| If this is your first trip outside the U.S., you are | | | | shopkeeper over prices when you are trying to pick |
| probably looking forward to the new, exciting | | | | up a few souvenirs can be physically and mentally |
| experiences that are in store for you. Unfortunately, | | | | exhausting. |
| when you arrive in your first foreign country, instead | | | | Attitude Adjustments |
| of feeling excited and full of energy, you may | | | | Recognizing that any uncomfortable or negative |
| unexpectedly feel depressed, disoriented and lonely, | | | | feelings you're experiencing in this new culture are |
| especially if you are traveling alone. The greater the | | | | normal will help alleviate your discomfort. It's also |
| difference between this foreign culture and the | | | | helpful to know that others have similar reactions. |
| American culture you're familiar with, the more | | | | Remind yourself that you are traveling for a purpose |
| pronounced these feelings might be. The technical | | | | and that you'll be going home when your job is done. |
| term for this is "culture shock." | | | | Here are some suggestions that may help ease your |
| For many Americans in foreign countries, the | | | | adjustment:o Take care of your health. Get plenty of |
| language barrier is often the most difficult issue to | | | | sleep and be careful about what you eat and drink. |
| cope with. If you do not know some simple phrases | | | | Get daily exercise.o Relax. When the noise and |
| in the language of your host country, you will feel | | | | crowds get to you, take some time out for yourself. |
| very isolated. How do you communicate with others | | | | Consider bringing a tape deck and a relaxation tape |
| to find a place to eat or to find your way around | | | | with you to listen to for twenty minutes a day. |
| town? What do you do for entertainment? The | | | | Luxuriate in a bubble bath.o Don't mope around your |
| movies are in a foreign language and there are few | | | | hotel room. Stay active: jog, swim, or join a local |
| places available where you can socialize easily. You | | | | exercise group if you have an extended stay. Take a |
| suddenly feel very alienated. | | | | walk through a local park or visit a museum (check |
| Dealing with foreign currency can also be a problem. | | | | with your hotel first on what areas are not safe and |
| You have to do mental calculations every time you | | | | should be avoided). Re-center yourself by focusing |
| try to buy something. How much does this cost? All | | | | on your strengths and pursuing your interests.o Keep |
| of these coins look alike. How much change do I get | | | | your sense of humor. Look for the amusing aspects |
| back? This can be very intimidating, especially if | | | | of your situation. At least you will have lots of good |
| bargaining for goods is part of the culture. | | | | stories to tell when you get home. Laughter releases |
| While a brief, voluntary exposure to a new culture | | | | tension.o Know you are envied. Many people |
| can be temporarily unsettling, with some awareness | | | | appreciate the exotica of other cultures and would |
| of what you are experiencing and a few techniques | | | | give their eyeteeth to be in your position. This should |
| to deal with it, you will soon begin to enjoy your visit. | | | | bring you some sense of satisfaction.o If you are |
| Before your trip, learn as much as you can about the | | | | traveling for an extended period of time, try bringing |
| culture you are going to visit. Read some books on | | | | a few things from home to put in your room, such |
| the history and customs of the country. Travel | | | | as photos, your favorite pillow and maybe some of |
| videos are especially helpful and readily available from | | | | your favorite CD's to play while walking around.o |
| the library. Get some foreign language audiotapes | | | | Travel with a companion. If you know someone else |
| from the library as well and learn a few important | | | | who is also traveling on business, think about |
| phrases, such as "Where's the bathroom?" "Waiter," | | | | coordinating your schedules to meet for dinner or for |
| "How much is this?" "Please," and "Thank you." You'll | | | | sightseeing. It is easier to face a new environment as |
| likely run into foreigners who speak some English and | | | | a team than to face it alone. |
| who love to practice it on visitors. If you know a | | | | Preparing for Culture Shocko Get to know the people |
| few phrases in their language they are often | | | | you will visit. Use phone, fax, or letter to initiate your |
| encouraged to try out their English on you. Also learn | | | | relationships. A friendly reception is more likely to |
| something about food names and ingredients so you | | | | await you when you arrive.o If you are traveling to a |
| will feel more secure in ordering from the menu in a | | | | country for the first time let your hosts know and |
| restaurant. If you have the opportunity, seek out | | | | ask them for some advice on what to do and see |
| some ethnic restaurants at home and try out these | | | | while you are there. You might find that they will |
| exotic foods before you leave. | | | | spend more time with you if they know you are |
| Plan to do some sightseeing in your spare time. Make | | | | there for the first time, and may even make |
| a list of the key tourist attractions and find out from | | | | arrangements for you or help you arrange to see |
| a travel agent how to get there from your hotel. | | | | some cultural events or take a tour. Most hosts will |
| Take a city tour after you arrive to familiarize | | | | appreciate your interest in their country and culture, |
| yourself with the area. You can usually book | | | | and this will help enhance your relationship.o List |
| English-speaking tours at your hotel once you arrive. | | | | places you think you might want to visit. Jot down |
| Plan to keep yourself busy. Above all, don't hide out | | | | interesting day and evening destinations that you |
| in your hotel room moping. | | | | might like to visit in your spare time.o Plan your days |
| There are many American and other | | | | carefully, finding activities that will help you fill your |
| internationally-known hotel chains in most countries. | | | | spare time. If you are very busy, you will have little |
| The staff there usually speaks English quite well and | | | | time to experience culture shock. |
| the hotel will quickly become your home away from | | | | Exploring On Your Owno If you can, take a city tour |
| home if you feel comfortable in it. Look for a hotel | | | | soon after you arrive. This is a safe and comfortable |
| with a gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, several | | | | way to become familiar with your new environment. |
| restaurants, a sundry shop and perhaps a lounge | | | | Short tours (about four hours) in English can usually |
| where you can relax in the evening. Get the business | | | | be booked at the hotel, where you will be picked up |
| card of a reliable taxi service as well as the hotel card | | | | and dropped off afterward. Tours also provide a |
| with its address and phone number in the local | | | | good opportunity to meet other women business |
| language and be sure to keep it with you when you | | | | travelers.o Do a little bit of sightseeing each day. |
| go out. Show it to the taxi driver when you are | | | | Visiting even one city site on the way back to your |
| ready to go back to the hotel. Some hotels even | | | | hotel from a meeting or on the way to lunch or |
| offer a shuttle service to the center of town as well | | | | dinner will help give you a deeper understanding of |
| as to the airport so you don't have to bother with | | | | the culture and the people.o If the area is safe for |
| taxis. Become friendly with the hotel concierge who | | | | walking (ask at the hotel), get a map and explore. |
| will usually have walking maps, restaurant suggestions, | | | | Your hotel will provide a map of the surrounding area |
| theater and museum tickets, and shopping tips and | | | | at your request. A walk through the neighborhood will |
| who is there to make your visit as pleasant as | | | | help you see how people live and work. Be smart |
| possible. | | | | about walking and do so only during daylight hours |
| Women traveling alone have the added burden of | | | | and in safe areas.o Hire a driver or use a taxi. In |
| being an anomaly in some foreign countries where | | | | many countries it is very reasonable and a safe way |
| few women are employed in executive positions in | | | | to sightsee. Renting a car in foreign countries may be |
| the business world. You might find people staring or | | | | more than you can or would want to handle. In many |
| being downright rude. Ignore them. Focus on your | | | | countries public transportation is your best bet -- |
| strengths, take a few deep breaths, relax and move | | | | except during commuter hours when it may be very |
| on. | | | | crowded.o Plan your travel routes. Keep the |
| Exhaustion is also common when traveling. Jet lag is a | | | | telephone numbers of taxis, and bus and train route |
| physical phenomenon and the greater the change in | | | | maps with you, as well as a card from your hotel in |
| time, the more time needed to adjust. On some trips | | | | the local language in case you get lost. City maps can |
| you may find night and day completely reversed | | | | easily be obtained from tourist offices at the airport |
| from home. In addition, major cities in Europe, Asia, | | | | or downtown as well as from your hotel concierge or |
| and South America are quite congested and have a | | | | desk clerk.o Establish familiar grounds. Frequent |
| higher level of noise and air pollution than you may be | | | | certain lunch and dinner spots and evening hangouts |
| used to. When all of the noise and congestion begins | | | | to help you establish a rapport with the owners and |
| to feel overwhelming, take time out to relax. Get | | | | locals and make you feel like you're part of the |
| plenty of sleep, eat lightly and drink lots of fluid, | | | | group.o Talk to locals who speak English. They |
| preferably bottled water. Get some exercise every | | | | appreciate the chance to practice their English and will |
| day even if it is just a walk around the block (if the | | | | be delighted at your interest in their culture and more |
| area is safe). Bring your laptop computer. Remember | | | | than happy to answer your questions about it. |
| your friends and family are only an e-mail away. | | | | Adaptingo Be flexible. Allow plenty of time to get to |
| Above all, keep your sense of humor. This is an | | | | appointments. Bring a book to read in case you have |
| experience to be enjoyed; make the most of it. | | | | to wait. Try to figure out ways to avoid offending |
| Feelings You May Haveo Depression: When you have | | | | your hosts while satisfying your own needs.o Be |
| to deal with great multitudes of people speaking a | | | | patient. People in foreign countries are not usually as |
| foreign tongue, and with vastly different customs | | | | direct or in as much of a rush as people in the U.S. |
| and lifestyles, it is easy to become anxious and | | | | When you feel yourself getting uptight, take a few |
| irritable. The resulting feeling of being helpless to do | | | | deep breaths and visualize a calming scene. |
| anything about your situation can lead to depression | | | | Remember that people won't behave the way you |
| and an overall loss of energy.o Disorientation: You | | | | expect or want them to, and getting upset won't |
| may be traveling to countries where English is not | | | | make you or them feel any better.o Ask your hosts |
| used on street signs, office buildings, or restaurants. | | | | some questions about their country and culture. They |
| Panic can set in quickly. It is not only very frustrating | | | | will usually enjoy talking about it, which will help you |
| to try to find your way in an unfamiliar environment, | | | | better understand and appreciate what you are |
| but it can also be frightening when you don't | | | | seeing.o Develop friendships by showing interest in |
| recognize where you are and realize that you can't | | | | your hosts. This, in turn, will help overcome what you |
| just ask anyone to help you.o Intimidation: We all like | | | | may initially perceive as a negative environment.o |
| to feel that we are organized and in control of our | | | | Keep an open mind. Look for similarities and intriguing |
| environment. In other countries, however, you may | | | | differences between your culture and the one you |
| feel frustrated and thwarted by the numerous steps | | | | are visiting. Focus on the good aspects. Try role |
| it may take to do a simple task such as paying for | | | | reversal--how would you react if a foreign |
| some purchase.o Alienation: When you travel abroad, | | | | businessperson visiting you in the United States |
| you may feel out of place, particularly if you don't | | | | insisted that their way of living and doing business |
| speak the language. In many countries it is not likely | | | | was the only way? When you're in another country, |
| that you will be invited to join a social group or even | | | | remember to do as the locals do, since it is your |
| be approached at a social gathering. You will more | | | | ways that may seem strange or offensive to them.o |
| likely be left on your own, which may cause you to | | | | Try to remember to keep a sense of humor. When |
| feel rejected and uncertain about how to proceed.o | | | | you feel confused, embarrassed, or upset, smile, |
| Boredom: Because of language difficulties, there are | | | | smile, smile. |
| not many places you can easily visit in the evenings | | | | Free Time |
| or on weekends. Since you don't know too many | | | | It is inevitable when you travel that things won't |
| people, you can't even make phone calls to lessen | | | | always go according to plan. You will probably |
| your isolation. Sightseeing presents both | | | | experience delays and have free time. In general, |
| transportation and language problems as do sojourns | | | | when you travel internationally it is wise to allow |
| to the movies and theater -- but how many times | | | | more time to get to where you are going. You will |
| can you watch the same CNN or Sky Net programs | | | | most likely experience a delay at airports, on public |
| on TV?o Exhaustion: You truly do expend more | | | | transportation or from traffic. You might have |
| energy doing less when you are on the road. | | | | difficulty finding an address. You might also find that |
| Adjusting to jet lag, getting to your business | | | | a meeting has been canceled or rescheduled once |
| appointments on time, maneuvering through crowds | | | | you have already arrived. In general, be prepared for |
| on the street, finding a cab, and haggling with a | | | | unexpected free time. |