Continuum of Cross-Cultural Adjustment as a Result of American Studies Exchange Program

Abstract

The article considers culture shock and reverse shock, or reentry-transition stress among Georgian exchange students of theInternational Black Sea University American Studies department, who are back to Georgia after their stay in Washington Universityin St. Louis, U.S. Cross-cultural experience stirs up the settled subjectivity, constituted through dominant culture. The transnationalcondition orients it to the other enclosure, the other nation, and the elusive character of the cross-cultural visitor’s condition is emanated.Itcreatesaconsciousnessthatexistswhereitisnot.Itseeksfulfillmentinbeingelsewhere.Wehavemadeupacontinuum
ofturbulent,discursiveemotionalphases,experiencedbytheIBSUAmericanStudiesdepartmentstudentsstartingfrominteraction
withAmericansat home, in Georgia,visiting the U.S., and coming back to Georgia.As for the intensity of culture shock, or reverse culture shock, there is no formula which is best to orient visitors, as each of usexperiences different intensity of shock and develops individualistic coping strategies.