Job Discussion Forums

[leeroy]

(Inspired by a thread in the Newbie forum...)

In the old days, my first stint of teaching was in Indonesia. I won't criticise the country now (though I certainly did at the time - with quite some venom!), but back then I felt a certain sense of alienation from the culture. I was alienating myself from it as much as it alienated itself from me, but I was disappointed in my sheer inability to "assimilate" with the locals.

Even more distressingly, I found that where intercultural friend/relationships were in existence, they were not the sort of thing I wished to be a part of. On leaving, I reasoned that Indonesian and Western cultures were simply too far apart - either that or I was personally unable to bridge the gap between them. Despite making a stern effort to learn the language, travel extensively and meet people - nothing substantial ever really came to fruition. Despite spending a year and a half there, I never really made any "good friends" - to be honest I never really met any locals I wanted to be good friends with.

It sounds like this situation is not rare in the world of TEFL, though.

Lots of teachers who have spent time in Asian countries have complained (or, at least, observed) that it's hard to integrate. Well, "integrate" may be the wrong word, and "penetrate" sounds needlessly sexual. You know what I mean though...

While I suppose that all foreigners temporarily living in other cultures must concede that there will be a certain amount of cultural (and, thus, personal) distance, is it always this bad?

Teachers working in Western Europe certainly don't seem to think so - several of my work colleagues (British) are now engaged/married to people they met in Spain/Italy/Poland.

I have my eyes set, eventually, on South/Central America - simply as the cultures appeal to me; they're not as bizarrely "foreign" as (say) Korean, and it seems that we have more in common. But anyway... Here are the questions...

To what extent does the responsibility lie with the "foreigner" in terms of making an effort to infiltrate their host culture and interact with it on a deeper level than shopping, dealers and whores? Correspondingly, are some cultures simply more "Western-friendly" than others?

What have your own experiences been? Is it a pre-requisite to have to be able to become fluent in the host language and make 250+ friends in your first year to really say that you've experienced the place, and had a worthwhile time?

[Guy Courchesne]

Awesome post...everyone else, let's learn from this one, shall we?

I imagine it depends more on the visitor than anything else. It didn't take me too long to adapt to Mexico, but I don't think I could nail that down to any one factor. I know that I came with an open mind, a passion to learn the language, and ready to adapt. The first months presented many difficulties - glad it did or I wouldn't have learned a thing.

I think, in a perfect world, that both the foreigner and locals should come together to find some common ground. It would be nice if we could all learn from each other.

However, as a visitor, in the real world, I think that the responsibility is 100% on the foreigner to adapt and learn to the host culture. that assumes, of course, the desire to do so. I can't really see the point in not doing so, because after all, aren't we teaching (or simply living) abroad in order to learn, be happy, and become a little more worldly ourselves?

My Mexican friends seem to have a standard, one-line response to the typical 'gringo' complaints about Mexico. Whenever they hear a complaint, it's a roll of the eyes, and a simple bit of advice. "Then why not go home?"

[ls650]

[kitten]

[marblez]

kitten: Where did you find that sort of position, knowing that you are in high school still? I am unable to find any credible work because my BEd is not yet complete and would like any info. Thanks and good luck to your future career. I was in your position 3 years ago (I'm 20 now) and am getting so close!

[kitten]

Merblez
I am a senior in high school and I am a Christian. I have gone to different countries on mission trips. I have gone to Russia, Jamaica, and Thailand. that is how I got into the school. They did not care that we were Christians they just wanted teachers to teach their students English who actually knew English so they settled with us. It was the best 2 months of my life... very rewarding. If you want I will tell you all about it.
-Dani-

[Celeste]

I think that how well you adapt to a new culture depends on a variety of factors. One of these factors is absolutely the culture itself, but I was surprised to find that it wasn't the biggest or only factor. When I was in Korea, it was SO HARD!!!! A lot of that had to do with the fact that the culture was alien (in some cases hostile) to me, but a lot of it also had to do with the fact that it was also my first time abroad and the fact that I was 22 and had my first 'real' job.

Now I am in Japan. I am 30 and this is my career now. The culture is less alien to me. (I think Japan is probably an easier place for newbies than Korea but my view is tainted by the fact that I am no longer a newbie) The job is less alien to me. I find it fairly easy to make friends. (I am in contact with a lot of teachers who are around my age, but when I was 22 I met very few Korean teachers who were my age) Another thing that I find interesting is that when I talk to newbies here (especially young ones) they have the same complaints that I had when I was in Korea and they seem to have avery hard time here.

Something to consider.

[Roger]

It is perhaps easier to become part of a western society that has for a long time been absorbing immigrants (and learnt from some of its errors in the past...) than to integrate into an Asian one where foreignness is defined in too many ways, including what you eat, how you empty your bowels, what skin colour you have, what status your uncle has...
Having said this, I find it easy enough to live in China; amazingly, there are places that are wholly welcoming of others, while other places seem to be teeming wit