundamental or univer-sal are probably no more than cultural particularities, the pill is very hard to swallow ! The result is a


realization that what we consider to be good or bad are completely relative concepts when we travel between cultures. Our principals which were very solid are now suddenly less convincing. People who are particularly rigid at the beginning can even suffer from anxiety when their pillars of belief are rattled. However, if we take the time to understand what is happening and we succeed at developing flexibility in our ideologies, the effects of the shock will be more positive.

The benefits of “quasi-culture shock” for the host family :

• A better understanding of international realities

• Awareness of our own cultural frameworks which condition and influence the perception of events and the way that we deal with them

• Increased sensitivity to the idea that all ways of life can be valid placed within their cultural con-text

• More flexibility and tolerance when it comes to ambiguous intercultural situations

These are some of the steps towards a more ethnorelative perspective, which provides, in the medium to long-term, a better competence in intercultural relations.


What is Culture ?

Definition of cultureWhen we say that a person is “cultured”, we are typically talking about their general or surface

culture, meaning their behaviour and understanding of the arts, geography, political or scientific af-filiations. This culture is visible, we can study it at school, see it in a museum.

However, there is another aspect to the word “culture” which is much more difficult to discern since it cannot be learned by reading books or in courses at school. This is deep culture : the system of norms, values and beliefs that dictate to us how to behave in certain situations.

The metaphor of the iceberg is often used in AFS training sessions since it clearly demonstrates how we can see both aspects of culture.

The Iceberg of Culture

Surface culture : Art, literature, language, political and religious institutions, rituals, customs…

Deep culture : Value systems, beliefs and standards which dictate how we should interpret a situation and how to act in the appropriate manner

This aspect of culture is often invisible, since it is in large part subconscious. We have integrated these rules and values into our lives since birth. Our parents, friends, family and others who we have grown-up around have confirmed that it was good to do this and bad to do that. When we see someone from another culture acting in a way which we consider to be “bad”, we then deduce that this person or the people that they represent are immoral. However, there is a strong chance that this person was well-intentioned but was following cultural rules that are different from our own.

In brief, understanding the philosophies, religious or political writings, arts and science

of a culture does not provide you with intercultural competencies ! It is only by reflecting

upon our own cultural influences and seeing how they motivate our behaviour that we can

eventually understand another culture and communicate effectively.


Generalizations and stereotypesIt often happens that people deny the existence of cultural differences : they want to avoid

“labelling” others, and don’t want to stereotype. However, the idea of considering each person as an individual without considering their cultural identity is a particularly Western cultural trait !

To be fair, it is important to distinguish cultural generalisations from stereotypes :

• Fair cultural generalizations are based on methodical intercultural research and they describe predominant tendencies in a particular social group. It needs to be said that they represent only the ‘average’ behaviours and that individuals from this culture can cover the entire spectrum of behaviours, beliefs and values.

• We are talking about stereotypes when we use cultural generalizations to describe or predict how an individual thinks or acts, or when we formulate cultural generalizations after limited contact with another culture.

So contrary to what we may believe, the use of cultural generalizations are helpful when they serve as a point of reference in order to better understand our behaviours as well as the behaviour of your exchange student.

The hidden face of culture

Certain aspects of our culture, whether “deep” or “hidden” tend to be more intimidating and harder to face than others. Below they are placed on a scale that represents the different aspects, ranging from those which are easily dealt with to those which are a little more difficult.

Use of language

We’re not talking about the fact that two people need to have a common language in order to have a conversation, that’s pretty straightforward. Use of language refers more to the way we express ourselves and how we use language depending on the social context. Essentially, you can master the grammar and the vocabulary of a foreign language, but still not know how to greet someone, join a conversation, compliment someone, criticise something, or take part in many other social rituals in a culturally appropriate fashion.

Comfortable Uncomfortable

Use of language

Non verbal communication

Communication style

Cognitive style

Values


For example, greetings can vary by their length ( short or long ), their content ( personal or impersonal ), and in their style ( serious or joking ). Let’s take the differences that exist between the culture of North American men and women. Most North American men greet their friends by using short greetings that bring out common impersonal experiences, like a sporting event, and will also use teasing or jokes. On the other hand, women stop to discuss a bit longer, they tend to address more personal subjects, and will sometimes use compliments on the other person’s appearance.

Many misunderstandings can occur between a man and a woman if they are not conscious of these differences in the use of language : a woman might find the man abrupt, hostile, or even out of line by his use of joking. Whereas the man might think that the woman is trying to flirt with him by speaking of personal matters and complimenting him, and then respond to these “advances”.

The different ways that we use language are often unconscious and can be very risky when we assume the intentions of the other without understanding.

Non Verbal Communication

Important cultural differences exist in the modulation of the voice ( volume and tone ), body language, facial reactions, gestures, eye movement, physical distance between people, and contact with the other person. These actions are often unconscious ; however they can have quite an impact on the message received by the listener.

For example, there exists a difference between Americans and Northern Europeans with regards to eye contact ( short or long ) during a conversation and to indicate that one would like to have the chance to speak. Americans have the tendency to establish eye contact for a medium amount of time, looking away from time to time, and then to establish a fixed eye contact when they would like to speak. However, Northern Europeans have the tendency to maintain direct eye contact while listening and then to break the contact and look around when they would like a chance to speak.

Imagine the misunderstandings that could arise if we do not consider this small difference at the level of non-verbal language. An American, for whom direct and prolonged eye contact can be a sign of aggressiveness, would feel quite uncomfortable in front of a German who keeps direct eye con-tact throughout the conversation. The German might in turn feel that their listener is not interested. Because of these culturally biased “hints”, exchanges risk being difficult and each person considered to be impolite or aggressive.

Communication style

According to researcher Edward T. Hall, some cultures are highly dependent on context in their verbal exchanges, where others depend on context very little. Those who come from a culture that is highly dependent on context, have the habit of reading between the lines in order to find the real meaning of what the other person is saying, whereas those whose culture does not put much impor-tance on context will understand things in a much more literal sense.

The general rule is that Western cultures tend to depend very little on context compared to Asian cultures. For example, an American will wait until we ask them something explicitly before giving it, which will make the Japanese ( who transmitted his message subtly in a certain context, thinking that his request was quite clear ) question why his American listener is so insensitive to his needs.


Cognitive style

This is a question of different ways of categorizing the information captured by our senses, mean-ing our perception and the mechanisms by which we analyse this information. Certain recent studies have gone as far as showing that people from different cultures activate different regions of their brain when put in the very same situation. This has led us to believe that culture is strong enough to have an effect on our physiological and neurological processes.

Indeed, American researcher Richard Nisbett presented an image of a fish in water to a group of Asians as well as a group of North Americans and asked them to simply describe what they saw. The Asian group tended to describe details of the life of the fish, where it lived and the way it felt, whereas the Westerners were drawn almost exclusively to describing the physical characteristics of the fish, with no mention of the environment surrounding it. These results seemed to confirm that there are real differences in the way which different people “see” the world. They also appeared to demon-strate that other theories of Asians being more collectivist and contextual than North Americans, who favoured individualism and literal interpretations, were founded.

Cultural values

Finally, the domain of culture that poses the most problems is without a doubt that which relates to values since it is directly linked with how a certain group defines what is good and what is bad, touching on their most fundamental beliefs that many consider to be absolute truths. We can choose different ways to approach cultural values. Let’s consider Geert Hofstede’s model, which chooses to focus more specifically on five dimensions of intercultural values in order to compare the cultures themselves.

Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

According to Hofstede, the following

are the fundamentals which assist in dif-

ferentiating cultures : Identity, Gender,

Hierarchy, Truth and Virtue.

Cultural indicators defined by Hofst-

ede are considered to exist on a con-

tinuum, meaning that the general ten-

dency of a culture for each criterion will

find itself at some point on the scale. For

example, we don’t consider a popula-

tion to be either individualistic or collec-

tivist, but rather where it is situated on

The 5D Model of professor Geert Hofstede

125

100

75

50

25

0

Canada China

PDI IDV MAS UAI LTO

PDI : La hiérarchie, ou l’indice de la distance au pouvoirIDV : L’identité, ou l’indice d’individualismeMAS : Le genre, ou l’indice de masculinitéUAI : La vérité, ou l’indice d’évitement d’incertitudeLTO : La vertu, ou l’indice d’orientation à long-terme


the scale between the two, and if it tends to lean more towards one or the other. Don’t forget,

as was explained above, individuals within the culture can also deviate from the general

tendencies

As an example, let’s compare the five dimensions in the Chinese and Canadian culture :

We can see that in Chinese culture, people tend to consider that it is better to have a lot of distance between a subordinate and their superior, meaning that their hierarchy is more pronounced. In Canada, we tend to believe that it is better to create more equal relationships with one another. We can also see that Canadians put quite a bit of importance on their individuality, whereas the Chinese tend to think of the collective before thinking of themselves as an individual. Finally, there is quite a significant difference between the two cultures, this time in terms of virtue, where the Chinese think that it is better to think of long-term effects to the detriment of the short-term effects, where Cana-dians prioritize the immediate effects of their actions, quite often disregarding the future.

For more information on this subject and to compare the countries of your choice, please visit : www.geert-hofstede.com

Sub-culturesAll that we have covered in the past chapter can also be applied on a smaller scale. For example,

the standards and values that guide the behaviour of youth are very different from those that guide their parents. People from a more rural area are often shocked by the values and rhythm of life of “city people”. We hear much more talk of “business culture” and each family also has their own culture - their own rules that dictate to its members how they should behave.

When an AFS participant arrives in their host family, there are a number of new cultures that they encounter. For example, if they have decided to go to Japan, they will be confronted with the Asian culture, Japanese culture, and the host family’s culture ( which risks being a non-typical family since they want to host a stranger in their home ! ) With each new culture comes a new set of rules to learn about and live with.


Communication between two people from different cultures risks being quite difficult if we are not conscious of the differences between us. The first step towards success is to take a realistic look at our cultural influences and our preconceived ideas which influence our way of interpreting and evaluating what others say and do.

Once the first step has been taken, here are some tips that might help :

Be empathetic ! - Try to put yourself in the shoes of the teenager who is far from everything that they know and the small actions that may frustrate or bother you will take on a very different mean-ing.

Learn to change your perspective - Since cultural differences exist even at the level of percep-tion, efforts must be made to see things from the point of view of the stranger who has very different rules of conduct that come from their own culture.

Ask the student to put it into context - If you cannot quite see the situation from the perspective of the youth, simply ask them to explain it to you ! “I am not sure that I understand your perspective, would you be able to explain it to me ?”

Be open minded - You can always choose to approach a new situation with either an open or a closed mind. An open mind will generally be the best attitude to adopt in order to avoid a defensive reaction and speed up a resolution.

Don’t let your frustrations build up - Often host family changes are the result of small issues that were never discussed and resolved and reach a point of no return.

Use open ended questions - When resolving communication problems, it is better to avoid using questions that will result in “yes” or “no” answers. Open ended questions will encourage the youth to share more information and prompt a swift resolution.

Don’t project your judgements - We are often quick to assume that others have bad intentions when they do something that is considered to be inappropriate in our culture. See the box below…

Effective InterculturalCommunicaton

Don’t apply the “law of the insult”…

There is an unspoken law that exists in all cultures that goes as follows : In order to insult

someone, all you need to do is break a cultural rule. Since the members of a culture abide

by the same standard, when they break it, it is a way of disrespecting the other.

The catch is that the exchange student does not know these norms at the beginning of

their stay and there are many that will elude them right to the end. It is therefore very impor-

tant to avoid judgement and assume bad intentions where there are none ! When you think


that there might be something that your student doesn’t understand, explain to them quite

simply what their behaviour means in your culture.

“Red Flags”Professor Elijah Lovejoy, of the University of California at Santa Barbara, used the term “red

flags” when referring to the reactions we have when confronted by another culture. Instead of trying to repress the feelings that we may have, Lovejoy suggests that we use them as warning signs that are telling us that a difference exists within our subconscious culture that could eventually lead to a misunderstanding.

For example, you are hosting a Brazilian exchange student and your reaction, your “red flag”, is to think to yourself, “this student was poorly raised, what bad manners !” You should stop and ask yourself why you came to this conclusion :

What was your initial reaction ? “She was poorly raised”What exactly did she do ? - She didn’t follow your rulesWhich rules ? - She never is home on time

Ah ! Here’s the real problem ! The concept of “on time” is not at all the same in Brazil as it is in Canada. Here, the exact time is important, whereas in Brazil, time is an approximation. People will often arrive up to an hour after the scheduled meeting time but they aren’t late because everyone knows that the time was a rough calculation. The young Brazilian isn’t being disrespectful, since she wasn’t late on purpose. In fact, she simply didn’t understand that time is something that is quite rigid in Canadian culture.

Prejudices are often the barriers that hinder strong communication. These prejudices often result from the fact that we use our own cultural references to judge the behaviour of those from another culture. If we can learn to see these subjective reactions as an alarm or warning, we can then im-prove the communication and understanding between people of different cultures. Let’s look at a few examples.

1. « NEGATIVE » WARNINGS

The kinds of warnings that we encounter the most often are those which instinctively provoke a negative evaluation of the behaviour of someone from another culture.

1.1. » They are impolite »

In the United States, it is normal for someone to take out a pack of cigarettes and light one with-out offering one to those around them. A visitor from France might consider this to be very impolite. In many countries it is unthinkable for someone to light a cigarette without first offering one to the other members of the group. This small action can be interpreted as a deliberate act of rudeness or hostility.


Certain questions can be considered to be impolite. A Moroccan man living in France might be very offended if one of his coworkers asked about the health of his wife. In France, this line of ques-tioning is a polite way of engaging in conversation, but the Moroccan man might consider this ques-tion to be too personal to be asked among co-workers.

One day, while an Ethiopian woman is visiting Canada, she goes swimming with friends. She is shocked and angered when someone asks her, “What’s your secret for staying so thin ?” For a Cana-dian woman, this kind of a question is a compliment, but this woman, who believes being heavier is considered more beautiful, feels that the person is insulting her.

1.2 « They are dirty »

Many cultures attach much importance to cleanliness. However, each of these cultures main-tains their own definition of what clean is. Japanese people may feel that North-Americans are dirty because they bathe, wash and rinse in the same water, when they would never think of washing their clothes or dishes this way ! In Japan, they use different water for each step of their bath.

Many Americans believe that it is very rude to spit or to blow your nose directly onto the street, whereas other cultures feel that it is very dirty to blow your nose into a handkerchief that you keep in your pocket and re-use.

1.3 « They are stupid »

Japanese visitors to France may be surprised to see that in many stores, you must wait in a line to get the product you wish to buy, and yet another line to pay for it. Not used to this system, their reaction might be, “How stupid !” Like with other reactions, this one puts an end to your reflection. However, if we take the time to reflect, one might consider that this is simply a system put in place for security reasons. If the owner is the only one dealing with the money, than there is no risk of em-ployees who are dishonest or make costly mistakes.

Upon their visit to France, a Swedish couple discovered that at the movies, someone is in charge of directing them to their seats and then he waited for a tip afterwards in exchange for his service. This angered the couple, who reacted with emotion, “What a stupid idea ! I am capable of finding my own seat ! !” The French don’t even pay much attention to this custom ; the tip is a part of the cost of the film. The service offered may seem useless, but it is a tradition.

1.4 Other examples of remarks which could be interpreted as prejudices or negative warnings

There are many reactions that should be considered as signals or red flags and encourage the visitor to “think of the differences which exist between diverse “cultures”.

« I cannot accept that... » « They are so cold ! » « That’s unbelievable ! »« They are so condescending ! » « They act like children »« That’s disgusting ! »« That makes me so angry ! »

« They are offensive ! »« That’s ridiculous » « They are so weird » « They’re unpredictable » « They’re not as advanced as we are »« We can’t trust them »« Why can’t they act more like us ? »


2. « POSITIVE » WARNINGS

Most warnings tend to be negative and don’t constitute very pleasant reactions. However, certain reactions which seem to be favourable actually are not. They are what we call a positive prejudice. Again in this case, this reaction is caused by a different cultural interpretation. Positive warnings are risky, since the visitor might be creating unrealistic expectations.

2.1 « They are so nice »

People who visit the United States are often pleasantly surprised by how warmly they are greeted upon their arrival. Americans welcome them with big smiles, and they invite them to dinner or to stay with their families. Depending on their own culture, the visitors may interpret this in the following way, “We are going to be such good friends, and we will see each other often.” They can be bitterly disap-pointed if this does not happen. The same people who welcomed them so warmly seem to have, after a week or so, lost complete interest in the visitors. In the United States, friendships are seemingly easy to create and quickly attain a degree of intimacy which would be much harder to reach in, let’s say a European nation. However, it also seems as though the friendships are not as long lasting in the US and that the values which they attach to them are weaker than in other cultures.

“Drop-in for a visit” is often used by Americans, but that doesn’t mean that it is necessarily an invitation to do so. This kind of invite should not be taken literally. In fact, the visitor who would actu-ally “drop-in for a visit” would probably surprise their American hosts !

2.2 « We’re going to be great friends »

A woman from Holland who moved to Paris had a very unpleasant experience following a misun-derstanding about the degree of closeness of a friendship. She enjoyed talking with a French friend and one evening she invited him to have dinner at her house. From her perspective, the invite sug-gested nothing more than “Let’s have dinner together”.

Her friend, who interpreted this gesture as a sexual advance, realized his error during the meal. He got up from the table and said, “You don’t actually think I came all the way across town just for dinner did you ?” and left with a slam of the door !

2.3 « They are so generous »

The generosity of your hosts might charm you, but depending on the cultural norms of your host country, you might accumulate a dept or accept an obligation that you have not realized.

Often the rules of etiquette force your hosts to offer you different things, but these same rules require you to refuse them. If you admire a bookcase in the house of a Brazilian friend, they might just offer it to you. A naïve reaction like : “Oh you’re so generous !” would be too simple. You have to quickly think of what you are going to say. Someone who finds themselves in this situation might say, “Oh thank you for your wonderful generosity ! It’s a beautiful bookcase and I am so happy that you are offering this to me as a gift but it looks so beautiful in this room that I would like to leave it here. I will consider it to be mine and that will make me very happy, but I want it to stay here in your home.”


3. « RECIPROCAL WARNINGS »A third kind of warning is caused by unexpected reactions from the hosts to the behaviour of the

visitor. If the host becomes angry, acts surprised or laughs out loud, it is possible that the visitor has done something contrary to the cultural rules of the host country. These reactions on the part of the host can be referred to as ‘reciprocal warnings’.

« They are angry »

The director of a study program for exchange students in England asks his students regularly : “Has someone gotten angry at you this week ?” The students sometimes tell stories where they provoked someone to become angry with them, and then they will do a cultural analysis in order to try and understand why what they did was considered inappropriate in England. Discussing these incidents often allows the students to have a better understanding of both their own culture and that of the host country.

A French woman working in California told the following story. She was driving on a multi lane highway when she saw that a police car with its lights flashing behind her. She wondered what was happening but kept on driving. In France, the police always put themselves beside the car if they want to pull someone over. So as long as the police stayed behind her, she kept driving. It wasn’t until they put on their siren that she finally pulled over to the side of the road. She was very surprised when the officer was angry with her. Later, when she thought back on this incident, she realised that her behaviour, quite normal as far as French rules are concerned, was not appropriate in California.

3.2 “They are surprised »

An American man living in France opened a bank account and asked what he should do if he deposited a cheque that bounced. The banker, quite surprised, looked at him, waited a moment and then said, clearly and in a severe tone, “I sincerely hope that it doesn’t ever happen.” Sometime later, the visitor learned that writing a cheque that bounces is a very serious act in France compared to the United States and is considered to be a crime. The “surprised” warning was a hint that should have tipped him off that the situation required further analysis.

4. WHAT TO DO AFTER NOTICING A WARNING

The basic idea of these “warnings” is for you to use your own reactions and those of others around you to signal an alarm and to take the time to analyse the cultural significance of the situa-tion. You can reflect on the cultural differences and the contradictory messages that you will get from similar actions at home compared to abroad. Sometimes it is possible to identify these differences yourself, however, it is preferable to speak with someone from the host culture that has travelled and perhaps experienced the same type of problems.

Discussions with other “foreigners” can also be very helpful to you. In comparing the perspectives of three or four different cultures, you will realize that there are many different ways to approach the exact same situation.


Denial Defence Minimization Acceptance Adaptation Integration

Ethnocentric Ethnorelative

Something that might help you to understand your own culture and that of your host country is to find similarities between them when you receive a warning. For example, many Canadians who travel to Mexico are shocked that people often give small bribes - a “mordida”- in order to ensure that they receive the service that they find acceptable. Canadians believe that they are morally superior to this kind of behaviour and condemn the methods of their hosts. However, Canadians should take the time to reflect on the various ways that exist in their own country to ensure that they get what they want. In Canada, it is rare to bribe someone, but many Canadians would have no issue with calling a friend who works for a company that we would like to get something from, or to use a relationship that we have in order to get a job or even have a friend help us in order to get something at a good price. These are all methods that we use in order to obtain certain privileges all over

Canada and the United States and can be seen as having the same benefit as the “mordida” in other countries. The Canadian, who has looked for similarities between the two countries, can move ahead in their understanding of the cultural differences.

If you do not consider these differences and interpret the behaviour of someone according to the rules of your own culture, you will end up making mistakes sooner or later. To a certain extent, these errors are inevitable. When someone arrives in another country, they cannot know all of the characteristics of a culture, even if they are well informed about their host country. It is wise to always consider your own subjective reactions as an alarm signal or a warning in order to avoid poor com-munication and misunderstandings between the visitor and the hosts.

Intercultural Learning

Intercultural learning is a process that can last an entire lifetime and therefore you need to be forgiving towards yourself and others when you hit an obstacle. In brief, here is how Dr. Milton Ben-nett, a researcher in intercultural studies, describes the process he calls the “Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity” ( DMIS ).

Ethnocentric : Defined as using one’s own set of standards and customs to judge all people, often unconsciously. Your own culture is experienced as the central reality.

Ethnorelative : The capacity to feel at ease when confronted with the values and customs differ-ent from your own, and the ability to adapt your behaviour and judgement within different contexts. Your own culture is experienced within the context of other cultures.


The steps that lead towards intercultural competenceDenial of cultural difference is the state in which one’s own culture is experienced as the only real

one. Other cultures are avoided by maintaining psychological and/or physical isolation from differ-ences. People at the denial stage generally are disinterested in cultural difference, although they may act aggressively to eliminate a difference if they feel it is imposed on them.

Defence against cultural difference is the state in which one’s own culture ( or an adopted cul-ture ) is experienced as the only good one. The world is organized into “us and them”, where “we” are superior and “they” are inferior. People at the defence stage are threatened by cultural difference, so they tend to be highly critical of other cultures, regardless of whether the others are their hosts, their guests, or cultural newcomers to their society.

Minimization of cultural difference is the state in which elements of one’s own cultural world view are experienced as universal. Because these absolutes obscure deep cultural differences, other cultures may be trivialized or romanticized. People at the minimization stage expect similarities, and they may become insistent about correcting others’ behaviour to match their expectations. The second three DMIS stages are ethnorelative, meaning that one’s own culture is experienced in the context of other cultures.

AFS staff put under the microscope !

When Dr. Bennett studied the aptitude of AFS staff members, he discovered that the

majority of them found themselves in the Minimization stage of intercultural sensitivity de-

velopment. Looks like we’ve still got some work to do !

Acceptance of cultural difference is the state in which one’s own culture is experienced as just one of a number of equally complex worldviews. Acceptance does not mean agreement—cultural difference may still be judged negatively—but the judgment is not ethnocentric. People at the ac-ceptance stage are curious about and respectful toward cultural difference.

Adaptation to cultural difference is the state in which the experience of another culture yields perception and behaviour appropriate to that culture. One’s worldview is expanded to include con-structs from other worldviews. People at the adaptation stage are able to look at the world “through different eyes” and may intentionally change their behaviour to communicate more effectively in another culture.

Integration of cultural difference is the state in which one’s experience of self is expanded to in-clude the movement in and out of different cultural worldviews. People at the integration stage often are dealing with issues related to their own “cultural marginality.” This stage is not necessarily bet-ter than adaptation in most situations demanding intercultural competence. However, it is common among non-dominant minority groups, long-term expatriates, and “global nomads.”

Documents

Intercultural Guide