Defining Intercultural Success

While the previous chapter examined how deep cultural difference can trip up sojourners as they try to get used to life abroad, this chapter looks at the question, 'What is a successful intercultural experience?' When talking to sojourners, it becomes clear that there isn't a single standard by which they measure the success of their experiences. We have met Philippe, the French researcher, who rants about German rules for separating garbage. While he has complaints about certain elements of German culture, overall he has many positive things to say about his experience abroad. He has learned German and made many German friends. So how can we conceptualize his success as an intercultural learner? As with other aspects of the intercultural learning experience, the goals of intercultural learning have been studied by specialists in different ways and for different purposes. This chapter will try to make sense of these different approaches and come to a definition that fits the lived experience of long-term sojourners and which takes into account the challenges of dealing with deep cultural difference.

It can be more difficult to define a successful intercultural experience than one might expect. The fact that sojourners report a positive experience, for example, doesn't guarantee that they have learned much about their new environment or that they have had a particularly deep experience.