Reversal. Bennett states that the role of "reversal" is not experienced by all who go through some sense of culture shock, but it is not uncommon. In this stage Bennett says that the individual is likely to find ways in which the culture which is not his or her own is superior to his or her own, but does so in a defensive way.
One way in which I find this stage applicable to my own experience in Thailand can be found in my roommate's and my relationship. I fear any serious confrontation. Thus, I find the Thai way of passively sending messages superior to the typical American say-what-you-mean mentality. I was, and still partially am, convinced that Americans are much more abrasive than they need to be and there is a better more subtle way to move through the world. And while I fully embraced my opportunity to be as passive as I like with Ploy in our room and being able to have her naturally pick up on the slightest hints, I found myself frustrated with nearly every other American student in the Thai Studies program for the first month and a half.
I could not understand why the other American students could not pick up on the Thai student's "hints" about what was culturally acceptable. I was determined that I was more privy to certain and specific Thai culture because of stories I heard from my mom, and the fact that other Americans could not pick up on these hints was proof that we, in American culture, are simply to used to being as brash as we like. And while I still prefer the more passive route (although, I am probably more American than Thai in terms of certain aspects of my passive aggressive personality), it took me far too long to even try get to know the other Thai studies students because they were "too American" in my head.
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