My Pearly Whites

Cross-Cultural Management. I have only had this class once so far, but it was by far the quickest two hours I have ever experienced. The professor (a young, Greek woman who spent most of her life living in Athens) took the entire class to discuss stereotypes and culture shock, primarily using stereotypes to make fun of all the students in the class. She claims that that the Greeks feel that they single handedly created life as we know it, French try to make everything sound like it is far more important than it really is, and that Americans like everything big, fast, and easy. Her main comment about Americans was that we always show our teeth, implying that we smile too much.

After making fun of everyone (according to her, in order to discuss stereotypes, you must confront them), we went around the room, introducing ourselves and telling a story in which we have felt culture shock. The teacher started by explaining one of her first experiences of culture shock. She decided to study at the University of Virginia and was amazed to find that the school not only provided masters students with their own office and computer, but even a budget with which to conduct their research. She also told a story in which after asking for directions in Virginia, a man told her that she should go two blocks north. After walking ten minutes she couldn't believe how far a block can be in the US.

Having a degree in Psychology, she went on to explain the psychological elements of culture shock in several steps. While she described the steps of culture shock, I felt like she was talking directly to me or had read my mind over the past couple weeks. First, fun. When moving to a new country, the first step in culture shock is having fun (ie. all of my friends who have made their facebook pictures them standing in front of the Eiffel Tower so that everyone can see that they are having the time of their life abroad, while their friends are continuing their boring lives in the US). Second, fight. As you move further into culture shock, you begin criticizing your new surroundings (ie. "French people are rude", "Why can't they serve coke with ice", and "French universities are the most bureaucratic and unorganized organizations I have ever seen"). Third, flight (ie. me not leaving my room all day, while watching American t.v. show online). Fourth, fit. Becoming adjusted and beginning to really enjoy the new culture. And finally, reentry shock. The shock one experiences when returning home. One realizes that your home country is not as great as you have been remembering for the past 5 months and you now prefer the culture you had originally criticized upon your arrival.

I've certainly experienced fun, fight, and flight, so I imagine I should be arriving at fit any day now. Although I must say, that traveling to Amsterdam did make me miss Paris. On the trip back, I couldn't wait to get back to my beautiful, clean, and exciting home. I have to say that studying abroad can be difficult, stressful, and a bit daunting at times. I have friends that have been hanging out in the "fight" and "flight" stages for the past month, and aren't showing any signs of moving on soon. I have been constantly wondering how people could come all the way to Paris and have so little desire to submerge themselves in a new culture. But after this class, I realized this is because moving to the "fit" stage is hard. It requires putting oneself in undesirable situations: almost missing a train because no one can tell you in a language you understand that your train is now leaving from a completely different station, constantly looking like an idiot in public while struggling to complete the most basic tasks, and having the courage to try to converse with people who not only do not speak your language, but who will never understand your sense of friendliness, hospitality, and willingness to show one's teeth.