Cross-cultural Understanding & Sensitivity

Why did you apply for the internship? Why going? Any Expectation? Why did you apply for the internship? Any Goals?

Internship abroad =… Excitement Time for fun Hospitality Travel/ Vacation Freedom New experience/adventure Future career development

The reality is… Problems encountered - lifestyle - diet - weather - working styles - communication - social customs - others… Lifestyle: fast or low pace, carefree, competitive, busy Diet: no rice, raw food Weather: large difference between the temperature during daytime and at night; Working style: jap (hierarchy), US (straight, direct), company culture, colleagues personality Communication: not only verbal, more body languages Social customs: personal space (city, remote area, population density) -46cm = city spatial Raise in sparsely populated area = more spatial zone (36 inches) Remote area = wave (6m)

Cross-cultural Adjustment Cycle High Acceptance Integration Re-integration Honeymoon Period Initial Adjustment High & Low refer to emotional state Pre-trip Anxiety Culture shock Mental Isolation Re-entry Low

In some situation, these thoughts may pop up… I am tired I am very bored I want to leave I want to stay alone I don’t like them I am very bored => remain in your lifestyle in HK I am tired => work + social activity + adjustment (physically & mentally) I want to stay alone => suffocated by the social gathering, making new friends, mingling with people that you are not familiar with I am very sick => caused by the weather, food, activities (drugs, alcohol, wine, skiing, cigarette) I want to leave => discrimination in the community I don’t like them => way of communication & interaction I am not comfortable at all => with the social rite, courtesy (Ask yourself : what makes you uncomfortable? A sign of danger/self-protection) I am scared => not familiar with the place (get lost, no taxi/cab), social setting & interaction , I am scared I am not comfortable at all

Work on things that you can control! Fear of the uncertainty?! How to get prepared? Psychologically Practically Ready! Go! Be Open Google map & news Find out the place where you will stay your workplace things that you need Positive Curious Confident Expect the unexpected Positive: if u think negative, u will only see the negative Curious: learn the most, curious & innocent like a child (less judgmental, subjective and gain more understanding) Confident: remember, you are not native speaker so it’s reasonable that you don’t speak the language well! Expect the unexpected (positive + negative) > (H7N9, earthquake) there’s thing that you can‘t control, but work on things that you can control Find out: The place (country as a whole, city, town, community, building ) where you will stay Weather News: H7N9 (prevention on personal hygiene, hazard, travel alarm) earthquake precaution, area with more discrimination, crime rate (like HK) Your workplace (location, traffic, facility) Things that you need: things about HK Work on things that you can control! Fear of the uncertainty?!

How to gain the MOST out of it? LOOK

1. Look around Put aside your habits Be active & open Explore new experiences (local people, lifestyle & culture) Build social network Acquire information about help- seeking in the community Watch out for danger & risks -Put aside your habit (mingle and engage into the culture) Build social network (seek help during disaster, tragedy)

2. Look in Be sensitive to - your feelings - physical reactions Stay calm when facing unexpected situation Assert your limitation & boundary Maintain own values while respecting others Your feeling: not comfortable, not easy, feel offensive Physical reaction: dizzy, sick, raising heartbeat Try to stay calm Know your limitation and make yourself clear (physical touch) Stand still on who you are and where you are from

24 Hour Emotional Support Hotline: 5400 2055 3. Look back 24 Hour Emotional Support Hotline: 5400 2055 Family & friends - seek support Culture & lifestyle in HK - compare, accept, assess, adjust - non-judgmental - respect the diversity Your expectations & goals of internship culture, lifestyle in your hometown (know the differences, accept and respect the differences, not follow blindly but adjust) strike a balance between opening up yourself/ breaking through and holding your own boundary/values not judgmental but acknowledge and respect the diversity remember your expectation and goal of the internship

4. Look forward Home Stress, adversity & discomfort produced by the cultural shock are transient.

Keys to adjusting & fitting in Around In LOOK Proactive Vigilant Transient Open Social Look around - be active & open - explore new experience and meet new people (local people, lifestyle and culture) - social network and support service in the community - put aside your habit and break the insecurity or even fear 2. Look in - sensitive to your feeling - physical reaction - your limitation/boundary 3. Look back - culture, lifestyle in your hometown (know the differences, accept and respect the differences, not follow blindly but adjust) - strike a balance between opening up yourself/ breaking through and holding your own boundary/values - not judgmental but acknowledge and respect the diversity - remember your expectation and goal of the internship 4. Look forward - home - discomfort, stress derived from the culture shock is just transient Back Forward

Any experience, whether good or bad, can be an opportunity to learn & grow

Embrace the novelty, diversity & adversity in the internship The experience will become a blessing in your life