With the continued growth in volume of Asian students on campuses in the United States, and the globalization of the job market, we at Naisa decided to highlight the adjustment process many Asian students and young professionals face during their time at college or their new job in the West,as well as, the similar culture shock young Asian American professionals have to contend with when they begin jobs in Asia.

Leaving your family and friends for college or work is both an exciting and stressful time for anyone; add to that moving to a foreign country and having to navigate a, sometimes vastly different culture, and the pressures and strains can take their toll. That’s why understanding the adjustment period and preparing for the stresses in advance can help when one does make the move.

According to research, Asian students and young professionals begin their time in the U.S. with a positive attitude and energy, then become increasingly stressed and homesick due to challenges and negative experiences; and finally adjust to a more realistic outlook. This can be broken down into four stages of culture shock: Honeymoon, Crisis, Recovery, and Adjustment. Asians experience this Culture Shock to a greater degree than other students and professionals from other Western countries, also moving to America. Likewise, Asian Americans brought up in Western culture have a harder time adjusting to the East than those who are migrating from other Eastern countries.

It’s important to state that the degree to which one will experience this culture shock depends on the individual and their styles and attitudes. A person’s acculturation type will often be determined by their behaviors toward American culture and their native culture. Acculturation can often be designated into four types: Assimilation – accepting American culture, Integration – accepting both cultures, Separation – accepting native culture and rejecting American, and Marginalization – rejecting both cultures.