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by Carol Fleming - 07/24/2010
"This article discusses culture shock and how to avoid or minimize culture shock in a different country such as a teaching position in the Middle East region."
Speaking from personal observations, I saw and met many expatriates who arrived in countries to work, such as Saudi Arabia, but had not done any advance preparation on the country, culture or customs. Although hard to fathom in today’s world of technology where information is only a mere click away, some expatriates wanted to either experience the full taste of adventure of an ‘exotic’ land or the contract was too good to worry about advance research. Needless to say, in the majority of the cases of which I am personally aware, the lack of preparation and knowledge worked against the individual who discovered that he or she could not acclimate to the challenges presented by a country and culture vastly difference from “home.”
It is a fact that when an expatriate arrives in a new country very different from one’s own there is at first a sense of ‘exoticism’ where everything is quite different and an adventure. Then there are the first few weeks of settling in to the new job and new country. A newly arrived expatriate is kept quite busy and may not feel a sense of culture shock. However as the newness wears off and perhaps, the lack of knowledge on the differing customs, cultures and traditions which impact on understanding or communicating happens, it is not unusual for an expatriate to experience delayed culture shock.
Delayed culture shock can be more traumatic than arriving culture shock. This is when reality sets in to an expatriate and he or she begins to think, “What have I done? What have I got myself in to?”
Most employers will have a three month probation period built into expatriates’ employment contracts with culture shock and “fit” in mind.
So how can culture shock, if not be avoided, be minimized? First of all, be prepared! Do as much research as possible in advance of relocation about where you are going – especially if contemplating a first time opportunity in the Middle East region. Teaching and particularly Teaching English as a Second Language, ESL, opportunities abound in the Middle East region and native English speakers are in demand. Yet, integrating seamlessly to the region and teaching Arabs requires advance knowledge of the culture. In addition to reading country reports and following local newspapers in the country of consideration, join and participate in forums associated with the country of interest. Hear from other expatriates who have already walked in your shoes. No one person will necessarily have the same opinions or views but a basic picture of work environments, accommodations, social opportunities and what amenities are or are not available will emerge.
As soon as you have accepted a position teaching in the Middle East region, go online and see if you can register with your local embassy in the country in which you will be working. This not only will ensure you are informed of any security issues or incidents within the host country but as a citizen abroad, you’ll receive notifications of any information relevant to citizens of the home country. Additionally, in some cases, registration with your local embassy and a personal visit to the embassy and identifying yourself to the ‘Citizen Services Officer’ of your local embassy can sometimes get your name on lists for social functions and activities at your local embassy too.
Lastly, towards making it easier to “hang in there” when culture shock may hit, find your like-minded friends earliest on your arrival. These new friends will have already walked in your shoes and can give advice and support you through any challenging times. Like-minded expatriates tend to become one’s extended “families away from home.”
What have been some of the most challenging issues of culture shock that you have experienced and how did you resolve them? What are your top tips for avoiding or at least minimizing culture shock? Where have you felt the greatest culture shock and why?
Carol Fleming
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Musah Ismaila