Studying abroad is both an exciting and challenging time! You will be embarking on an adventure and navigating a new culture, country, and academic system. Understanding the common phases of cultural transitions is important as it will allow you to recognize that what you are feeling is entirely normal and a part of the cultural learning process.
According to Paige Butler’s Cultural Transitions Model, there are six phases of cultural adjustment. See below for definitions of each phase as well as common responses during each phase.
An early phase in which you become aware of new, exciting, visible surface-level and
striking differences as you transition to a new culture. While this may be initially
energizing, it can also lead to overstimulation and fatigue.
General Responses: Excitement, newness, superficial judgement, overstimulated, overwhelmed
An early and ongoing transitional phase focused upon seeking out understanding of
a new cultural context. This could include seeking out visible cultural elements (e.g.
visiting landmarks) and works toward deeper examination of a culture (e.g. food, history,
etc.) including more invisible aspects of culture.
General Responses: From superficial to deeper encounters with culture (food, people, history, language,
etc.), a wide range of emotions may occur.
This is a trial and error phase in which you may make conscious decisions that help
you to navigate daily life and build relationships in the host culture.
General Responses: Experience of trial & error, daily living, recalibrating expectations and energy
This phase can occur in response to encountering difficulty in daily living can lead
to frustration or annoyance.
General Responses: Frustration/annoyance, extended overstimulation,withdrawal/stress response behaviors,
and breakthroughs in learning
Cultural fatigue often happens when you have to continuously process the new culture.
Individuals may feel disconnected from home culture and/or their own cultural identity.
General Responses: Perfectionism or defeatist attitudes, decline in engagement, increased irritability,
homesickness, physical fatigue, psychological fatigue that impacts decision-making,
reasoning and language expression.
This phase may manifest in response to observable behaviors in the host culture perceived
as ‘different’ from one’s home culture, particularly those that may irritate or annoy
an individual (e.g. street harassment, staring, etc.).
General Responses: From minor to critical incidents, confronting values, heightened emotional responses,
feeling critical of home or host country, critical of self or others
While these are commonly experienced phases, not all individuals will experience all of them; individual responses to each phase will differ as well. Furthermore, each phase may elicit emotional responses that can be perceived as positive, negative, neutral, or somewhere in between.
For more detail about the Cultural Transitions Model, please reference:
Butler, Paige E. (2019). The cultural transitions model: Moving beyond culture shock to enhance student learning abroad. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 30(4), 67-93.https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1247599
EDUCATION ABROAD GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT OFFICE
Cheney International Center | Dept. 3707, 1000 E. University Ave. | Laramie,
WY 82071
Phone: (307)766-3677 | Fax: (307)766-3679
uwyoabd@uwyo.edu
