Introduction: Study abroad offers many benefits as well as challenges; the biggest challenge is cultural shock. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of cultural orientation and its effects on the stages/phases of Cultural Shock among a widely diverse group of Medical students (Graduating Class of 2011) of Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PUMS). Material and methods: Medical students, who matriculated to PUMS four-year Doctor of Medicine English Program in 2007, were interviewed or were asked to complete a survey, by answering questions such as giving a chronological account of their entire experience during their four years of study in Poznan. These participants represented nationalities and orientations including; Native Americans, Polish-born Americans, Puerto Rican, Iran-born Swedish, Nigerian-American, Ghanaian-born Americans, Taiwanese, Hong Kong-born Canadian, as well as British-born Iraqi. The outcome of the study generally confirmed my hypotheses that; though we were all exposed to the Polish culture at the same time during our four years of studies in Poznan, each individual had a somewhat different view or perceived their experiences differently. These differences were in part due to the diverse orientation and background of each student, prior to matriculation to the Doctor of Medicine program at the PUMS. The study showed that, each student’s perception varied immensely based on their responses to questions posed. Conclusions: This study evidently showed that the various stages/phases of cultural shock were experienced in no specific order, duration or the magnitude of expression. Participants reported different views or perceptions of the same Polish culture. These differences could be attributed to their cultural orientation and/or previous experience, which played a significant role in how, when, or whether or not they even experience any of the different stages/phases of cultural shock.
The purpose of the article is to point out the outlook of Local Censorship Office in Poznań to articles about political changes in Poland in 1956, which were published in Gazeta Poznańska. The previous research on the attitude of the press and censorship during the “Polish October” focused primarily on newspapers which were considered revisionist. Gazeta Poznańska was edited by Regional Committee of the Polish United Workers` Party and presented an official conservative point of view. The article was based on the documents from State Archive in Poznań. The basis of arrangements presented in the article were the result of the analysis of source documents created by Local Censorship Office in Poznań. They made it possible to create a category of texts which were consistently excluded from publication. This group included articles on the increase in wages and focused on the movements of Soviet troops in Poland. Censorship also blocked opinions that evaluated the earlier period of the Communist Party governments too critically and suggested dissatisfaction with the ongoing changes. The activity of censorship in Gazeta Poznańska in the year 1956 also indicates what type and level f criticism of the Communist Party at that time was considered to be admissible. The outlook of Local Censorship Office in Poznań to Gazeta Poznańska in the period of 1956 changes in Poland showed what type and level of criticism was acceptable in the Polish United Workers’ Party’s press.