LEARNING IN A NEW CULTURE
Culture Shock and Inter-cultural communication
(O’Sullivan, 1994, p.96)
Culture shock
When you enrol as a student at UTAS you are not only entering a new education
system; you are entering a new culture. This means that you can expect to
experience a type of culture shock. Culture shock refers to those feelings of
confusion and unease that you experience when you are trying to participate in a
different culture. This is nothing to be worried about; it is perfectly normal for people
to experience these feelings.
Teachers will be supportive and understanding. They know that you are entering a
new culture when you enrol in a Western education system for the first time. They
know that you are likely to experience some culture shock. They know that it will take
you some time to learn about the differences between your own culture and the new
culture you are entering.
It is important for you to understand that you are not expected to forget about your
own culture while you are enrolled as a student at UTAS. Your own culture plays a
fundamental role in determining your identity. It is not necessary to change your
identity in order to participate in another culture. However, if you wish to graduate
with a degree from UTAS, you must be able to demonstrate that you can meet the
learning expectations that are characteristic of Western culture.
Participating in a new culture does not mean that you have to agree with all aspects
of that culture. However, you should respect that culture, just as you would expect
others to respect your culture. Even though ways of behaving in a different culture
may not make sense to you, they do make sense to the people in that culture.
What is the best way to deal with culture shock?
There are many different ways to deal culture shock. The methods used depend upon
the situation you are in. For example, if you are living in another culture, the
methods you use to deal with culture shock might be somewhat different to the
methods you would use if you were living in your own culture and studying as a
transnational student. Nevertheless, there are some general guidelines that you can
follow to help you understand, and cope with, culture shock. These guidelines are
included below.
Guidelines
1. Learn about the different ways that cultures communicate
Learning how to be a successful UTAS student means learning about the
different ways that cultures communicate.
The way we communicate with each other varies from one culture to another.
Most importantly, the way we give meaning to different ways of
communicating, varies from one culture to another. Much misunderstanding
occurs when people from different cultures do not understand each other’s
ways of communicating. Unfortunately, it is when they break the ‘cultural
rules’ that people, realize there are different ways of communicating in
different cultures.
This misunderstanding is complicated further when a different language is
spoken. For example, it is common for an English-speaking person in
Australia to ask another person, “How are you going?” Australian Englishspeakers know that this means the same as “How are you feeling?” To a
person from another culture they might, understandably, interpret this question
as meaning, “What form of transport will you use to get to that place?”
Learning about a new culture means learning about the language.
Here are some examples of different ways that cultures communicate:

How close you stand to someone. In some cultures it is considered polite
to stand very close to a person when you talk to them. In other cultures it
is considered polite to stand a long distance apart.

How you greet someone. In some cultures it is considered polite to shake
hands firmly with a person when you first meet them. In other cultures it
is considered polite to shake hands softly and only with males, not
females.

The way you use gestures. Gestures are body movements . These can
include nodding the head, pointing a finger, shaking a fist, or raising an
eyebrow. The meaning of these gestures varies from one culture to anther.
In some cultures nodding your head means ‘yes’. In another culture it can
mean ‘no’.

Apologising. In some cultures, it is considered polite to apologise for many
things such as telephoning late at night, arriving late or bumping into
someone in the street. In other cultures such apology is considered
unnecessary.

Whether you get involved in conflict situations. In some cultures people
actively avoid conflict. It is important to them that they respect their own
and other people’s reputations. Sometimes this is referred to as ‘saving
face’. In other cultures, people seek conflict situations. They see conflict
as an opportunity to express their personal feelings and as a possible way
to find a solution to a problem.

How time is valued. In some cultures time is considered to be very
flexible. This means that people will often turn up late for appointments
and it is considered perfectly acceptable. In other cultures time is very
important and it is considered very rude to arrive late for an appointment.

The way people use their bodies. In some cultures it is considered
acceptable to: belch after a meal, spit in the street or publicly display
emotions. In other cultures these behaviours are considered totally
unacceptable.

How eye contact is used. In some cultures making eye contact with a
person when talking is considered polite. In other cultures it is considered
disrespectful to make eye contact, especially with someone in authority.

Sharing a meal. In some cultures people leave the house/restaurant
immediately after the meal is finished. This is considered polite by some
people because to stay longer implies that you are still hungry - that your
hosts have not supplied enough food for you. Other cultures would
interpret this early leaving as very rude. It is considered polite to stay and
chat after a meal.

Relationships with people in authority. Some cultures have very strict rules
about the way you show respect for people in authority – e.g. you must
refer to them by their correct title and never question or challenge them. In
other cultures, there is a much more relaxed attitude to people in authority.
For example, people might use first names, and they might question and
challenge those in authority.

The importance of individuals. In some cultures the needs of the group or
the family are considered more important than the needs of the individual.
In other cultures the needs of the individual are seen as more important
than the needs of the group.

Gift giving. In some cultures it is considered polite to open gifts in public.
In other cultures this is considered rude.

Interacting with the opposite sex. Same sex or mixed-sex interactions are
viewed differently in different cultures. For example, in some cultures it is
considered perfectly normal for same sex couples to hold hands. In other
cultures this is not seen as acceptable. In some cultures men and women
eat at different tables.

Taking risks. In some cultures people are more prepared to take risks and
experiment with new ideas. In other cultures people are less likely to try
new things if they are unsure of the outcome.
These examples show how easy it is to feel confused when you enter a new
culture. Those ways of communicating and behaving that feel ‘normal’ to you
and are accepted as ‘right’ in your culture suddenly can be viewed as ‘wrong’
in the new culture. Imagine, for example, that you come from a culture where
it is considered unnecessary to say ‘thank you’ after most interactions. While
visiting a different culture (where saying ‘thank you’ is expected), you go to a
shop, purchase an item and leave, without saying ‘thank you’. This feels
perfectly normal to you. You haven’t done anything wrong. However, the
shop keeper will probably think, “What a rude person. They didn’t say thank
you!” No-one in this example has deliberately behaved rudely. It is a case of
misunderstanding each other’s cultural ways.
Once you know how other cultures communicate, a lot of the
misunderstanding disappears. It is not about deciding which culture is ‘right’
and which culture is ‘wrong’. It is not about one culture being ‘better’ or
‘superior’ to another. It is about understanding that cultures are different. It
is important for you to discover what those differences are when you start
participating in a different culture.
2. Know what this means for you, specifically, as a UTAS student
As an enrolled UTAS student you will be participating in a Western style
culture. You can’t possibly learn all there is to know about Western culture. It
is more realistic for you to focus on those things most relevant to you as a
transnational student.
Below are some of the behaviours and ways of communicating that are
considered ‘normal’, polite and acceptable in Western culture. These are some
of the things that are likely to affect you as a student enrolled in a Western
education system.

Males and females interact freely in public.

Males and females are considered to have equal status.

People make eye contact when they talk.

Students question and challenge their teachers and fellow classmates.
They publicly disagree with others. They are expected to be ‘free
thinkers’. This does not mean that students disrespect their teachers and
classmates or their knowledge. Questioning and challenging others’ ideas
is seen as a way of helping to develop independent, critical thinking.

Students initiate (start) conversations – they ask for help, they contribute
to discussions in class.

Students and teachers usually have a relaxed, informal way of relating.

People are likely to talk freely about personal issues.

People are likely to be competitive. This means that they are more likely
to work independently towards individual goals than to consider the needs
of the group.

People are likely to be very open and honest. They will tell the truth, even
if this sometimes means the other person feels uncomfortable as a result.
Some terms used to describe this way of communicating are ‘up front’ or
‘assertive’. It means talking clearly and openly about your own needs and
thoughts and feelings. For example, if a lecturer is unhappy that students
are talking during class they are likely to stop teaching and say, “I would
like the people who are speaking to pay attention, please.”

Students arrive on time for class.

Students listen carefully during class.

Students do not usually give gifts to their lecturers.

People will apologise and say ‘thank you’ regularly - to family, friends
and people in ‘authority’.
3. Try not to over-generalise
To ‘over-generalise’ means to think or act as if all members of a group are the
same. Even though generalizations can be made about the way people behave
in certain cultures, it is important to remember that every one is an individual.
Not all people behave in the same way. For example, while many people in
Western cultures are very direct and open in their conversation with others,
there are some Western people who are quiet and shy. Similarly, while it is
considered polite to arrive on time for appointments in Western cultures, some
people do arrive late.
4. Try to understand situations from the other culture’s point of view
Most people tend to understand and explain situations from the point of view
of their own culture. In other words, they see, understand and explain
situations through their own ‘cultural eyes’. When they see or experience
something that is different, they usually have a negative reaction to it. For
example, imagine that you come from a culture where it is considered
impolite for students to refer to a teacher by their first name. If you heard a
student referring to their teacher by their first name, you would probably think,
“How rude”. However, if you stopped and thought about this situation from
the other culture’s point of view you might think, “Even though in my culture
this behaviour is considered rude, I understand that in this culture this person
is not behaving rudely. It is acceptable to them.”
If you find yourself in a situation that you don’t understand or that you feel
confused by, try asking yourself how the other culture would explain that
situation.
5. Try to focus on the problem, not the person.
If you are experiencing difficulty understanding a situation, try not to judge or
get frustrated or angry with the person involved. Rather, it is more helpful
and productive to focus on the problem (situation) and how it can be solved.
For example, imagine that you have a question about an assignment and you
email your UTAS lecturer and ask them for help. You check your email every
hour, waiting for a reply from the lecturer. After 12 hours you still don’t
receive a reply. You have two different ways that you could approach this
situation.
First, you could get angry and blame the person. You might think something
like, “I am angry with the lecturer. I need help and they haven’t replied to my
email. That is very rude. Lecturers should have more respect for their
students.”
Second, you could focus on the problem rather than the person. This is a
better option than the first. You could think about other ways of finding help
with your problem. For example:

you could read some of the study skill materials in this booklet to
help you.

you could ask your local tutor. The Unit co-ordinator/UTAS lecturer
will have discussed the assignment with the local tutors. They should
be able to help you.

you could begin work on another assignment while you wait for your
lecturer to reply.

most importantly, as discussed in point 4 (above), you could think
about the problem from the point of view of the other culture. You
might think, “I know UTAS lecturers have hundreds of students in
their classes, both in Australia and transnationally. It is impossible for
them to be able to attend to all the needs of those students
immediately. It does not mean that the lecturer does not care about
me or my studies. They will contact me soon. 12 hours is not such a
long time to wait for a reply. Besides, the lecturer could be attending
a conference or they could be conducting research. They are very busy
people. They have other responsibilities on top of their teaching.”
Thinking in this way helps you remember that the lecturer isn’t being
disrespectful to you, personally. Their situation is preventing them
from responding to your email immediately.
6. Ask if you are confused or you don’t understand
Instead of ‘jumping to conclusions’ (making a quick decision about a situation
with out really investigating it or thinking about it), you should ask for help in
understanding the situation if you are confused or unsure. For example, while
you are talking to your visiting UTAS lecturer you notice that they are
smiling. You could ‘jump to conclusions’ and think, “The lecturer is laughing
at me. I don’t understand why they are smiling when we are talking about a
serious issue.” It would be helpful for you to say to the lecturer, “I don’t
understand why you are smiling? I am confused.” This might feel
uncomfortable for you at first because you might not be used to asking such
questions of your lecturer. However, when you do ask such questions it helps
to clear up any confusion. The lecturer might respond to your question by
saying, “I’m smiling because I want you to feel comfortable and at ease with
me. I know this is difficult for you to ask your lecturer questions. I am not
making fun of you.”
In the example above you can see that less misunderstanding occurs if you
ask for help in understanding behaviours in a different culture. The people
from both cultures are likely to feel happy and more comfortable that they
have talked about the situation together and that they both now understand
what is happening.
(Based, in part, on O’Sullivan, 1994)
Developing skills – some specific suggestions to help you
Here are some suggestions to help you feel more comfortable about communicating in
a Western education system:
1. There are a number of ways that you can ‘interrupt’ a discussion.

You could raise your hand as a signal that you want to say something.

You could wait for the speaker to pause, then say what you want to
say.

You could use eye contact (look directly at the speaker) and maybe
raise your eyebrows slightly to indicate that you want to say
something.
If you want to make a comment or challenge something that has been said in
a tutorial you could say something like:
o “I disagree” or “I agree with that”. You could then continue to say why
you disagree or agree.
o “I would like to say something about that.” Then you could continue to
share your ideas with the group.
2. If your lecturer has not made it clear to you how they wish to be addressed
(for example, “Professor”, “Dr Brown”, “John” etc.), you should ask, “Excuse
me, would you tell me please how I should address you?” If your lecturer has
asked you to call them by their first name and you feel uncomfortable doing
this, you could say, “I feel more comfortable calling you Professor. Do you
mind?”
3. If you do not understand how to complete an assignment you need to be open
and honest. You might say, “I am having difficulty understanding how to
complete this assignment. I would like some help, please.” But, you must also
show the lecturer what you have already done, independently, to try and
understand the assignment. You must demonstrate that you have attempted
the assignment yourself, first, before you have asked for help.
4. If you arrive late for class, look at the lecturer and quietly say, “Excuse me”
and then sit down.
5. If a lecturer has helped you, personally, in some way (during class, after class
or via email) you should say, “Thank you.”