1. Cross-cultural Understanding & Sensitivity

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

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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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?!

8. How to gain
the MOST out of it?
LOOK

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 24 Hour Emotional Support Hotline: 5400 2055
3. Look back
24 Hour Emotional Support Hotline:
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

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

13. 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

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

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