Culture shock is so named because of the effect it has on people when they enter a new culture. Experts have been interested in these effects and have agreed on five basic stages of culture shock. These stages are general and should only be used as a reference. Not every individual will go through each stage, and one stage may last longer than another for different individuals.
The hardest thing for most travelers to deal with is the emotional "roller coaster" they seem to be riding. One moment they feel very positive toward the new culture, and the next moment very negative. It seems common that international visitors and immigrants vacillate between loving and hating a new country. Feelings of separation and alienation can be intensified if they do not have a sense of fitting in or belonging.
