Working Abroad: Are You Prepared for Culture Shock?

If you find yourself overseas for a job opportunity and believe that nothing can surprise you, prepare to be taught a sharp lesson. Most people who get employed or reassigned to a foreign country get culture shocked. It's only a matter of how big of a shock it is, and those who are totally unprepared begin to pack their bags for a trip back home after just a few weeks while others simply become homesick. Either way, if you start getting stressed out because everything you have grown accustomed to is apparently non-existent in your current location, there are a few things you can do.

Transitioning

In your first few weeks in a foreign land, you'll find it quite difficult to make sense of everything. It's important that you understand that this feeling of helplessness will pass as you spend more time in the country. It's all a matter of finding someone you can talk to so you can understand the ins and outs of this new culture. It could be a local, who shares your language but can also teach you how to speak theirs. Through them, you can start figuring out the basics such as where the nearest convenience store is and whatnot.

It could also be another foreigner, although not necessarily a countryman of yours. For instance, if you think you're the only Caucasian in a small town in Japan, try looking for other Asian minorities that may have set up a small community who could help you ease in to the country. Once you have gone over your initial culture shock jitters, it's time to start fitting in.

From Culture Shock to Culture Absorption

The first thing you can do to absorb the culture is to just walk around and observe. Most locals you meet will flash you a smile, so smile in return. Understand that everything you see is part of the local culture, so pay attention. If some of the things they do don't make sense to you, just write it off as a cultural difference.

While most locals are friendly, there will be a few bad apples in the bunch. To minimize them, start learning their language. Make a few friends out of the locals if you can. Most of them will appreciate you for speaking their native tongue and will often go out of their way to strike conversations with you. Take it as good practice. Keep in mind that language is a tough area and there are rarely direct translations of phrases in English. As a result, what may be offensive in English could just be playful banter when spoken in their native tongue.

All in all, just be open-minded and maintain your sense of humor. Some of what the locals do may be strange to you, and sometimes borderline offensive. For instance, some locals may make fun of you simply because you're a foreigner, but if you take that with a grain of salt and join in the act of making fun of yourself, they're going to like you a lot more. If you think you have what it takes to beat culture shock, try your luck at a business analyst post and view more information here at Greythorn Singapore.

Howard Smith used to be a head-hunter for a recruitment company in his city. After more than a decade, he decided to work as a freelance consultant where he incorporates his knowledge about the human resources industry.