The Inbound Syndrome (Expatriate Bonding)

1. The Inbound Syndrome (Expatriate Bonding) Presentation at the 2007 YEO Pre-Convention Meeting Moderator: Bob White, D. 6990 Panelists: Maria Leticia Ferreira, D. 4770 Dennis White, D. 6220 Inbounds Hugo (Brazil) and (Germany) For more information, visit www.yeoresources.org Or contact Dennis White at dkwhite@itol.com

2. The Inbound Syndrome An almost universal tendency for Inbound students, and expatriates of any kind, to gather together and become very close when living in a foreign country.  Often this can be to the detriment of their ability to immerse effectively into the host culture.

3. Enculturation: The adoption of the behavior patterns of the surrounding culture.

4. Enculturation, in turn, requires an understanding of the following concepts: 1. Culture Shock 2. The Stages of Culture Shock 3. The Process of Developing Intercultural Sensitivity 4. Ethnocentrism 5. Ethnorelativism.

5. Culture Shock The profound sense of disorientation and discomfort that comes with extended travel or living in a foreign culture markedly different from one’s own.

6. Stages of Culture Shock: • Initial enthusiasm and euphoria • Irritability and negativism • Gradual adjustment and adaptation • Integration and bi-culturalism

7. Stages of Culture Shock: • Initial enthusiasm and euphoria • Irritability and negativism • Gradual adjustment and adaptation • Integration and bi-culturalism

8. Rotary Youth Exchange Culture Shock Cycle Months Pre-Departure 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Return …... Normal Level of Feelings Adapted from a model by Robert Kohls

9. DevelopingIntercultural Sensitivity The Experience of Difference Acceptance AdaptationIntegration Denial Defense Minimization Ethnocentric Stages Ethnorelative Stages Model developed by Dr.. Milton Bennett, Portland State University

10. Developing cultural sensitivity and competence requires moving from Ethnocentrism to Ethnorelativism

11. Ethnocentrism: The universal tendency for any culture to see its own values and practices as natural and correct.

12. Ethnorelativism: The acquired ability to see many values and behaviors as cultural rather than universal.

14. “Culture shock pushes me out of my comfort zone” Under pressure, we tend to fall back on what is comfortable, habitual, and unconscious. Even when we know how to follow a cultural practice, and can do it, the tendency is to fall back.

15. Instant Electronic Communications • Once upon a time, communication was by postal letter… • It would take 14 to 20 days for a round trip message. • Problems had to be solved where the student was. • It may have been uncomfortable, but it required the student to adapt.

16. Instant Electronic Communications • Instant communication allows the student to fall back on friends and family to solve the problem, or avoid the problem. • They never work through “hitting the wall”. • Emotionally, they never leave home.

17. Expatriate Bonding(The Inbound Syndrome) • An almost universal tendency for Inbound students, and expatriates of any kind, to gather together and become very close when living in a foreign country. • Early and frequent contact among Inbounds can actually work against fitting in to the host culture

18. Expatriate Bonding(The Inbound Syndrome) • In a foreign country, the quickest way to feel more comfortable is to seek out someone else like you. • What they have most in common, that no one else from the host culture has, is that they are foreigners. • Spending too much time with other Inbounds may feel more comfortable, but is also counter-productive to becoming enculturated.

19. Poor Language Acquisition • After students “hit the wall” and enter the stage if irritability, the main way out is language acquisition. • The longest, most difficult but most satisfying “gain” is the “gradual adaptation” stage, when the students become linguistically competent (not necessarily fluent)

20. Rotary Youth Exchange Culture Shock Cycle Months Pre-Departure 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Return …... Normal Level of Feelings Adapted from a model by Robert Kohls

21. How to manage the Inbound Syndrome • It is almost inevitable – so learn to live with it. Manage it, don’t fight it • Be aware of it and our tendency (as YEOs) to get caught up in it (the Model UN) • Inform students, challenge students, support students • The goal is not to eliminate Inbound contact – it is to minimize the negative effects of the IBS

23. Information at www.yeoresources.org. • Culture Shock.doc • The Inbound Syndrome revised.doc • The Middle Wave of Culture Shock.doc • seven lessons we can learn.doc • Culture Shock and Reverse Culture Shock Presentation.ppt • Developing Intercultural Sensitivity.ppt

24. Dennis White, Ph.D.207 S. 4th Ave.Sturgeon Bay, WI. 54235Telephone 920-746-1346Fax 920-746-1347Email dkwhite@itol.com For more information, visit www.yeoresources.org.