The third stage of cultural adjustment is often referred to as the "adjustment" stage. Some sources call it the "humor" stage. This is when your child begins to feel competent in the new culture; he/she begins to see the humor in situations and begins to understand the logic of the new culture.
While not as much fun as the first "honeymoon" stage, it is much less intense and much more realistic. I felt like my daughter was living in Germany now instead of just playing tourist. She had settled in with a host family that she could relate to and ask questions of. She was still struggling with the language, but she felt hope that she would get it eventually.
There are still ups and downs during this stage, but they are usually not so intense. It is a time when your child can actually begin to assimilate new ideas and test old ones. This stage is the stage that tourists rarely get to. Your child is becoming a true global citizen.
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