10 Types of Cultural Immersion

Cultural Immersion comes in 10 types. 

We tend to think of cultural immersion as one big leap into another cultural. But in reality there are possibly 10 different levels of cultural immersion. Each one is regulated by our own desires to step outside of our comfort zones and try new things.

1) Superficial	Going out to a Chinese restaurant
2) Partially Simulated	Foreign language class or local cultural festival, Foreign language radio and television, via Internet download / streaming, shortwave radio, or FTA satellite.
3) Simulated	Example: Concordia Language Villages
4) Limited	Taking a trip abroad
5) Semi-Limited	Backpacking abroad
6) Semi-Intensive	University Study Abroad
7) Limited Intensive	Living abroad in an urban location
8) Intensive	High School Exchange Program
9) Semi-Extreme	Living abroad in a rural location and have limited outside contact
10) Extreme	Living or studying abroad in a rural location completely off the technology grid

The lines between each level can be easily blurred but the differences at the core of each level are drastic. Each time we challenge ourselves at a new level, it can lead us to try a higher level of immersion.

Over 100 years ago any travel abroad would have been closer to a limited intensive or even extreme. But with the advent of faster transportation and communication, the walls of cultural isolation are being broken down. The stories and research of other cultures are now only a click away so we can ease ourselves into cultures a little easier than before. 

Business travel is a hard one to leave out but the reason is that business travel can be as simple as a limited immersion (established markets) and as hard as Semi-Extreme immersion (Opening and building new markets). Sometimes they are guided through the experience which can ease the culture shock and prevent a certain degree of immersion. 

If you have questions, please feel free to ask.

10 Types or Levels of Cultural Immersion from Justin Dart on Vimeo.