Hello! I like-a you! Borat and Intercultural Transitions

America: Very Niceee!

An Intercultural Look into Borat and Cultural Transitions

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Taking a comedic spin on what it means to go to a different country, Borat explores how a Kazakhstani journalist may adapt to an American lifestyle. This of course is a fictitious comedic extreme.  Made in 2006, the film begins with Borat being sent by the government to make a documentary about American life. He goes throughout the nation meeting people, experiencing what it means to be an American, and even attempting to find love (Pereyra, 2006).   This film is a hilarious and stereotypical depiction about how a foreigner may adapt or live in another country. He comes from a different regional, economic, and societal background than that of the “typical American,” which proves its challenges.

Surprisingly, we will discuss the ideas of intercultural communication and what is means to be a migrant from this crude comedy. According to Intercultural Communication in Context  by Martin and Nakayma, we can define a migrant as “an individual who leaves the primary cultural context in which he or she was raised and moves to a new cultural context for an extended time” (Martin & Nakayama, 2013). In the instance of Borat, he goes to America for a specific purpose: to document American life by partaking in U.S. society. According to the text, this would make Borat, or anyone like him, a sojourner: someone who “moves into new cultural contexts for limited period of time and for a specific purpose, such as study or business.” We will explore how one can integrate two cultures to engage in the process of cultural adaptation using the film. Because Borat comes to America to document a different country, he attempts to invest himself in the culture using assimilation, “a type of cultural adaptation in which

an individual gives up his or her own cultural heritage and adopts the mainstream cultural identity.” however, it is clear that he is too attached to his home-habits to truly assimilate to America. He attempts to participate in activities such as watching Baywatch or even eating dinner with U.S. government officials, but he heavily integrates his home-life with the new culture he is experiencing. While he is slowly developing more and more into an “American,” he is “maintaining both his original culture with the mainstream culture in his daily interactions.” We also see the W-curve theory in full swing within the film: “a theory of cultural adaptation that suggests that sojourners experience another U curve upon returning home.” This means that a sojourner (like the fictional Borat) experiences anticipation and cultural shock once they get to a new place, but also, the same effects when the migrant returns home. The film will illustrate all of these intercultural communicational ideas.

I will specifically discuss the W-curve that occurs within Borat during his process of cultural adaptation. In the first few minutes of the film, we are introduced to Borat’s home in Kazakhstan. People are angry, yelling, and visibly poor. There is an acceptance of violence, prostitution, and rape and even the inappropriate kissing of siblings (Natalia).  We also know that Borat is going to America to learn of another culture, as well as how to handle “the Jew situation.” This was his life before his American adventure.

Before arriving in America, Borat views the U.S. as “the greatest country in the world,” which proves his anticipation and excitement to be in a new place and to learn new things. We see within the first few minutes the hatred and anger a foreigner, especially a Middle-Eastern man, will face after 9/11 (the angry man on the bus screaming at him.) This is automatic culture shock. He tries integrating American and Kazakhstani cultures by bartering in sales, kissing cheeks to greet, and offering his sister to an American news anchor. He soon assimilates little by little, accepting the mainstream American society. For example, we hear him “talk like a gangster” because he wants to fit in with America; however, he still stays true to his beliefs and culture. Even after he meets a nice American Jew family, he still views them as the closest thing to the devil due to his original beliefs. His adventure continues throughout the country, attempting to integrate the conflicting cultures.

It is then time for Borat to get on a plane homeward bound. He feels sadness in leaving behind After saying his goodbyes to America and finally meeting Pamela Anderson, he returns to Kazakhstan to spread Christianity, treat his wife much more lovingly, and to even give out iPods. He views all of these as improvements to the Kazakhstani society, which is entirely different to what his home was like before his trip. Not only did Borat integrate cultures within the United States, he also integrates two different cultures in Kazakhstan.

everything he experienced, “the great times, the good times, and the “sh** times… but mainly the sh** times" (Charles, 2006).

Borat clearly represents the ideas of integration with conflicting cultures, as well as the W-curve that can be experience by sojourners: the anticipation and culture shock before and after a trip abroad.

References

Charles, L. (Director) (2006). Borat: Cultural learnings of America for make benefit glorious nation [DVD].

Martin, J.N., & Nakayama, T.K. (2013). Intercultural Communication in Contexts (6th ed.) New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Pereyra, A. (2006). Plot summary: Borat. IMDb, Retrieved October 27, 2013, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443453/plotsummary.