Job Discussion Forums

Omeo · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 245

I'd like to hear from the veterans on what they think are the main problems newbies run into when adjusting to life in new countries and how to handle them. What were the biggest problems for you when you were adjusting to your new lives in your new countries and how did you overcome them?

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

tedkarma · Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 3:46 am Post subject:

I think everyone can expect a little culture shock. No matter how many countries you live in - though you do get better at dealing with it.

My strategy for dealing with it is to get active in the community.

Take a look at: http://tefldaddy.com/Culture_Shock.htm

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I think the way to deal with things are to not look at them as problems, but as opportunities to learn. That sounds idealistic, yes, but in practice, it's really only a matter of being able to laugh instead lash out.

One of the nice things about culture shock...once you recognize it, you learn something about yourself and your own culture. Like stepping out of the Matrix in a way. And it gets you thinking after a time...you get to where Ls650 is at...looking at people from your own country and culture and you realize, you are free.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

danielita · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 281 Location: SLP

tedkarma · Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 9:41 pm Post subject:

One problem a lot of newbies have is that they expect their new life to be trouble free. They tend to arrive in their new country with idealized expectations about how things will go.

Life back home was far from trouble free - so why should life anywhere else not be problematic?

Boss with unrealistic expectations? Had one back home too.

Coworkers that are difficult to deal with? Had 'em back home too.

Nutty neighbors? Yeah . . .

All the neat new stuff - comes with a free dose of "life" as it is lived and experienced by us all - no matter where we live.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Gregor · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 842 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

All of the above is excellent advice.
I personally didn't get much (except interesting reading) from the Culture Shock series of books; they tend to be too general for my circumstances. Mind you, I freely admit that my problems somehow never seem to fit into the expected ones; I always have to punch 7 for "other questions" on a telephone tree, and the FAQs never, EVER seem to pertain to me, so take THAT for what it's worth.

As for the culture shock you encounter (and you WILL encounter some), I want to tell you something that no one ever remembers to point out, so I like to:
Culture shock is rarely immediately recognizable as such. Some people NEVER recognize it and so they don't treat it with what it needs, which is a sense of humor and a LOT of patience.
For example, I caught myself in Indonesia working myself up into an almost homicidal rage in a crowded shopping mall once, over the slow pace at which other people around me would walk. Sure, it can be annoying, but it's certainly not a capital offense. And it was that moment that I had m epiphany - it wasn't Indonesians that I hated. In fact, I didn't hate ANYBODY. I was suffering culture shock.
And then I looked back and realized that I had failed to recognize the same thing in myself countless times before - when I was being paranoid about being laughed at or stared at, or when I went home with a completely ruined day because I couldn't find a decent jar of dill pickles.
Things like this are not what they seem. They are symptoms of culture shock.
Just be aware of that. It doesn't make it easier at the time, but it makes it easier for you to deal with and then get on with a fulfilling life as an expat and ESL teacher abroad.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

tedkarma · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 12:50 am Post subject:

snorklequeen · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 7:31 am Post subject: culture shock

after visiting my family in Mexico a lot over the last few years, visiting other countries, and being disillusioned with FEMA et al after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, i find i have more culture shock when i return to life in the USA

cheers,

Q

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 3:10 pm Post subject:

Culture shock is as varied as the people who experience it.

In myself an many colleagues over the years, I've seen four factors that I feel really make a big difference in overcoming it:

1- Learning the language. (Whether before you go, when you get there, or most commonly both)

2- Getting involved in the community. (Do volunteer work, sing in a choir, I don't care, but get out your flat and do something)

3- Flexibility. If you can see differences as merely different, and not waste time on better/worse, right/wrong, you'll be better off.

4- Hobbies unrelated to drinking. (I'm neither a non-drinker nor a zealot. But I've seen a lot of EFLers for whom Friday to Sunday is spent semi-catatonic. Not good for adaptation.)

Best,

Justin

tedkarma · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 3:45 pm Post subject:

#4 yeah!

When I lived in Africa drinking WAS the he number one activity, recreation, form of social interaction, etc. - it was everything.

I agree with all the other criteria - particularly getting involved in the community.

If I had to rank order them though, I think learning the language (so heavily promoted here) would come in last.

I've lived in five foreign countries and in fact I enjoy learning survival language skills in every country, but becoming fluent in each country - just isn't in the cards for me. Just my opinion.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 9:15 pm Post subject:

Oh, I'm in favour of drinking- ya comin round with that champagne?

But drinking as the only social outlet, as it is for some teachers...well, honestly, would you expect to have a successful experience that way back home?

I think that the importance of learning the language varies a lot from place to place. Some places have a large expat circle, so one can have a happy social life without learning the language. In others, there are high percentages of locals who speak English or other languages. Again, in these areas, the language may not be so important.

I've been places that without being fluent in the local language, you could go days or weeks without having a real conversation...it all depends on where you are.

Maybe that's something to consider when choosing a location. If you enjoy learning languages, some places are great, although they might be absolute hell if you don't. Likewise, I've been places where it's hard as hell to learn the local language, because everybody wants to speak English all the time. For me, frustrating as hell- for some, could be a great spot.

Best,
Justin