Culture shock and intercultural understanding in the adjustment of Croatian students to the American culture

Čičak, Mateja. (2017). Culture shock and intercultural understanding in the adjustment of Croatian students to the American culture. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology. [mentor Čargonja, Hrvoje].

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Abstract

This paper deals with the concept of culture shock, its symptoms, phases and characteristics. Applying the theory with own research conducted in the United States of America, it is shown which effects are produced in encountering culture different from one's own. The focus of this paper is on the students participating in the „Work and Travel USA“ programme in which they go to the United States of America to work and travel. This paper discusses how those students who experienced all four phases of culture shock and faced with American everyday life have developed appreciation to culture and greater and deeper understanding. The aim of this paper was to show how culture shock encourages intercultural understanding. Their adaptation is visible in narratives, and intercultural understanding is achieved by the development of cultural relativism, greater understanding of American culture and deeper cognition, not only of American culture but also culture in general, development and strengthening of personal self-awareness and understanding of one's own culture.

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