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Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL

STUDENTS AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

Culture Shock: A Case study on Chinese International Students at Texas

Christian University
Ying Wang
Curriculum Studies
Texas Christian University

Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL

STUDENTS AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

Abstract
Culture shock affects international students lives, featured by uneasiness, anxiety, and
psychological discomforts due to lack of original cultural cues guiding their
behaviors. This study examines the symptoms and patterns of culture shock among
international students, factors causing culture shock, and how international students
have coped with culture shock and adjusted to American culture. This study focuses
on several Asian international students culture shock experience upon arriving at
TCU, aiming to reveal patterns among them through data collected from interviews
and informal conversations. Though Social Networking Sites are believed to play a
crucial role in cultural adjustment, it turns out to be not the case for every participant.
At last, the study also discusses findings at odds with earlier Culture Shock theories.

Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

In the United States, Asian international students are expected to experience culture
shock and face challenging cultural adaptations, since Asian countries share less cultural
roots with America compared with European ones and those adjacent to it. According to a
demographical survey in 2013-2014, among international students now studying in the
United States, up to 57% are Asian international Students, compared with 47% during 20052006 (Project Atlas, 2015). Besides the seemingly moderate increase in percentage, the
number of Asian international students has nearly doubled from 2005 to 2014.
Culture shock
Culture shock is a fundamental concept in studying international students experiences.
Culture shock both influences and is influenced by cross-cultural communication skills,
culture learning, and language learning. The term culture shock was first put forward by
Kalervo Oberg (1960) as the disoriented psychological state a person has when situated in a
unfamiliar social environment. Other scholars also considered language shock (Smalley,
1963), role shock (Byrnes, 1966) and pervasive ambiguity (Ball-Rokeach, 1973) as part of
culture shock. On top of defining culture shock, studies (Oberg, 1960; Gullahorn, 1963) have
verified different models of culture shock, which specify phases experienced in the process.
Later revised definitions only explains culture shock in a more detailed way. For instance,
Winkelman (1994) regards culture shock as the consequence of strain and anxiety resulting
from contact with a new culture and the feelings of loss, confusion, and impotence resulting
from loss of accustomed cultural cues and social rules (p.121). Based on these definitions,
scholars (Brislin, 1981; Bochner & Furnham, 2001; Kim, 2001; Adler, 2014) engage in
finding culture shocks impacts on self-identification and cross-cultural competence, and
factors influencing culture shock process.
In terms of case studies, short-term study travel across countries is scrutinized to
examine the relationship between language acquisition and culture learning (Allen, 2010;

Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

Brubacker, 2007; Badstubner & Ecke, 2009). Besides, most studies are partial to travel from
developed countries to developing countries, which has little referential meaning for people
traveling the other way around.Overall, little research has explored new factors, such as
social network sites, which plays a large role in daily life nowadays.
My interest in this study originated from my own experiences as an international
student, as I constantly try to make sense of what is happening around me in my new
environment. Previously, I had assumed that with enough beforehand knowledge about the
United States, I would experience little culture shock. However, my experiences after arriving
here have dampened my confidence and forced me to reconsider how culture shock happened
and has kept happening in my life.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this case study is to describe and understand cross-cultural encounters,
especially culture shock and corresponding strategies to adjust among Chinese international
students. My expectation is that the study will bring some new understanding of crosscultural encounters.
Research Questions
My research questions are: What are the characteristics of current cross-cultural
encounters among Chinese international students at TCU? What are the symptoms and
categories of culture shock among Asian International students? How have Chinese
international students coped with culture shock? How have institutions supported Chinese
international students? What is the relationship between Social Networking Sites and culture
shock as well as cultural adjustment? How do Chinese international students cross-cultural
encounters fit into earlier culture shock definitions?
Researcher Positionality
My insider role as a Chinese international student in this research is problematic, as I am

Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

also experiencing culture shock myself and struggling to adjust. Participants similar
experiences and common cultural memories mad me both sympathetic and empathic towards
them. Despite this threat, I am, nevertheless, fully aware that my interest in this research
derives exactly from my identification with this group. Also, my multiple identities
Chinese, female and a new PhD student in the Curriculum Studies program guarantee
access to respondents and increase possibility to conduct a more exhaustive research than I
could otherwise.
Researchers (England, 1994; Merriam et al., 2001; Rose, 1997) indicate their
insider/outsider roles with regard to education, class, race, gender, cultural background, thus
avoiding their subjectivity jeopardizing credibility and validity of research results. Denzin
(1986) has also commented, Interpretive research begins and ends with the biography and
self of the researcher (p. 12). Claiming multiple identities cannot erase my research
subjectivity but helps me reflect and become aware of my role as both a researcher and nonresearcher. Madison (2005) also points out that even earlier researchers labeled as objective
are fraught with value-laden opinions and classification; subjectivity is part of research
positionality enabling researchers to go beyond and find how their subjectivity to those
studied subjects informs and is informed by our engagement and representation of the other
(p. 9). Therefore, I did not intend to erase my subjectivity, since as removing opinions and
classification is elusive by all means; on the contrary, I attempted to expose my subjectivity
to engage and be influenced in this research, where constructivist objectivity would be
possible if I demarcate my subjectivity appropriately.
Similarly, scholars (Lin & Y, 1997; Sussman, 2000; Mcleod, 2008) also note that typical
negative and deficit culture shock definitions have overshadowed literature on culture shock
studies. Partly because most researchers positionality outside the international students group
disable them to access to the group otherwise. Karen Barad (2007) signifies the

Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

inseparableness between ontology and epistemology, for we dont obtain knowledge by

standing outside the world; we know because we are of the world (p. 185). In this sense, the
case study gives credit to participants description and understanding of their lived
experiences, as meanings are constructed through conversations and interactions with
participants.
Literature Review
Culture Shock
Uneasiness, anxiety, confusion, and other discomforts are common after international
students arrive in a host country. Oberg (1960) initially defines culture shock as
psychological unease and anxiety that results from losing all our familiar signs and symbols
of social intercourse (p. 176). Later scholars (Smalley, 1963; Byrnes, 1966; Rokeach, 1966),
have expanded the definition to include language shock, role shock and pervasive ambiguity.
Bock (1970) holds that culture shock is first and foremost an emotional reaction to the
incapability to fully understand others and predict ones own behavior. Winkelman (1994)
regards culture shock as the consequence of strain and anxiety resulting from contact with a
new culture and the feelings of loss, confusion, and impotence resulting from loss of
accustomed cultural cues and social rules (p.121). Overall, as a result of transferring to a
new cultural context, culture shock is reflected in emotions, psychologies and incompetence
of social norms and cultural cognitions.
Additionally, Oberg (1960) also recognizes four stages as a whole culture encounter
process: the honeymoon stage, the crisis stage, recovery stage, and finally adjustment stage.
The process is generally accepted by other scholars as the U Curve model (Gullhorn &
Gullhorn, 1963). Furham and Bochner (2001) disagree with this model as culture shock
occurs in specific contexts, regardless of stages.
Based on definitions of culture shock, scholars ask what causes culture shock and what
facilitates cultural adjustment (Berry et al., 1987; Lonner, 1986; McDermott, 1992), including

Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

institutional and personal factors (Verthelyi, 1995). Peter Adler (2014) and Young Yun Kim
(2001) conclude that culture shock plays a crucial role in enhancing ones self-identity
awareness and cross-cultural competence. In addition, scholars also delve into factors such as
psychology, different time lengths, and traveling identities (international students,
international businessmen, immigrants, etc) (Bochner & Furnham, 2001). Particularly,
personal traits and communication skills are crucial in cross-cultural communication (Brislin,
1981).
Generally speaking, scholars follow culture shock definitions, trying to locate causes
and emotions reflecting culture shock (Arline & Baker, 2012). Culture shock studies on
international students (Cauchon, 1994; Miyamoto& Kuhlman, 2001; Aholu & Sharmin, 2004;
Buttaro, 2004; Marr, 2005; Pantelidou & Craig, 2006; Lin, 2006; Mcleod, 2008; Mendez,
2009; Fang, 2010; Zhang, 2010), include language shock, academic performance, ESL
acquisition, cultural adaptation, intercultural training programs, and social support. Some
scholars (Wolowik, 2010, Chang, 2011) even touch upon identity changes and selfconstruction that occurs because of paradoxical emotions as international students encounter
culture shock. Additionally, literature on culture shock (Verthelyi, 1995; Bennet, 2002) also
covers spouses of international students.
Social Networking Sites
Social networking sites (SNS) provide an online platform for people to form virtual
communities when people do not necessarily belong to the same culture in real life
(Abhyankar, 2011). Current literature shows that international students widely utilize SNS to
communicate with others and improve their second language ability (Mitchell, 2012).
Scholars (Phua & Jin, 2011; Konetes & Makeague, 2011; Ling & Zhang, 2012; Guo & Li&
Ito, 2015; Binsahl, Chang & Bosua, 2015) find that correlation the use of SNS increases
social capital to bridge the gap between host countries and home countries.

Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

Starting from existing literature, this research also incorporates both internal and
external aspects of culture shock, and corresponding adjustment strategies. Meanwhile, this
research also takes SSN into consideration while examining the culture shock phenomenon.
Methods
Creswell (2007) argues that case studies focus on a bounded system (p. 97) and a
concrete entity (p. 99), and aim at developing an in-depth understanding of several
individuals while also requiring descriptions of identifying themes and specific situations. A
case study approach was well in line with my research interest, since it identified Chinese
international students as a cultural group ubiquitously suffering culture shock in American
contexts, making itself as an instrumental and accessible case.
Another merit of case study is that it tolerates multiple sources of information, so long as
they are the most effective ways to extract information from a specific cultural group (Patton,
2015). Above all, a case study aims to predict and even control an issue through spotting
patterns in it and making reasonable suggestions. As mentioned before, the objective of my
research is to reveal patterns and new features of Chinese international students culture
shock and make possible suggestions for those concerned, which is fairly consistent with
definition of case study research.
Population and Sampling Strategy
This research involved three Chinese international students. It also included both
undergraduates and graduate students to see possible differences between age groups and
education levels. At the very beginning, recruitment through Chinese students organizations
was not quite successful as nobody replied. Yet, two students agreed to participate after we
met in person at a Chinese New Year Celebration on campus. My third participant, however,
was recruited through my personal contacts.
Data Collection and Analysis
Research data was mostly collected through interviews and observations; some data I

Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

utilized are further explained as I referred to information conversations with participants. As I

have made it clear in the IRB proposal, the length of interviews would be no longer than 30
minutes.As a matter of fact, all three interviews went beyond 30 minutes, for which I always
sought approval from my participants. The interviews were guided by a semi-structured
interview protocol in Chinese, which referenced previous case studies among international
students (Bennett, 2002; Mcleod, 2008; Mendez, 2009). Chinese was used as the interview
language because previous literature (Gautam, Lowery, Mays & Durant, 2016) indicates
inability to interview participants in their mother tongue compromised research validity. As
for data analysis, I relied on most data gleaned from interviews and informal conversations;
patterns and categories emerged in the contextual analysis. Specifically, my research
questions and previous studies on international students culture shock influence data
analysis.
Ethical Considerations
With regard to ethics, I followed the IRB guidelines to address possible ethical concerns.
Any identifying characteristics of participants have been changed, including names, possible
places, and other identifiable information. Cannella and Lincoln (2011) also notice the
recognition that regulation in its multiple forms results in ethical practice and any universalist
ethic would be catastrophic (p. 81). Other scholars (Fine, Weis, Weseen & Wong, 2003)
warn us that narrow definitions of ethics endanger participants in a study at the manipulation
by researchers. Thus, I have encouraged them to express their opinions. Meanwhile, I
refrained myself from imposing my understanding on culture shock on them, and simply
representing them, as both threaten to translate and impose interpellation on individuals.
Timeline
Though the IRB proposal for this study has been submitted in November 2015,
Feedback came back after 3 weeks after this semester. Data collection closely followed the

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Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

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IRB feedback.
In January 2016, I sent an email to the TCU Chinese Club, hoping to recruit some
participants; after obvious failure, I reached out to international students through social
activities and personal contacts. February and early March 2016 witnessed three interviews
with my participants. In addition to interviews, I had free chats with participants, where notes
were taken as supplement to interview responses. In April 2016, I focused on data analysis
with culture shock and the final conclusion chapter.
Findings
Overall, the findings fall into two categories: culture shock and cultural adjustment.
Notably, both degrees and symptoms of culture shock differ among participants, as do their
adjustment strategies.
Background Information of Participants
The interviews were with three participants. One male participant identifies himself as a
22 year-old junior student (Alex), the other male participant is a 25-year-old and second-year
graduate student (Leo), and the 29-year-old females current academic status is a PhD
candidate (Mae). Alex came to the U.S. four years ago, starting in the English Intensive
Program, and then transferred into his current program one year later. Leo is in the second
year of his program. Mae came five years ago initially as a master student and then
transferred to a Ph.D program in the same college one year later.
Addressing his beforehand knowledge about America, Alex said that he had idealized
America as independent, free, relatively democratic, and open, which basically equaled the
paradise. Leo roughly knew the actual environment as relatively dilapidated from friends
(he means overall city planning here). Leo spent first two weeks in Santa Barbara with
friends studying there. Mae felt reassured when friends who had already been in American
confirmed that everything was available in the U. S.

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Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

AT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERISTY

Culture shock
Social shock. Social shock is mirrored in their attitudes towards social norms, sociocultural practices, and interpersonal relationship. Alex reported that he was haunted by
loneliness and extreme insecurity upon arriving here. He also thought American peers were
indifferent. Though desperately attempting to integrate into the American society through
various activities and parties, he quit after realizing such efforts were in vain. Leo believed
that people were nice at first and gradually he thought otherwise. To illustrate such change in
his impression, he shared some personal stories. For the initial impression of Americans, he
related a vignette that a kindhearted lady helped him on his way to the SSN Administration.
Nevertheless, later professors reprimand for trifling matters changed his positive attitudes
towards Americans. My third participant, Mae also mentioned that she had a short
honeymoon phase since everyone was nice but changed her mind afterwards; in her eye,
American use of nice and good showed their estrangement and disingenuousness.
Somwhere in our interview, she mentioned The apartment director who worked at the
apartment she stayed initially, saying that After having several conflicts with her, I realized,
oh, their racial discrimination is not on her face, but hidden in her heart.
Though based on other responses from Mae, she did not indicate all Americans she has
encountered here, such discriminative attitude does exist in certain individuals. By and large,
all three participants exhibited some shock to American social norms, holding the initial
impression that Americans were being nice yet essentially indifferent. Part of this social
shock may derive from the fact that Chinese culture is more group-oriented, which
necessitates that people are closer than Americans who are immersed in an individualistic
environment.
Physical shock & psychological shock. Physical shock surfaced more in food and
transportation. Alex realized that there is a big difference between Chinese and American

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Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

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cuisines. Though Leo did not state so assertively as Alex, he replied that after eating Subway
sandwiches several days, he attempted to cook Chinese food. For Mae, who thought
American food was okay for her, such as burgers and pizzas, confided at one gathering that
she spent several years adjusting to Mexican food, which is common in Texas.
In regards to transportation, Alex was frustrated during his first year at TCU, for he was
confined to campus without a car. Leo, in an informal conversation, mentioned that he walks
or takes the bus to places because he could not afford a car. Shortly after being disappointed
by public transportation here, Mae prioritized her plan to purchase a car.
About in September 2011, I bought my carI cannot stand this (living in Texas without
a car). Especially after exacerbated by the incident about the Kroger Cart , I pushed
myself to buy a car.
The incident she recounted about the Kroger cart was that they borrowed the cart from
Kroger to carry their purchases back to the apartment yet the apartment director mistook them
stealing the cart and humiliate them through email by notifying all residents living at the
apartment and without confirming what happened with them before sending the email.
Psychological discomfort is another source of shock. As a result of inability to interact with
Americans effectively, Alex felt stuck and stifled. Insomnia peaked during his sophomore
year. He also felt scared when coming across Americans, for fear that he would expose his
deficiency in English by speaking wrong words and substandard pronunciations.
Leo also showed some insecurity and frustration, as he recalled putting cash under the
fridge at his apartment before obtaining a band account. Meanwhile, frustration recurred in
his studying. Mae explained that she also had anxiety and insomnia for a while for pending
financial aids, horrendous conflicts with the apartment director, and overwhelming reading
and writing assignments.
Language shock. Though all three participants showed some language competence

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before coming here, they admitted that they could not communicate as effectively as they did
in Chinese. This actually exacerbated their culture shock. Riley (2007) points out, knowledge,
which includes culture, is conditioned by the social knowledge systems and by the
communicative practice through which is negotiated and distributed (p. 32).
Communicative practices thereof entail mastery of words and expressions. Alex considered
language incompetence as the most insurmountable obstacle, as he did not know how to
express, and could not understand, either. Incapability to input or output various information
deteriorated when ambiguity recurred in conversations. Alex lamented that ambiguity in
slangs and jokes requiring cultural background to understand were common. Leo responded
that he also experienced ambiguous situations, including speaking and listening. Mae agreed
and explained that though people complements her English, she was well aware she was not
confident in writing and communicating in academic English. Mae also reported that she
failed to follow tempos in American conversations. For Mae, her British accent (as a result of
learning at Hong Kong University) became another source of language shock, as people
would naturally thought, Oh, you are still not part of our culture, arent you?
Upon further reflection, I found that oftentimes language shock, embodied by lack of
facility with the English language and effective communication with others, are positively
related with their social shock of being unable to decode the cultural practices.
Academic shock. Godwin (2009) depicts academic shock rooted in disparate classroom
experiences and academic systems between the host country and the home country. StrahnKoller (2012) argues that academic shock consists more in that realities of a new institution
are widely different from students prior anticipations. Therefore, academic shock is not
unique among international students. Despite this, academic shock adds another stroke to
Chinese international students culture shock, as part of their academic shock resulted from
the fact that they failed to anticipate the different instructing and learning strategies, as well

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Running head: CULTURE SHOCK: A CASE STUDY ON CHINESE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

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as other administration systems between China and America.

In academic performance, Alexs academic shock pertains to his language shock. He
scaled his understanding of textbooks as seventy percent now, while the remaining thirty
percent requires lectures in class, and his practice and further reflection after class.
Meanwhile, he was astounded when professors asked students to address them by first names.
Leo encountered less academic shock relevant to language, since his major is not so
demanding on language proficiency as the other two. Yet, he recounted some unpleasant
classroom experiences. He was blamed for leaving a class early by both the professor
teaching that class and supervisors in his college. Compared with them, Maes academic
shock lies in her failure to interpret the cultural cues in classes. She also faces similar shock
in her academic writing, as professors on her dissertation committee constantly reminded her
of her deficiency in academic writing. They would always provide you the information
(smile) that your writing is not good. You writing does not follow their grammatical or
idiomatic principles, that sort of thing.
Cultural Adjustment
Sussman (2000) states that sojourners recognize the discrepancy between their cultural
selves (and the goals that direct behavior and thought) and the new cultural context (p. 363).
As a result of discrepancy between previous cultural contexts and the new host country,
culture shock forced international students to adjust themselves.
Co-national groups/other international students groups/American friends. One
adjustment strategy is to develop different social networks, including compatriots groups,
other international students groups, and American friends. For Alex, he gradually connected
with Chinese international students. Starting in the Intensive English program at, he
befriended other Asian international students and maintained the friendship afterwards. He
was also determined to establish a Chinese student organization (Chinese Club) with a view

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of helping new Chinese international students. Though frustrated when American classmates
take a free ride in group assignments, he finds a lot of fun in tutoring American students who
are keen on learning Chinese. This, to a large extent, enhances his English and knowledge
about American cultures.
On the contrary, Leo finds that he is too occupied with studying to hang out with friends.
For on-campus activities, he favors more those organized by Chinese Club and Beyond the
Border, which is another. When asked why, he smiled, Because you can meet more Chinese
at Chinese Club, and its easier and more comfortable to communicate in Chinese. Beyond
the Border, which always hold events in his college building, enabled him to meet more
international students. Among his few friends are a Bangladeshi and a Vietnamese, both of
who are also his major. Studying in the office mostly, Leo also converses with colleagues
who study there occasionally.
Identifying as an introverted person, Mae was not so desperate to secure a bondage with
Chinese or international students groups. In other words, she does not hold that belonging to
a group is pure bliss. Nevertheless, Mae has indeed developed some close relationship with
colleagues in her college. For instance, she met with another Chinese student who came
earlier than her (and already graduated). With this student, she studied, discussed, co-wrote
research, and hung out, seeking suggestions when it came to housing, shopping, etc.
Besides Chinese friends, she has also developed friendship with American colleagues. One of
them was Fang.
Fang is an international student, she came to this university first as a master student,
so she had much empathy towards me, as she was also not accustomed to what you are
not accustomed to. As a result, she is always ready to help me.
She also got acquainted with more Americans through her husband, a piano major. Her
husbands partnership with an American for Catholic Church performance was conducive to

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their further friendship with the American friend. In Maes light, he provided information,
taught them proper English and American culture, etc. Also, she told me her husbands
Catholic background encouraged them to embrace the church community as opposed to the
other two atheist participants. Accordingly, Mae and her husband have cultivated both
cultural and social capital through the church. In the similar vein, she and her husband
volunteered for a professors performance in her home country, with whom they became very
intimate afterwards.
Institutional support. When asked about campus resources, Alexs eyes dimed a little
bit. During the worst period, he even sought help from counseling to alleviate his anxiety, yet
it did not work since he could not communicate effectively in English. For Leo, except initial
orientations, he hardly got any help from the university, as most department which are
designed to help students were for immature undergraduates. Independent as she is, Mae did
utilize campus resources. For instance, she got some on-campus jobs from International
Services Office, which enabled her to survive during time short of financial aids. One
unanticipated bit of help came from Campus Life Office, which also got her out of some
awkward situations.
Improved language proficiency. With that said, most culture shock participants
encountered at the beginning is connected with language shock. Therefore, the adjustment,
also features their English proficiency. After four years living here, Alex is fluent when
communicating with foreigners, particularly when the topics are related to his classes. He
also prefers to watch movies without subtitles though he is not likely to understand jargon
and terminology. Tutoring students on campus also motivates him to communicate with
American students, from whom he also learns communication skills in return. Leo said that
he got 94 (out of 120) in the TOEFL examination, but if he took it now, he could get more
than one hundred. Mae unconsciously imitated whoever (native speakers) frequently spoke to

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her; among such people was her advisor. Gradually, she learned how to speaking
idiomatically. In regard of English TV programs, she also prefers those without subtitles.
Besides, she also understands people better than before.
Sometimes, the feeling of listening to a foreign language, is pretty much as if they did
not say anything even though you have heard some sentences, just because its not your
mother tongue. But now, if you listen carefully, you will get it.
Generally speaking, all three participants exhibited improvement of English in varying
degrees. Given that they can understand more, they become more attentive to American
culture and local contexts. Such progress, implicitly adds to their confidence of living in an
English-speaking society.
Academic adjustment. Next to improved language proficiency, they have also made
progress in terms of academic performance and relationship with faculty. Alex says that he
can understand lectures and take the lead in group projects. He also gets fellowships to cover
half of his tuition. Speaking of relationship with professors, he would have more
communications with courses he takes interest in; naturally, the professor would be
impressive with him. Leos relationship with professors is slightly different, as he relates
several unpleasant misunderstandings between him and professors, which are more related to
different cultural practices rather than language. In an informal conversation, he also
described engagements in academic conferences and further studying plans. Mae feels
appreciative towards her advisor Prof. Van., who trusted her to the extent that whenever the
professor was absent from classes, she would ask Mae to teach as a Teaching Assistant; she
also shared accounts and passwords with Mae when needed. In addition, she also worked for
Prof. Fs research projects, which is beneficial for her, an ascending scholar in academia.
Social networking sites. Social Networking Sites have little significance in culture
shock experiences, particularly for Leo and Mae. In Alexs case, he only uses WeChat, an

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instant messenger used by Chinese. I notice that he always posts interesting things happening
in his personal life on WeChat, thus getting more communication with Chinese friends
mostly. Yet, he rarely uses Facebook, for which he specifically illustrated that he only posts
things to clarify his political stance on some current affairs.
All abovementioned cultural adjustment aspects have boosted participants self-esteem in
solving problems and facilitated more their social connectedness. Yet, variations do exist
among the three participants.
Discussion
In coping with culture shock, participants have made different efforts, including
developing social networks, improving language proficiency, excelling in academic
performance, etc. All three participants mentioned their evolving relationship with other
international students (including Chinese students) and Americans. Yet, variations still exist.
For instance, Mae consciously avoids Chinese students groups while Alex develops intimate
relationship with them and extends co-establishes TCU Chinese Club. Similarly, full
immersion in an English-speaking environment and on-campus jobs help them hone their
English and communication skills, academic system and classroom instruction practices.
Clearly, ease in coping with academic and daily problems, promoted their self-esteem and
symptoms of culture shock such as anxiety, frustration, and sense of loss faded away.
A research question of this research was about institutional support in helping international
students. Both Alex and Leo were disappointed, as university support was minimal. However,
they also stated that they received different help from faculty and other departments later.
Before the study, I also expected that the research would show some correlation between
culture shock and social networking sites. However, only one participant confirmed certain
correlation between the two. Alex also specified that he uses Chinese SNS usually, but he
seldom uses Facebook or Twitter to maintain and expand social networks. Leo and Mae, in

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stark contrast, rarely update posts on Social networking sites, though I always contact them
through WeChat without failing.
Another interesting finding is that their culture shock does not quite fall into culture shock
models defined by scholars (Oberg, 1960; Gullahorn, 1963), which contends that after initial
discomfort, they will embrace a recovery stage, implying that they do not experience culture
shock any longer. According to interviews, though participants coped with culture shock with
different strategies, they are still experiencing culture shock. In addition to initial experiences
in the United States, when asked about culture shock in other aspects, participants even raise
examples that have happened recently. For instance, Leos conflicts with professor match
with culture shock connotation; so does Maes with one faculty as she attempted to defend
some international students. In the recruitment letter earlier, I provided culture shocks
essential definition without underlining specific stages related to culture shock. As a result,
participants spontaneous responses overturn prior studies to some degree.
Power and knowledge
As mentioned before, culture shock is defined as international students discomforts,
anxiety, disorientation and sense of loss, caused by different cultural practices and cultural
cognitions between home countries and host countries. However, it derives from cultural
dissonance (Mcleod, 2008). Considerable scholars (Oberg, 1960; Foster, 1962; Clarke,
1976; Ross & Krider, 1992; Lin & Yi, 1997) imply that culture shock is a disease, featured
by frustration, depression and anxiety, and sojourners will go through several stages before
finally recovering and adjusting to a new society. They perceive that, to avoid such infliction
and cure the culture shock disease, outgroup members have to acquire the dominant culture
practices and languages to cure.
Foucault (1980) states that power displays itself in minute ways, into the very grain of
individuals, touches their bodies and inserts itself into their actions and attitudes, their

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discourses, learning processes and everyday lives.within the social body rather than from
about it (p. 199). The power here traverses into different daily practices, threatening to expel
outgroup members if they fail to conform to new cultural practices and cognitions
(Sussman, 2000, p. 363). Admittedly, dissonances and differences would cause unease, or
dis-eases among international students; as time passes by, they are voluntary or forced to
adjust themselves in various ways. Nevertheless, to specifically identify culture shock as a
disease alludes to a medical gaze towards international students, since international
students culture shock disease can only be cured by acculturation (Foucault, 2003).
Therefore, it dehumanizes international students, as they neglect international students
subjectivity in overcoming culture shock by hailing, an act of forming the subject to comply
with and obey the laws of its domain (Jackson & Mazzei , 2012, p. 74).
Simply put, Scholars (Oberg, 1960; Foster, 1962; Clarke, 1976; Ross & Krider, 1992;
Lin & Yi, 1997) perceive outgroup members internalizing the dominant language and cultural
practices to cure their negative emotions (or disease), while overlooking the fact that the very
repetition of conforming to dominant cultural practices reinforces international students prior
identity and possible resistance to some practices in the host country. For instance, all
participants prefer to be interviewed in Chinese, however proficient their English is.
Particularly, Mae as a mother of a six-month-old, worries that her son lacks Chinese heritage
due to immersion into American culture. Similarly, Alex, however deft at socializing with
American peers, takes the Chinese students group as the primary and most essential part of
his identity. Meanwhile, he described that though many Chinese international students
transform themselves to Christianity to increase cultural and social capital, he would never
follow suit.
The most surprising, however, is found in the interview with Leo. As before our
interview, he requested a copy of my interview protocol to better prepare for the interview.

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During the actual interview, however, he unconsciously negated that culture shock happened
to him generally. As the interview moved on to detailed experiences, it presented some
examples of culture shock experiences. Here, the medical gaze from scholar mentioned
earlier resonates with why his initial responses and his later replies to detailed questions
contradicted with each other. Apparently, he admitted the hardship and his adjustment efforts,
yet he subconsciously rejected a negative definition of culture shock. Hence, all participants
would hardly agree that culture shock is a disease to cure gradually; instead, requiring
conformity to the host culture results in their resistance in daily practices.
Also, culture shock as a disease does not hold true when it lacks reflexivity on the host
cultures deficits, and neglects international students safeguarding their own rights as
outgroup members. Foucault (1980) argues that power is more relational than absolute.
Jackson and Mazzei (2012) further explain that Foucauldian power and knowledge relation
that the significance of practices consists in how they disrupt or sustain relations of power
and advance knowledge (p. 57). Discrimination and linguicism recurred in three
participants lives. For instance, Alex relates when he applied for his Social Security Number,
one staff at SSN administration showed impatience and despise because of Alex accents and
inarticulateness, which Alex refuted immediately. As mentioned before, general culture shock
theories presume that outgroup members are not allowed to question the validity and
correctness of social norms. In Maes case, when she became targeted by one faculty who
bullied international students, she resorted to Campus Life Office as she deemed this incident
as racially discriminative. As Mae sought help from Campus Life, she identified and resisted
the power of racial discrimination, which is a time-honored social practice in America. In this
way, she challenged and disrupted the original power equilibrium.
Limitations
First and foremost, confined to one college campus, the findings here might not speak for

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all international students and higher institutions with considerable Chinese international
students. Take the SNS as an example. Though this research showed limited correlation
between SNS and culture shock, both my participants and I notice that some international
students are keen on using SNS. Similarly, unlike this university, help from other
international students prior to going abroad is quite common in many American higher
institutions. The second limitation comes from my recruitment strategy, as failure to include
more individuals makes the study hardly representative for all international students. Finally,
I, as the researcher, am an international student experiencing culture shock as well. Creating
my interview protocol based on literature review and research questions does not erase my
subjective responses to culture shock and cultural adjustments. By the same token, interviews
and most data are in Chinese, and therefore translating interviews when quoting participants
is more likely to defer what they intended to express. However, as mentioned in research
positionality, interviewing in English or Chinese is an either-or choice, since both will be
stained with my (researchers) subjectivity. An English interview probably enables me to
ward off the suspect of speculating what interviewees mean in translation, yet it, nevertheless,
impedes interviewees speed of speaking, exhaustiveness of interviews, and the subtlety of
statements.
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