Author : John ErskinKalvero Oberg was one of the first writers to identify five distinct stages of culture shock He found that all human beings experience the same feelings when they travel to or live in a different country or culture He found that culture shock is almost like a disease: it has a cause, symptoms, and a cure

Whenever someone travels overseas they are like “a fish out of water ” Like the fish, they have been swimming in their own culture all their lives A fish doesn’t think about what water it is in Likewise, we often do not think too much about the culture we are raised in Our culture helps to shape our identity Many of the cues of interpersonal communication (body language, words, facial expressions, tone of voice, idioms, slang) are different in different cultures One of the reasons that we feel like a fish out of water when we enter a new culture, is that we do not know all of the cues that are used in the new culture

Psychologists tell us that there are five distinct phases (or stages) of culture shock It is important to understand that culture shock happens to all people who travel abroad, but some people have much stronger reactions than others

During the first few days of a person’s stay in a new country, everything usually goes fairly smoothly The newcomer is excited about being in a new place where there are new sights and sounds, new smells and tastes The newcomer may have some problems, but usually accepts them as just part of the newness They may find themselves staying in hotels or with a home-stay family that is excited to meet the foreign stranger The newcomer may find that “the red carpet” has been rolled out and they may be taken to restaurants, movies and tours of the sights The new acquaintances may want to take the newcomer out to many places and “show them off ” This first stage of culture shock is called the “honeymoon phase ”

Unfortunately, this honeymoon phase often comes to an end fairly soon The newcomer has to deal with transportation problems (buses that don’t come on time), shopping problems (can’t buy their favorite foods) or communication problems (just what does “Chill out, dude ” mean?) It may start to seem like people no longer care about your problems They may help, but they don’t seem to understand your concern over what they see as small problems You might even start to think that the people in the host country don’t like foreigners

This may lead to the second stage of culture shock, known as the “rejection phase ” The newcomer may begin to feel aggressive and start to complain about the host culture/country It is important to recognize that these feelings are real and can become serious This phase is a kind of crisis in the ‘disease’ of culture shock It is called the “rejection” phase because it is at this point that the newcomer starts to reject the host country, complaining about and noticing only the bad things that bother them At this stage the newcomer either gets stronger and stays, or gets weaker and goes home (physically, mentally or both)

If you don’t survive stage two successfully, you may find yourself moving into stage three: the “regression phase ” The word “regression” means moving backward, and in this phase of culture shock, you spend much of your time speaking your own language, watching videos from your home country, eating food from home You may also notice that you are moving around campus or around town with a group of students who speak your own language You may spend most of this time complaining about the host country/culture

Also in the regression phase, you may only remember the good things about your home country Your homeland may suddenly seem marvelously wonderful; all the difficulties that you had there are forgotten and you may find yourself wondering why you ever left (hint: You left to learn English!) You may now only remember your home country as a wonderful place in which nothing ever went wrong for you Of course, this is not true, but an illusion created by your culture shock ‘disease ‘

If you survive the third stage successfully (or miss it completely) you will move into the fourth stage of culture shock called the “recovery phase” or the “at-ease-at-last phase ” In this stage you become more comfortable with the language and you also feel more comfortable with the customs of the host country You can now move around without a feeling of anxiety You still have problems with some of the social cues and you may still not understand everything people say (especially idioms) However, you are now 90% adjusted to the new culture and you start to realize that no country is that much better than another - it is just different lifestyles and different ways to deal with the problems of life

With this complete adjustment, you accept the food, drinks, habits and customs of the host country, and you may even find yourself preferring some things in the host country to things at home You have now understood that there are different ways to live your life and that no way is really better than another, just different Finally, you have become comfortable in the new place

It is important to remember that not everyone experiences all the phases of culture shock It is also important to know that you can experience all of them at different times: you might experience the regression phase before the rejection phase, etc You might even experience the regression phase on Monday, the at ease phase on Tuesday, the honeymoon phase on Wednesday, and the rejection phase again on Thursday What will Friday be like?

Much later, you may find yourself returning to your homeland and -guess what? - you may find yourself entering the fifth phase of culture shock This is called “reverse culture shock” or “return culture shock” and occurs when you return home You have been away for a long time, becoming comfortable with the habits and customs of a new lifestyle and you may find that you are no longer completely comfortable in your home country Many things may have changed while you were away and it may take a little while to become at ease with the cues and signs and symbols of your home culture

Reverse culture shock can be very difficult There is a risk of sickness or emotional problems in many of the phases of culture shock Remember to be kind to yourself all the time that you are overseas, and when you get home Give yourself time to adjust Be your own best friend If you do these things you will be a much stronger person If you do these things, congratulations, you will be a citizen of the world!John Erskin is an English teacher who resides in South Korea. He has been teaching English for 12 years. He also maintains two ESL websites: Johns ESL Community and The Tower of English Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

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Author : Gregory SmythMacau is one of the most exotic destinations of the rich and famous, with its unique fusion of Chinese and Portuguese culture, the resulting stunning artwork and cuisine, and of course, the opulent casinos where dreams have been made and hearts have been broken The hotels of Macau city are just as stunning as the city and casinos, with VIP suites for high rollers where unique interior design is only the beginning of the luxury If you aren’t a permanent millionaire, you can still get a taste of the high life at these luxury Macau hotels and resorts

Sofitel Macau is the newest and freshest high roller establishment in Macau Suites here have a more contemporary unique interior design than other more crowded, older style VIP suites The internationally renowned architects that designed the high roller suites here focused especially on the guest, and the way they interact with their surroundings Sofitel Macau has stunning harbor views, and the water is a recurring theme in the design of this luxury Macau hotel’s most decadent suites

Macau has a distinct fusion of Eastern and Western heritage, and the designers for Sofitel Macau’s VIP suites honored that wherever possible Arcades, cornices, arches, masonry and string lines are some of the features of Macau streets, and the unique interior design of the high roller suites brings elements of them into your constant surroundings The physical features of the rooms at this Macau luxury hotel are just as impressive, with 80 square meters of relaxing living space, a shower that feels like you are under a tropical rainforest storm, a separate deep sided bath as well as Jacuzzi, and access to the exclusive Club Lounge

If you can get past the billionaire owner’s grinning face on the Wynn Macau resort web page, you will find some beautiful and very artistic unique interior designs at this Macau hotel! The Grand Deluxe Rooms here have a wall made up completely of glass, making for stunning views, with pillowtop beds covered in Egyptian cotton Desert Bambu bath amenities allow you to bring that richness with you wherever you go in Macau, and a glass soaking tub is a highlight of the lavish bathrooms There is an extra LCD television in the bathrooms at this Macau luxury hotel, so you can make best use of that luxurious tub, and of course, high speed internet access Hallways and lobbies make use of contemporary and fine Macau art, in a colorful and vibrant style

Mandarin Oriental is a luxury Macau hotel whose brand is known worldwide and associated with the ultimate in decadence and attentive service High roller suites can be as beautifully designed as the British Royal Palace itself, but this means nothing if your incidental needs can’t be met by flexible staff Stay in the Oriental VIP Suite at Mandarin Oriental Macau for all those little incidentals and gracious service, as well as great base amenities including a complimentary American style breakfast every day, fresh teak furnishings and rich, home style decor Sofitel Macau - Visit Macau and stay in European luxury at Sofitel Macau. Located in the historic city centre, guests have easy access to world heritage sites and historical attractions as well as spectacular Macau casinos and nightlife.

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Author : Kristi AmbroseI absolutely love to travel, any place, any time, anywhere But I always find it of utter importance to view reviews sites before I actually eat or stay anywhere I am not used to I made the mistake of not doing this before I went to Croatia and I had the worst time

Even when I asked locals where was a good place to eat, they ended up sending me to a “hometown” type of restaurant I’m not saying anything against the place I am just saying I would have enjoyed something a little “classier”

This could have easily been fixed if I would have just read a few reviews for the place I was staying at and the location I was staying at! Well fortunately for you I have found that there really are websites online that are incredibly useful when it comes to reviews of restaurants and “accommodations” in specific locations as well as the actual location, activities, etc

These websites also have reviews on other things as well not just locales These articles include things like travel gear and wear and along with top 10 places to visit in the country or in the world For example, here are a few exerts that this website did one a few different subjects:

Puerto Aventuras - Adventure and Beauty -
Traveling to Mexico’s Caribbean coast is an exciting, exotic trip You will find numerous cities and towns offer you fun and enjoyment While cities like Cancun are obvious choices, the Riviera Maya offers many more options Puerto Aventuras is one of the little known destinations in the area, offering you numerous ways in which to enjoy yourself

Royal Caribbean Cruise -
The Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is one of the biggest and best known cruise ship companies in the world It now operates some of the biggest cruise ships sailing the world’s oceans An American-Norwegian company, the company runs out of Miami, Florida, although ships are normally classed as Liberian

The Royal Caribbean Cruise Line was originally established in 1968 by the amalgamation of three Norwegian shipping companies, Anders Wilhelmsen & Company, Gotaas Larsen and I M Skaugen & Company

Not All Waterproof Jackets Keep You Dry -
There is a huge difference in price in some waterproof jackets and here is why it is not always best to go for the cheaper option With cheaply constructed waterproof materials such as waterproof coated nylon It can do a great job of keeping the rainwater off you But won’t necessarily keep you dry

Scuba Gear - Five Necessary Pieces Explained -
Scuba gear is necessary to enjoy the mystical beauty of an underwater world The proper gear will not only keep a diver safe, but it will also allow a diver to have the best diving experience possible and can keep anyone comfortable and at ease during an underwater adventure

Obviously from the examples above you can’t see how absolutely in depth they were but just so you get the gist of what they offer that’s okay Some of the places they might cover are; Russia, USA, Germany and Ireland! These websites are nice because they can be your personal trip advisor and yet they are completely free, you can revisit the websites whenever you want and you could get some really honest reviews

I know of a few other websites and its like they constantly are selling you on the idea There is no negativity in anything they write Obviously this is fake and they just want you to buy something! That’s why I like these blog sites, true in their truest form and fun to read!This author is a HUGE fan of trip ideas

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Author : Margaret CowanResearching and planning your trip to Italy can be a monumental, time consuming task, especially if you lead a busy life with never ending To Do lists

An article I read said that lack of time to research and plan a trip prevents many people from traveling so they stay home

Here are seven steps and tips on how to reduce your Italian trip research and planning time Life is too short not to enjoy Italy!

1 Ask yourself, “What is most important on this trip to Italy?” For example, if you want to focus on wines, spend more time in the Piedmont or Tuscany wine country and less in the big cities

If this is your first trip to Italy and you want to visit Venice, Florence and Rome, plus a cooking tour, and all are equally important to you, you could plan on two or three days in each city and a four day cooking tour Focusing on what you really want will shorten your research time

2 What if you don’t know what regions you want to visit and what you want to do? Instead of endlessly searching the Net and getting overwhelmed with all the information you find, go to your local library and borrow a guide book to Italy Yes, low tech is faster in my opinion!

Skim through it region by region Decide what regions, cities and towns appeal and what sights and things to do in those places really interest you Make a list Then you can research accommodation in those regions and tours matching your interests on the Net

For an idea of hotel choices and costs, venerecom is an easy to use site with many levels of accommodation all over Italy as well as travelers’ reviews I’ve used this site a few times to book rooms online and all went well

3 With your list of places in mind, look at a map of Italy and decide on the most efficient route so you don’t back track along the same routes and waste time and money

A north to south route, like starting in Venice and finishing in Naples, or a south to north route, like starting in Sicily and finishing in Florence, works well

If you want to go to Cinque Terre on the Riviera or Ravenna on the Adriatic, take a detour off your north to south route and return to it You can fly into one airport and out of another airport

A circle route works well too For example, start in Venice, go west to Lake Garda, farther west to Piedmont, south to Cinque Terre, east to Florence, north to Bologna and north to Venice

4 List the places you’ll visit with roughly how much time you plan to spend in each one If you’re the spontaneous type, allow flexible time to make changes in your plans At least you have a basic outline of your trip that you can change as you travel

5 Remember to allow for travel time between places For example, from Florence to Rome on the fast Eurostar train is about 90 minutes, so allow half a day from your Florence hotel door to your Rome hotel door Do not take regional trains, a k a the slow trains, or Florence to Rome will turn into a three and a half hour ordeal

6 Decide if you want to travel by train or rent a car If you’re exploring the countryside and its small towns, a car is a must Local buses in many country areas are few and many double as school buses

If you’re traveling mainly to major cities, stick to the train so you avoid chaotic city traffic, frustrating one way streets and expensive, difficult to find parking

The Italian train system is excellent in most of my experience At trenitaliacom, the Italian train web site, you can enter your departing place, time of travel and arriving place and it spits out a choice of schedules for you I use it all the time! Great for trip planning!

7 Flight planning Going to or from Italy, avoid long layovers in connecting airports If you have to wait four hours for your connecting flight in England or Germany to Italy, you’ll arrive even more tired

Going home from Italy, avoid early morning flights, like a 6:00 a m departure You’ll have to be at the airport around 4:00 a m and leave your hotel in the middle of the night If you’re flying out of any city in the morning or early afternoon, make sure you stay in that city the night before

In both of these cases, you won’t sleep much on your last night and you’re not being good to yourself at the end of your holiday

Have fun researching and planning your trip using these systematic tips so you save time and get the most value and fun out of your trip Half of the delight in traveling is looking forward to the trip and researching it Leave yourself enough time to do that as a gift to yourself

Enjoy your travels! Buon viaggio!Since 1995 Margaret Cowan has owned a tour company, Mama Margaret & Friends Cooking Adventures in Italy.

For a free report on finding the right Italy cooking school tour for you, see http://www.italycookingschools.com

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Author : Jim BrownMost people think of traveling as relaxation, enjoying life and experiencing culture but they forget about studying a foreign language, which seems more and more common nowadays Every year we have more than a thousand people who come to the States to study English through the channel of traveling So, let’s take a closer look at this hot issue

First of all, let’s take a look at people from developing countries Most of them do not have a lot of money So why do they want to travel to the States? Of course, they want to see America, and do many other things? How about the language? Is it that they just want to speak English with native people and they want to speak as much as possible?

If I could have enough money to travel, I would pick the States Do you know why? Because I have always wished to speak with American English accent, and if I had that chance, why would I not get it? Probably if you are studying English in your country, you may study English from a teacher who is not a native Who can be sure that she speaks it with the right accent?

And also, speaking with some foreigners in your country is different from speaking to many people and hearing English everywhere That means you live with it, you are in the environment and you cannot do anything without it, which makes your study unforgettable and much better in a very short time

Secondly for Spanish learners, you are in the States for example You always speak Spanish with Mexican only The Spanish Mexican speaking is different from the real Spanish and Spanish from Cuba for sure So if you want to hear more versions of Spanish, you definitely should go to Spain or Cuba

It is the best idea to travel while studying a foreign language It makes your travel more helpful and practical than just a mere relaxation One more thing about traveling in combination with studying a foreign language is that you will be closer to local people than any other travel you have experienced

Imagine you are in their country, trying to speak their language, talk to local people, and make friends in their language too All that things will make you much more than a sightseeing traveler and help you experience much more than you have ever thought you would Some people when they come to another country, what they do is just hang out around the tourism spots, going to good local restaurants and buying souvenirs for their relatives and friends, which I find no interest in at all I would think speaking to a local person, and learning about their culture would be much more fun than doing all other things

I have one friend who went to Japan one time for travel and the reason he chose Japan as his destiny is that he speaks Japanese, and wants to practice his Japanese It turned out to be a great trip for him He made a lot of friends there His Japanese improved greatly He even found a very good job in Japan thanks to his Japanese skills and he ended up getting married to a Japanese girl James Brown writes about Explorer Pass discount codes and Viator discount codes

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Author : Anna StenningIf you are looking for a holiday which is enveloped in Italian history and culture, unspoilt scenery, seemingly untouched for several centuries, then Tuscany might well be just the place to inspire your search Providing the perfect setting to relax and unwind in a quiet Tuscany Hotel or quaint Tuscan guesthouse, and absorb the many wonders the Tuscany region has to offer

Known primarily to most for being a famous wine region, Tuscany has so much more to offer than your average tourist holiday Of course the type of holiday you are looking for depends greatly on the area of Tuscany which you choose to reside Tuscany over the years has become a popular destination for both American and English expats, as is the case in several European destinations

If you like to relax of an evening but spend the days exploring, and still enjoy the throng of a packed sight seeing experience then Northern Tuscany, home to Siena, Pisa and Florence, the main art cities, will therefore provide a holiday which is rich in history, art and culture lending itself to being more of a tourist location, with many places to visit such as the leaning tower and the baptistery Just sight seeing in Florence, visiting the art galleries, historic buildings and museums could take the best part of a weeks holiday

Southern Tuscany however has in the main, remained untouched by the tourist trade Our preconceptions of olive groves and vineyards stretching forward as far as the eye can see, cypresses and secular oaks lining roads or dotted on the horizon, small towns popping up on the hillsides overlooking the rolling landscapes of golden sunflower fields and orchards, would not be far wrong

However, Maremma on the southern Tuscan coast, hides the fact that is was once a malaria-infested backwater, but now the countryside rises to the hills of Monte Argentario, farming land, not only still known for its wines but also for its Maremma cattle, concealing the rather lovely and very ancient town of Orbetello

It is in the Maremma region where you are most likely to find a real Tuscany hotel offering a real Tuscany holiday Usually a family run business, a Tuscany hotel will provide a more traditional holiday providing its guests with a real insight as to how life in Tuscany really exists, perhaps even offering the opportunity to help farm the land, harvest crops or take part in producing the many delights which come from the region such as wine and olive oil

A little Tuscany hotel will open its doors to guests as a means of not only providing people with a more traditional holiday but also subsidising its very existence

The climate in Tuscany too enhances the reasons why to seek a Tuscany hotel as your holiday dwelling, offering long hot Mediterranean summers rolling into the autumn months, and mild but slightly humid winters with warm damp springs helping the crops along the way

Should you choose to opt for the more relaxing getaway, but still wish to follow a cultural trail the main art cities are never far from where you reside, sight seeing day trips can be arranged in order to soak up the main aspects of history, famous wine cellars across the northern region become open to the public, vineyards which have existed for centuries or for instance the Saturnia Thermal baths which have been around since roman times are fantastic places to visit

A family holiday in a Tuscany hotel can provide as much or as little of Tuscan history as you allow, you could be forgiven for just sitting back all holiday, relaxing, absorbing the painting like views, breathing in the scented Tuscan air and loosing yourself, however Tuscany has so much to offer the choice is yours Anna Stenning looks at the different holidays on offer in Tuscany; does a quiet Tuscany hotel offer the best location to enjoy the culture of Tuscany whilst relaxing away from mainstream tourism?

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