Barbarians at the Gate: Culture Shock
David and Jeremiah discuss culture shock and our experiences helping students navigate the journey from "newbie" to "niubi" in China.
In this episode of Barbarians at the Gate, Jeremiah and David explore a topic drawn from their many years of experience with American study abroad programs: culture shock. Students studying in China often undergo a challenging and transformative process of adjusting to a new cultural environment. In this episode, they explore key questions: Are there predictable stages of culture shock? How much does language proficiency influence adaptation? And are some students naturally better at navigating the difficulties of cultural adjustment?
The experience of culture shock can lead not only to a deeper understanding of Chinese society but also to new insights into students' own cultural defaults. In today's post-COVID era—when fewer American students are traveling to China—the value of immersive, firsthand experience is more crucial than ever for building meaningful cross-cultural understanding.
Jeremiah's review of Peking Picnic (1932) at China Books Review.
