Cultural Adaption
Transcript of Cultural Adaption
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Cultural adaptation
Culturaladaptation
Firs imprssionsThe United Kingdom (UK) is a diverse and
multi-cultural society, where students
of all backgrounds are welcome and
their involvement in local communities
is valued. Moving to a different culture,
however similar to your own and however
welcoming, may take a little time to adjust
to. Many international students experience
a slight culture shock when they move to
the UK which is completely normal. It is
often the subtle differences which cause the
most discomfort; the smell of certain foods,
the way people address you in the street, or
physical proximity when you are holdinga conversation with an acquaintance
or colleague.
Culural adapaionIn order to help you adapt to living in the
UK it is useful to have an understanding of
UK culture and your own cultural identity.
Today, with many societies having access
to the internet and other media, most
students, whether UK or international,will be equipped with some cross-cultural
knowledge and understanding. It is wise,
however, to prepare yourself by considering
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the issue of culture before you get here
(and while you have time!), as successful
adaptation will be crucial to your success
at BU. Please read this section carefully,
complete the tasks and check out the web
links and other resources provided.
SroypingWhen discussing different cultures it isimportant to be aware of stereotyping. By a
stereotype we mean a generalisation, for
example, the assumption that British people
are cold, reserved, proud and drink a lot of
beer! Stereotypes can be a useful form of
short-hand when trying to predict behaviour
or adapt to a situation but many people do
not conform to their national stereotype.
Do not assume too much. Ask questions.
Observe. And remember that culture is
relative. How extrovert somebody appears
to be will depend upon how extrovert you
are yourself.
Wha dos i man
o b Briish?Recently there have been many discussions
about what it means to be British. We
are a very diverse society and this is a
complicated but important debate. Nobody
is able to provide a clear denition of
Britishness! There are numerous articles
about this on the BBC website,
www.bbc.co.uk
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Wha ar your xpcaionsof Briish popl and Briish
culur?
How easy is it to identify your
own culture?Consider your own cultural identity:
A.Think of ve adjectives that you think best
and least describe your culture, whetherthis be ethnic/religious group or national
identity
B.Think of several things that you think your
culture may be considered good or bad at
C.Identify some common cultural
characteristics by asking yourself some of
the following questions:
1. How do people from your culture greet
each other in formal and informal
situations? Do you kiss? Shake hands?
2. How do people from your culture viewthe role of women in society? Are they
considered as equal to men?
3. How do people from your cultureconsider the concept of age? Is age
considered in a positive or negative
light?
4. How do people from your culture viewauthority in the workplace, at home and
in society in general?
5. How do people in your culture dress informal and informal situations? Is dress
a symbol of status?
6. How do people from your cultureconsider personal space? Do you like tobe close to people when talking or do
you like to keep your distance?
7. How important is time to people fromyour culture? Is it considered acceptable
to arrive late for a meeting?
D.Is the way that you perceive your culture
similar to the way you think others
perceive your culture?
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1. What is it about the way you were
brought up (raised) that has had the most
impact on your character and personality?
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2. What characteristic do you most dislike in
other people?
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3. What food do you think you will most miss
when you come to the UK?
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4. Which aspects of your character will
people in the UK be most suspicious of?
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5. Which aspects of your culture do you
value the most?
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6. Which aspects of your character will help
you the most when you come to the UK?
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7. Which aspects of UK culture will you
appreciate the most?
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Go back and check your answers after a few
months of living in the UK. Have any of your
answers changed?
How well do you know yourself?Without thinking too much, quickly write down answers to the following questions:
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Comparing culurs:
som horyGeert Hofstede has done a lot of work
researching culture. His insights can help us
to be more effective when interacting with
people in other countries, whether for study,
social or work purposes. The website
www.geert-hofstede.com enables you to
compare your own culture with UK culture
(and others) according to Hofstedes criteria.Read the site and compare cultures! It is an
interesting exercise. And if understood and
applied properly, the information may help
you to reduce any feelings of frustration,
anxiety or concern you feel when you rst
come to the UK.
th W curvThis can be a useful model in understanding
some of the stages you may go through
when you enter a different culture. Pleaseread the following and look at the diagram
opposite. Remember, this may not be
applicable to you; you may experience
things at a different stage, or not at all!
1. Honeymoon stage
When you rst arrive in a new culture,
differences are intriguing and you may
feel excited, stimulated and curious. At
this stage you are still protected by the
close memory of your home culture.
2. Distress stage
A little later, differences create an impact
and you may feel confused, isolated or
inadequate as cultural differences intrude
and familiar supports (eg family or friends)
are not immediately available.
3. Re-integration stage
Next you may reject the differences
you encounter. You may feel angry or
frustrated, or hostile to the new culture.
At this stage you may be conscious mainly
of how much you dislike it compared
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to home. Dont worry, as this is quite a
healthy reaction. You are reconnecting
with what you value about yourself andyour own culture.
4. Autonomy stage
Differences and similarities are accepted.
You may feel relaxed, condent, as you
become more familiar with situations
and feel better able to cope with new
situations based on your growing
experience.
5. Independence stage
Differences and similarities are valued and
important. You may feel full of potential
and able to trust yourself in all kinds
of situations. Most situations become
enjoyable and you are able to make
choices according to your preferences
and values.
Som mor insighs inoUK culur
ClothingMost people in the UK dress in casual
clothes. Despite the cold weather, you
might be surprised to see many students
walking around in the evening in very light
clothing, particularly if they plan to go to a
nightclub later.
Social rolesSome peoples behaviour may confuse,
surprise or offend you. For example, you
may nd some people appear cold and
distant, or always in a hurry. You may nd
the relationships between men and womenmore formal or less formal than you are used
to. The relationship you have with your
tutors and lecturers might also be different.
In the UK we often address our tutors by
their given names.
Rules of behaviourEvery culture has unspoken rules about the
way people treat each other. For example
there may be differences in the way people
decide what is important, how tasks areallocated and how time is observed. British
people are often very punctual and in
business and academic life time-keeping is
important. In the UK it is also very important
to say please, thank you and sorry often
(even if you dont mean it!).
For some country facts and hints
about culture, please visit:
www.peoplegoingglobal.com
Adapting to British culture at frst wasnt
an issue, although every day I did wake
up and realise this wasnt home! I you
make riends with others that have come
rom abroad you learn to cope with it
together because you are all going through
the same issues. I started to eel at home
a bit ater Christmas.
Jason Banrey, USA,MA Multi-Media Journalism
HomeCountry
UK
Key
On-arrivalorientation
Follow-uporientation
Orientation Programme
Adapted from Orientated for Success, edited by M Barker,Australian International Development Assistance Bureau, 1990
Pre-departurebriefing
Preparation forreturn home
Honeymoonstage
Honeymoon stage
Adjustment stage
Independencestage
Independencestage
Autonomystage
Autonomystage
Reintegrationstage
Reintegrationstage
Disintegrationstage
Disintegrationstage
HomeCountry
W-curve: stages of adjustment experienced during orientation
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english slangPeople will sometimes use informal
(colloquial) words or expressions that are
unfamiliar to you and that you wont nd
in a dictionary or textbook. Here are a few
examples for you to learn.
Slang What does it mean?Ta!/Cheers! Thank you
Mate Friend
Bloke Man
What do you reckon? What do you think?
You alright? Hi, how are you?
(and please note
people often do
not want to know
the answer!)
Quid 1
Ta ra!/See ya! Goodbye
Wicked/Lush Great/Fantastic
Your round Your turn to buy
the drinks
Loo Toilet
Dosh Money
Grub Food
For more English slang and idioms visit
www.peevish.co.uk/slang
Pubs and drinking culurYou may nd that UK students enjoy doing
things differently in their free time. Many
international students like to cook food
together or meet in a caf. The majority
of UK students enjoy meeting friends
and drinking beer in a pub or bar in the
evenings. Sometimes they may play pool, ortake part in a pub quiz, often they just meet
to drink and chat. There is a very prominent
drinking culture among UK students and
young people in general.
Please note: As a result of peer pressure or
new-found freedom in the UK, international
students sometimes drink more than they
are used to. Not only are the physical effects
of being drunk sometimes unpleasant, but
being out of control through consumingtoo much alcohol can also be dangerous.
Drinking will impair your judgement and
you may end up doing things you regret, or
taking risks. Please think before you drink
and remember, non-alcoholic drinks are also
sold in pubs and bars.
Food and aingSome international students complain about
food in the UK. Contrary to popular belief,traditional British food is wonderful, but
hard to nd. To sample proper English food,
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you need to go to a quality restaurant or
stay with a host family.
Did you know that the most popular dish in
the UK is actually Chicken Tikka Masala (an
English version of an Indian dish). Similarly,
when people leave the pub on Friday and
Saturday nights, many of them go and buy a
Turkish doner kebab!
The wonderful thing about the UK is
because we are a multicultural society,
there are so many different varieties of food
on offer in supermarkets and restaurants.
On the negative side, food can be very
expensive and the vegetables that you
buy in the shops often have little avour
compared to the produce you might nd at
home. Also, some of the traditional foods
described below can be quite heavy andfatty, therefore bad for your heart and
waistline! You have probably heard stories
in the press about rising levels of obesity in
the UK as a result of unhealthy eating and
lack of exercise.
Typical foods are the famous English
breakfast comprising sausages, bacon, eggs,
baked beans, mushrooms and fried bread.
Most people in the UK will only eat this kind
of breakfast at the weekend as a specialtreat. More usually we eat toast with butter
and jam, or cereal with milk.
Other English specialities are:
Fish and chips the sh is deep fried
in batter
Roast dinner oven roasted meat (beef,
pork, lamb or chicken) with potatoes,
vegetables and gravy
Sausages and mash usually pork
sausages with pured potato and
meat gravy
Baked beans on toast haricot beans in
tomato sauce on buttered, toasted bread
Marmite a savoury yeast spread to put
on toast and butter the advert says you
either love it or hate it and its true
(most international students hate it!)
Cream tea tea with milk, scones (a type
of sweet bread) with jam and thick cream.
A lot of international students also
mention that they like our sandwiches
and our chocolate!
How we eatWe usually eat breakfast at home before
we go to work or study, as above. At about
1pm we have a quick sandwich for lunch
often on the run or at our desks. Tea and
a snack (usually biscuits or fruit) happens
mid-afternoon and then between 6pm and7pm we have the most important meal of the
day: dinner.
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We recognise that food is an important part
of your settling in experience. You will nd
most of the foods you wish to cook with in
the major supermarkets. However, there
are smaller shops that specialise in Middle
Eastern, Asian, South East Asian and
African-Caribbean ingredients, and Halal
and Kosher foodstuffs. If you cant nd what
you are looking for, ask another student,
or ask the International Student Support
Team. Please also recognise that if you are
eating new foods, particularly in the rst
few weeks, it may take time for your body
to adjust, both to the new avours, the new
smells and to the ingredients.
Some students can feel quite ill at rst
eating wheat and cheese products when
they are used to eating rice and vegetables,
for example. Also, if you are sharing your
kitchen with students of other nationalities
and ethnicities, they may be cooking and
eating things that seem strange to you, or
that taste or smell unpleasant. Be tolerant
with each other; be curious. Invite atmates
to try your cooking and accept if they offer
to prepare a dish for you. Sharing food and
cooking together should be seen as part of
the overall learning experience. Eating in
restaurants can be very expensive in the
UK. Many places in town do, however, offer
special lunch menus for 5 per person (or
under). In the evening, a starter and main
course in a mid-price restaurant will cost
you, on average, 10 to 15. With wine, you
can expect to pay 20 per person. You can
often nd discount vouchers for restaurants
online. One such website is www.
VoucherCodes.co.uk/Restaurants
If you plan to eat in a restaurant for dinner
you should normally expect to arrive
between 7pm and 9pm. Restaurants often
stop serving at 9.30pm. Many restaurants
in the centre of Bournemouth and Poole
are closed on a Sunday. Now that smoking
is banned (forbidden) in pubs, many pubs
now serve food (pub grub) throughout
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the day. If you go to a fast food restaurant
you can expect to get a meal deal (burger,
fries, drink) for approximately 5. Take away
meals are very popular, and a lot cheaper.
A large kebab (at bread lled with grilled
meat and salad) will cost approximately
5. A large pizza will cost on average 10and can be shared between two people.
Take-away meals can be collected from the
restaurant or delivered to your home. Check
delivery charges!
Eating on campusEating at the University is generally cheaper
than in Bournemouth itself. The refectories
on both the Talbot and Lansdowne
Campuses offer a range of meals and snacks
from 2 for a sandwich to 3.50 for a cooked
meal. Neither Scolarest (BU caterers) nor
the Students Union offer Halal or Kosher
meals or snacks. This is due to our policy
of non-specic provision. You are very
welcome to bring your own foods to eat
during the day, or may wish to choose one
of the numerous vegetarian options on offer.
Our caterers (Chartwells), Chaplaincy and
the International Student Support Team are
very willing to listen to your requests andsuggest places where you can buy specic
foodstuffs, or discuss other ways of meeting
your requirements.
(The above information is relevant for other
special dietary requirements and is not
exclusive to Kosher or Halal foods.)
You may nd the following books
interesting for more information about
British culture:
Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of
English Behaviour; Kate Fox (2004). Hodder
and Staughton General.
The English: A Portrait of a People; Jeremy
Paxman (1999). Penguin Books.
Notes from a Small Island; Bill Bryson (1996).
Black Swan.
I always cook with riends. Its like
a amily gathering. We all contribute to
the groceries, some cook and those who
cant cook clean the dishes aterwards.
Its a air deal! Plus its great tasting all the
dierent oods your international riends
will cook or you!
Jason Banrey, USA
MA Multi-Media Journalism