Cultural Preparation
Working in another culture is both exciting and challenging. It is important to realize that as the foreign intern, you are the one who has the most adjusting to do and the more you can do now to prepare yourself, the better.
Even if you traveled or studied abroad in your host country, it is important to realize that the professional culture (including etiquette, language, and ideas of punctuality) may be quite a bit different than what you encountered as a tourist or student!
The IE3 Handbook has many suggestions for cultural preparation. Be sure to set aside time to go through the exercises there and do some thorough research so you can hit the ground running.
- Read online newspapers from your internship country.
- Meet students who have been to your country, especially former interns.
- Talk to students who are at your university from your host country. Ask them about their experiences in the U.S.
- Read as much as you can about your host country's culture, history, politics, environment, etc. Tourist guidebooks like Lonely Planet are a great place to start. Ask faculty members and your regional director for other recommendations.
- Talk to faculty members who have been to the country.
- Visit your campus office of international programs, talk to people and get literature on your country.
- In addition to your IE3 Handbook, you can find additional resources for cultural preparation on the Peace Corps' Culture Matters Workbook and the What's Up With Culture online training tool
It is also important to realize that no matter how much you prepare, there will be misunderstandings, communication issues, and challenges along the way. While they may be frustrating at the time, they are also the best lessons in culture! Keep an open mind, be observant, and ask questions and you will learn more than you thought possible from your coworkers and friends.