B2 – Upper Intermediate
Adapting to a new culture can be both exciting and challenging. When people move to a different country or environment, they often go through what’s known as culture shock—a process of adjusting to unfamiliar customs, values, and lifestyles. This experience typically unfolds in four stages of adaptation: the honeymoon, frustration, adjustment, and adaptation stages.
Understanding these stages helps individuals navigate cultural differences more smoothly and develop a deeper appreciation for their new surroundings.
Watch the video and be able to answer the questions that follow.
Vocabulary Questions:
- Explain what “honeymoon stage” means. “In the honeymoon stage, everything is beautiful. The people are friendly, the culture rich, and the way of local life fascinating.” Use the phrase in your own sentence.
- What does “reverse culture shock” mean? “Those who have adapted to a new society may face a surprise when they eventually return home. After another honeymoon, they often enter a reverse culture shock.” Use the term in a sentence.
- What does the phrase “set in” mean? “After the excitement of moving to a new country faded, homesickness and loneliness began to set in as part of culture shock.” Make one sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- Do you think experiencing culture shock is a necessary part of truly understanding another culture? Share your thoughts.
- In your opinion, which stage of adaptation (honeymoon, frustration, adjustment, adaptation) best shows a person’s resilience?
- Do you believe some people adapt to new cultures faster because of personality, or is it more about preparation and experience?
- How might the honeymoon stage affect someone’s first impressions of a country, and how do those impressions change later?
- Share your own experience going through the different stages of adaptation to culture shock.