Culture Shock in Four Phases: From Euphoria to Settling In

Oberg's Culture Shock Model

The four-phase model was developed by anthropologist Kalervo Oberg, who published it in 1960. It begins with euphoria: everything is new and exciting, the differences seem charming, and, according to Oberg, this feeling can last from a few days or weeks up to six months. Then comes disillusionment, which Oberg himself described as a crisis, when everyday life begins and the little irritations start to add up: government agencies, language, and different social customs.

Recovery, Adaptation, and the Limits of the Model

In the third phase, recovery, a sense of humor returns: You develop routines, understand the rules of the game, and find your way on your own. The final phase is adaptation: The new country feels familiar, without the old one fading as a result. Oberg’s model describes possible experiences, not a fixed sequence. Hardly anyone goes through the four phases in a neat, sequential order; not everyone experiences all of them, and for some, the initial euphoria is completely absent. And sometimes, while living abroad, an older issue grows louder, one that stems from your own formative experiences. Returning to Germany can also trigger its own culture shock.

What Matters for Making Sense of It

For making sense of it, the current stress and the local support matter, less so the position in a phase model. Where no one locally speaks your language, a psychologist who provides online counseling is accessible even from a distance. If the disillusionment seems never-ending, the same applies as with homesickness: German-language counseling helps with making sense of it, and in cases of persistent or severely distressing symptoms, a medical or psychotherapeutic assessment is also called for.