What an interesting question. I've often thought about what it would be like to be transported to a different time. I think it would be much like moving to a new country and having to learn the language and adapt to strange customs. I know from personal experience that it is not an easy process to go through, although there are many rewards. The answer to how long it takes to adapt is that like all learning experiences, adaptation to a new culture is a long and complex process, and it is different for everyone. People have very different levels of resourcefulness, and different attitudes toward change. I would think that examining <PERSON>'s assets and deficits in this regard would make an interesting story.
A Couple of Ways to Think About It:
You might want to research the "stages of culture shock", which is a construct developed by anthropologist <PERSON> for understanding the process <PERSON> would likely be faced with in adapting to a new culture and language. Wikipedia has an in-depth definition & description of the problem. According to Wikipedia, there are four stages one would go through to adapt to a new culture:
Honeymoon
Negotiation
Adjustment
Adaptation
You might also want to look at stages of grief. 140
In a sense, <PERSON> has lost all his family, friends and everything he knows, BY ACCIDENT. It is reasonable to assume that he would experience grief as it becomes clear to him that he can never return. <PERSON>, a psychiatrist and author of the book “On Death and Dying,” identified five stages of grief, leading to acceptance of loss.
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
<PERSON> will be undergoing both of these processes, while having much to learn simultaneously.
Using familiar constructs that describe these processes will help you outline a logical trajectory for <PERSON>'s behavior & reactions to things. While he will have many wonders to explore, he will also experience disorientation, along with feelings of isolation and loss. He will need to be resourceful, and have a capacity for forming new & trusting relationships or he may suffer from depression that undermines his ability to adapt.
One of his strengths may be that he has a good education, since he is from a rich family, and may already have some experience learning another language. Maybe he studied Latin. And maybe he has some practice using his noggin.
But also, coming from a privileged background, he may be hampered by a sense of entitlement that would make arriving with only the clothes on his back, and no modern work skills quite a hardship. What other character traits does he possess that would either help or hinder him in adjusting to his new life?
I look forward to hearing more about <PERSON>. He certainly has an adventure before him. 861