What Is Culture Shock?

The 4 Stages of Culture Shock

People who go through culture shock tend to go through four different phases that are explained below.

The Honeymoon Stage

The first stage is commonly referred to as the honeymoon phase. That's because people are thrilled to be in their new environment. They often see it as an adventure. If someone is on a short stay, this initial excitement may define the entire experience. But the honeymoon phase for those on a longer-term move eventually ends, even though people expect it to last.³

The Frustration Stage

As the initial glee of being in a new environment wears off, people grow increasingly irritated and disoriented. Fatigue sets in with the misunderstanding of others' actions or conversation, ways of doing or operating things. Local habits also become increasingly frustrating—all the little nuances of speech, appearance, and behavior that are instinctively understood at home.⁴

The inability to effectively communicate—to interpret what others mean and to make oneself understood—is usually the prime source of frustration. This, the most difficult period of culture shock, is when depression or homesickness and longing for the familiar and comfortable become most prominent.⁵