Cross Cultural Psychology Interview

THE PROCESS OF ADAPTATION OF FOREIGNERS TO CULTURE INTRODUCTION Culture is the way a group of people live. Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. Today, in any modern Society populated largely by immigrants, the culture is influenced by the many groups of people that now make up the country. Let us take the U.S.A for example; it is one of the countries that has the highest immigrants’ population in the world. Because of the huge number of immigrants there is a lot of cultural diversity. This paper will attempt to study and research the process by which most foreigners in countries like the U.S.A and others adapt to culture in a different cultural setting while also analyzing some authored books on cultural adaptation. CULTURE ADAPTATION
Culture adaptation is the evolutionary process by which individuals modify their personal habits and customs to fit in to a particular culture. It can also refer to gradual changes within a culture or society that occur as people from different backgrounds participate in the culture and share their perspectives and practices.

Adapting to a new environment takes time and the pace of transition varies from person to person even In a book re-edited by Claire Kramsch, Kees de Bot and Ralph B Ginsberg, languages can also undergo cultural adaptation. According to the renowned researchers Charles A. Ferguson and Tom Heubner, a myth concerns the way people differ in their ability to learn languages. In America for example Americans believe that aptitude is very important. They assume that individuals differ greatly in aptitude. Many American individuals claim that they themselves have no aptitude for languages and could never learn one, whereas some people they know and classify as ‘good at languages’. Several first rate Americans universities waives their language requirements if a test shows that a particular student has poor language skills.
In connection to this, it is interesting to compare attitudes towards foreign competencies in English with those towards American competencies in FL (Foreign Languages).Am American lack of competence in FL is often attributed to low aptitude whiles a foreigner lack of competence in English may be attributed to lack of opportunity, laziness or other explanatory factors but rarely to lack of aptitude. This in turn translates to create the idea that a foreigner with an excellent command of is somehow more competent in other ways than one whose command of English is not that good.
Therefore in addition to this emphasis on aptitude, Americans hold conventionalized notions almost stereotypes about the relative difficulty of languages and therefore usually prefer to stick to English language which is within their comfort zone whenever they are in a foreign country.
Another Book by Miranda Van Tillburg on cultural shock and homesickness had researches such as Oberg defining the concept of cultural shock as a frequently reoccurring process of adaptation to cultural differences. The culture Shock hypothesis and concept implies that the experience of immigrants or visitors to a new culture is unpleasant or shocking partly because it may lead to a negative evaluation of one’s own culture and/or the other culture he is now experiencing. When customary experiences no longer seem relevant, the usual behavior of people seems totally different and become unusual. Lack of familiarity with the environment is what causes this effect.
Culture shock is nowadays seen as a temporary stress reaction which is difficult to control or even predict, however even though a person is anxious ad confused, he or she has time to develop a new set of cognitive constructs to understand and enact appropriate behavior. Writers on Culture shock have most often referred to individuals lacking points of reference, social norms and rules to guide their actions.
Most of the investigations on Culture shock have been descriptive and have only attempted to list the difficulties that sojourners experience and their typical reactions however less attention is paid to whom the shock will be more intense (examples; the old, the less educated, the less open minded),what determines which reaction a person is likely to experience or how long the person will remain in shock. It only seems to suggest that people will suffer culture shock to some extent and that it will be usually unpleasant and even stressful.
Finally with regards to Cultural adjustments, the Author Cheng Lai believes the ability to fit into a different environment and to acquire culturally appropriate skills is crucial to defining how long immigrants or visitors may decide to stay. A lot of problems are encountered by immigrants and these problems usually do not encourage them to stay longer. Usually sojourners do not only have the need to learn how nationals function in the environment but also behavioral skills that help them fit into the culture.
One researcher Ward (1996) believes and maintains that the difficulty of sociocultural adaptation is similar to the learning curve. The learning curve has an ascending slope of learning new cultural skills rapidly in the first couple of months and then gradually slowing down after the acquisition of new culture specific knowledge.

REFERENCES AND CITATIONS http://books.google.cz/books?id=_668rjt8yqkC&pg=PA32&dq=studies+on+adaptation+to+foreign+culture&hl=cs&sa=X&ei=9a_zUreFEvLW4ASp1YCIAQ&ved=0CFIQ6AEwBTgU#v=onepage&q=studies%20on%20adaptation%20to%20foreign%20culture&f=false http://books.google.cz/books?id=ShQIdJVJSTcC&pg=PA17&dq=studies+on+adaptation+to+foreign+culture&hl=cs&sa=X&ei=2UD0UtCEOIa47AaYxYDYAg&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=studies%20on%20adaptation%20to%20foreign%20culture&f=false http://books.google.cz/books?id=13RXNtwK_JoC&pg=PA228&dq=studies+on+adaptation+to+foreign+culture&hl=cs&sa=X&ei=82TyUuelDZSShgf7g4HICw&ved=0CGcQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q&f=false http://www.livescience.com/21478-what-is-culture-definition-of-culture.html http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1931987 http://www.google.cz/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=studies+on+adaptation+to+foreign+culture+books#q=studies+on+adaptation+to+foreign+culture&start=0&tbm=bks

INTERVIEW WITH AN IMMIGRANT LIVING IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Interviewer:
Good evening,
I am here this evening to grant an interview to one of my colleagues who is an African immigrant currently studying in the Czech Republic. During this interview we will attempt to discuss several issues regarding why he decided to move to the Czech Republic in the first place as well as various topics that border on cross cultural differences and experiences he has encountered since moving to the Czech Republic.
So over to you now Sir,First of all let me thank you for taking time of your busy schedule to grant me this interview. Can you please tell as something about yourself?
Interviewee :
I am a Ghanaian citizen by birth, born and bred in Accra the Capital city of Ghana, however I am currently living and studying in the Czech republic. I have been living here for the past 1 and half years. I am a student of Mendel University, and currently in my final year of my Masters Study programme. I study at the Faculty of international Relations in Mendel University.
Interviewer: Smiles 
Wow, quite interesting. So if I may ask, how did all this start? i mean why did you decide to travel to the Czech republic in the first place?
Interviewee: He laughs.
My dad will tell you I am here purposely to study, that’s only 50% true. For me the main reason or motivation for moving to the Czech Republic was just to be a new environment, meet new people and experience different cultures and travel. I have to be honest and say that it wasn’t the thought of moving to the Czech Republic that excited me but rather the idea of being somewhere in Europe in a new cultural environment, interacting with people, travelling to many interesting places and destinations. This idea really excited me and I felt I just could not miss this opportunity.
Interviewer:
You look quite young to be studying in your final year of Masters Programme. How old are you?
Interviewee :
I recently turned 24.
Interviewer:
You also said you have been here for a year and half already. How long do you intend to stay here?

Interviewee :
It’s hard to say exactly how long because I think that mostly depends on a lot of factors such as whether my university will offer me a chance to study for my PHD here or whether I am able to get some job or maybe some relationship with a nice Czech lady can also compel me to stay.
Interviewer:
So this means you are interested in staying longer???
Interviewee :
Yes. I guess i wouldn’t mind staying longer. I think Brno is a nice place to live, so why not! 
Interviewer:
Do you have a partner or family member in Czech Republic?
Interviewee :
No…Absolutely nobody
Interviewer:
So when exactly did you arrive in the Czech Republic?
Interviewee ;
19th August 2012
Interviewer:
So what was your first impression immediately you got out of the Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague?
Interviewee :
I was excited. I was just too excited to be in Europe for the first time. I was smiling the whole time. I didn’t really take time to analyse my surroundings so much. I had to find a bus from Prague to Brno and so I immediately started asking people for directions. Surprisingly the first two people I met and tried speaking to couldn’t speak English at all, so I immediately became worried. So my first impression was (O.M.G not many people speak English so it’s probably going be hard living and communicating here).i also got a feeling the people might not be friendly or too open because all the people I met and politely smiled with didn’t return my courtesy.
Interviewer:
You said you got a bit sacred the people might not be friendly just because they didn’t smile back. Does this mean it is the culture of people in Ghana to smile at acquaintances or random people they meet on the street all the time?
Interviewee ;
Yes. It is the typical culture or custom of people in my country to do this. First of all in Ghana we see ourselves as one people so we try to express this feeling to one another whenever we meet ourselves on the streets.
Interviewer:
So how is the culture really like back home in Ghana?
Interviewee ;
The culture back home is very traditional and religious. We like to emphasize on going to church, following cultural norms like respecting elders, exhibiting good moral behaviour, manners, etiquette, attending festivals
Interviewer: Has your experience of Czech culture change with the passage of time?
Interviewee: Yes I am making lots and a lots of friends now so I have come to realize that the people are not as cold or unfriendly as previously thought. I am also getting used to the food and the social way of life of the people my age because I realized the youth like to party, drink and have lots of fun. Somehow before coming here I and even during my first few weeks here I thought the people here were are really cold and boring.
Interviewer: Do you miss home? Have you had any conflict or stress, relating to the difference in Czech culture and your culture?
Interviewee: Yes…Every time I am hungry, because I don’t really like the food here so much. There’s not much variety. I also miss the climate we have back home. It’s warm and summer all year and we have a sea back home. I really hate the weather here. It’s too cold and depressing.
Interviewer: Would you describe the culture back home in Ghana as individualistic or Collectivism.
Interviewee: Collective. We like to believe we are one people. So we all try to behave in the same way
Interviewer:Are you surprised of anything since you came to the Czech Republic?
Interviewee: Yes the level of Development is much more than I expected. I know it used to be a communist country but I didn’t expect it to have such a good transportation system and such nicely structured city centers and big shopping malls. Maybe I was hoping it will look a bit like Ghana.
Interviewer:Have you encountered any problem with your stay here?
Interviewee:Yes…First of all the language barrier makes it hard to communicate and feel settled here. Also there is a bit of racism when it comes to the issue of trying to get a job.
Interviewer:Is there any difference in behavior, emotions, thinking between home and Czech culture?
Interviewee: Yes….people are more friendly back home in Ghana.
Interviewer: do you have any prejudice about Czech people?
Interviewee: Well, I used to think that they would be a bit cold when you meet them for the first time. That they won’t talk to you because they don’t know you. But that view which I had of them is wrong, they are just not like that. They are simply nice people and I think I am cool with them.
Interviewer: Do you have any Czech friends (how many, how good, what common interests do you have with them)?
Interviewee: I have many Czech friends. I am not sure about the exact number. Maybe about 50. I do lots of sports, so most of the time our common interest is sports and some occasional drinking and partying. Interviewer: Have you changed since you got here?
Interviewee: I have become more fun loving, individualistic, less religious because there’s no charismatic church close to me that I can go to on Sundays. I am also drinking more here than I used to. I have almost become more practical in how I think and apply my knowledge. I have also become more punctual and showing up on time.
Interviewer: What do you like or dislike here?
Interviewee: I really like the Czech social infrastructure. Their transport system for instance is very good. It is reliable, safe and comfortable, and very cheap too. However, what I dislike about them is their food and climate and how they take too long to warm up to people.
Interviewer: 
Thank you once again for taking time off your busy schedule to grant me this interview for my Cross Cultural Psychology assignment. I am most grateful.
Interviewee : 
My pleasure. Thank you for having me,

REPORT
Millions of students leave their home countries every year to study abroad or in some foreign universities. The experience of studying abroad leaves a powerful impression on young people that may last all their lives. For most people the experience is positive but for a few the experience unfortunately is negative
Cultural adaptation can enrich a culture by adding to its traditions and practices from outside sources, However being in a foreign culture is not always smooth sailing My respondent seems to have had a rough smart but due to his ability to adjust easily he had a very fast transition from his initial culture shock to a comfortable state since after just a little over a year he has adapted to the Czech society quite well. He initially struggle with a few problems as well as his own prejudices about the Czech society but is in a more relaxed state now that he is. He feels more comfortable and adjusting to the new environment.. He is in the direction of becoming “bi cultural” this means being able to value and appreciate the aspects of both cultures that he wishes to retain or include in his life.