Adjustment to a New Culture People become products of their own cultures and environments, having learned the values, attitudes, customs, languages, and other aspects of the culture that surrounded them. It is a challenging, stimulating, and sometimes difficult process to leave one s culture and go to live in another country. You are separated from the people and circumstances that define your role in society when you enter a new culture and this may result, in varying degrees, in a loss of identity. In a new environment, you must learn to adjust to many new and different things all at the same time. Living abroad can be a very exciting experience, but it also requires much effort, patience, and perseverance.
Cultural adjustment is the process that people go through when they go to another culture.
You may find that one stage is more pronounced than another, or that you seem not to enter a particular stage at all. This information may be helpful in understanding your reactions to living in the United States. In this stage of initial euphoria, everything is new and students are busy with the initial tasks of settling into the culture. At this point, they are most likely to notice similarities and to assume that people everywhere are basically alike. This stage can last from a few weeks to several months, but it inevitably ends.