Living, working or studying overseas not only involves the day to day effort of doing your job or keeping up with your school work, you’ll also need to adapt to the culture that you’ve planted yourself in. The question is:


Are You That Type? A


BY JILL ARCARO GORDON


fter the initial elation and novelty of living, working or studying abroad cools


down, the frustration of having to adapt culturally can sometimes be overwhelming. Minor inconveniences for some people are huge obstacles for others and overcoming your North American expectations can require patience, resourcefulness - and a good sense of humour.


So, the question stands: How do you know if you’re cut out for an extended sojourn abroad? While there are no rules about who is likely to sink or swim in an unfamiliar culture, you may not be


26 : verge RESOURCE SERIES


ready to let go of the edge of your own backyard pool if you can’t deal with these sorts of things:


Communication breakdowns


At home, you’re probably used to a phone that works, relatively fast Internet service and mail that is actually delivered within a few day’s time. In many countries, these services can be a somewhat less reliable. Your cell phone may not work and there will be times when pay phones eat up your money without delivering the goods (and there may be no operator to help you out). Or the telephone card you just bought doesn’t connect for days on end and


then, bingo—it works. Regular post might take up to 2 weeks to arrive. The point is, arm yourself with patience!


Unfamiliar food


If you just can’t live without familiar name-brand or processed food you may find yourself on a diet. One of the best pieces of advice I can give is to learn to eat according to the customs of the country where you are residing. This might mean developing a taste for garlic and olive oil, but in the long run it will be cheaper and easier (and probably healthier)! Remember, in great part, culture is cuisine.


Random service. FOCUS ON : Study Abroad


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