Moving Overseas? Expats Mind the Culture of New Country!

Do you ever think of doing anything in the right way? Suppose you eat with fork and knife and while lifting some food item with your hands, do you think about which hand to use? While kissing or giving a warm hug to your female colleague, do you think whether it would be right or not to do so? I am hundred percent sure, you do not think this way. And why should you? After all you have grown up doing all these things in the way you do it now. But if you are planning for moving overseas then apart from knowing whats and hows of international relocation,  you must also study about the right ways of doing things according to the new country's culture and traditions!

Here are certain cultural do's and dont's. However, the right way to know about any culture is to observe what locals do and follow suit.

If you are relocating to countries like China, Korea, or Thailand, refrain from touching someone while talking unless the person is a close friend of yours. They become uncomfortable with this gesture. In the Middle East, men and women cannot interact among themselves in public and if you try to touch them, just imagine what a mess you'll be in!
If you are moving to India, Africa, or the Middle East, remember using your right hand while picking up and eating anything served communally. If you are left-handed, explain it properly to your fellow diners before beginning to eat.
In Turkey and some Scandinavian countries, the sauna or hammam are considered pure spaces and even clothes are not allowed inside. However, if you are desperate enough to go there and can't even shed all of your clothes, wrap yourself in a towel- that is somewhat accepted there but do inquire about any such provisions first.
When visiting sacred places after moving to Asia in countries like India, Pakistan, Thailand etc. always keep your shoes outside any temple, mosque or other religious places. Taking shoes inside the sacred places is considered sin over there and even you wouldn't like hurting religious feelings of any community.
If you have expatriated to the Asian countries like Korea and Japan, don't get offended if anyone doesn't look straight into your eyes while talking. It may be rude in your country but not in theirs. However, in countries like America and Germany, you must make direct eye contacts if you don't want yourself to be considered rude and indifferent. If you are confused, just follow the golden rule- observe the locals of your host nation and know how you should look at them!
If you are about to relocate to Africa, Japan, Thailand, China, or Finland, start developing the habit of remaining silent while eating your meals.
The best idea will be to attend a cultural orientation program and learn all about behaving in public in your destination country after your international relocation. At home, of course, you can be yourself even if you are an expatriate! Someone has rightly said, home sweet home!

Deepa RC recommends reading more about international relocation at http://www.moversandpackers.net/international-relocation.html, the comprehensive directory of movers and packers companies and also a great resource for those moving into their new homes. It contains useful tips and information about the whole relocation process making it easier for everyone to relocate and settle down comfortably at their new destination.

Moving Overseas - What Is "Culture"?

Most folks have a very vague idea of what culture means. The term has become a buzzword, heard and spoken everywhere, repeated ad nauseum in every medium, with little understanding. In vague, general terms it's what makes "them" different from "us." It's language, customs, food, art, music architecture, and lifestyle. And that is all true; these are certainly part and parcel of what we call culture. But there's more to it than that

There are a number of social sciences that actually define and study culture: anthropology and sociology are the two most commonly known. There are also the very specialized fields of Intercultural Communication, Cultural Psychology, Sociolinguistics and Cultural Anthropology which each deal profoundly with various aspects of culture. Among these sciences and studies there are over 500 definitions of culture. One that is simple and often used is:

Culture is all learned behavior.

Learned behavior consists of everything that would not be considered instinct. For example, all human beings have the natural instinct to find food and eat. However, the way a specific group chooses to do that, what they choose to eat, is culture, not instinct. Animals operate solely on instinct and supposedly have no culture, though that assumption has come into question.

The concept of culture is often initially taught in beginning anthropology and sociology courses using the "cultural iceberg:"

Think of an iceberg in the water. There's a part of the iceberg you can see above the water line. The part that is above the water, represents all the visible components of culture: art forms, music, foods, food customs, funerary customs, tools and technology, dress, religious customs, objects and artifacts, and a host of others. Under the water is the part you can't see, which is basically composed of beliefs, values, philosophy, worldview, perceptions and ways of thinking. This part of the iceberg obviously supports the part above the water. Which part of the iceberg is the largest? Obviously, it's the invisible part and this is exactly what you run up against when you experience so called culture shock, culture bumps, and cultural conflict. A culture bumpis any specific experience in which someone experiences dissonance, discomfort, or a problem due to a cultural difference. The person involved may think that the problem is due to a visual component of culture, but most often it's what you don't see or understand that causes the problem, i.e. the invisible part of the iceberg. What's more, most of our own culture is unconscious and we are not totally aware of our culture's core beliefs and philosophies because we have internalized these so deeply, and accepted them as reality and truth.

Culture is transmitted from day one of babyhood by parents and families, and the transmission is continued through other social institutions such as school, church, peer groups, and other social groups, media, usually through the course of a lifetime.

All cultures believe that their culture is right and good. This is the definition of ethnocentrism, and it is characteristic of all human beings from every culture (whether they believe it or not!). The reason we are ethnocentric is that the core beliefs, worldviews and philosophies of our own culture make up much of what we call reality, and are largely unconscious, and highly internalized. Until we've spent years trying to unearth these and examine them for what they are, your cultural norms will dictate your definitions of good, bad, rude, polite, right and wrong.

Here is an example of a cultural bump in which the two parties involved had no idea of why they had a negative reaction. In a cultural experiment in which people were observed in various social situations, two business people, one North American and the other South American, had a meeting. After the meeting, the North American had the impression that the South American was "pushy," but when asked the specific behavior which provoked this response, could not really answer adequately. The South American thought the North American was "cold", and also could not really say why. At the time the study was carried out it was ascertained that the acceptable body distance between two people was to blame.

North Americans stand and sit a little further apart, in a fairly defined comfort zone. The comfort zone of South Americans is a little different, a bit closer. You can see that this whole aspect of culture was certainly not at the conscious awareness level of the two people involved. Other problems that arose include different ways and interpretations of compliments, and a different level of intimacy expected between the two parties. This study is old and may not hold true today, as another characteristic of culture is that it is always changing. Especially with the advent of the internet, and global mass media, very interesting changes are taking place in individual cultures, and the world obviously is becoming more homogeneous. And, there are all sorts of good/bad opinions about that fact as well!

For more information on culture, moving abroad, living and retiring overseas, see

Retirement Worldwide

Culture Shock - Moving Overseas

It is a dream that a lot of different people have. Not only do they want to visit a new country, but they want to move there as well. As the world gets smaller, people want to find a new way of life in an area that is very different from the one that they currently have. Many different international moving companies have risen to meet this need, and the challenge that it brings.

Different Laws

When moving to a different country, you need to be aware of the different laws that may exist. You should contact an international moving company well in advance to discuss what items are prohibited in certain countries and what types of animals and plants will have to stay where they are. Any professional company should be happy and willing to help you with this.

Culture Differences

Whenever you move overseas, you need to expect the vast differences in culture. People in different areas of the world are very likely quite different than you are used to. Some things that you might consider rude will be perfectly normal behaviors in your destination country. Other things, such as gestures that you make normally, may be considered highly offensive in another country. Make sure to look into the social taboos of the place that you are going to.

Often times, the international moving company that you hire will have people from the destination country on its payroll. This can only help you as they can provide you with first hand information about the place that you are going to live. They can also give you firsthand accounts of the people and cultures that you might run into there.

Finances

Be prepared to pay different taxes or tariffs in a different country. Remember that you are going to a place that probably does not have the same banking system or financial setup as the place that you are leaving. You should thoroughly look into the financial laws and rules of a country before you even consider moving there. Be ready to pay any fees that may be required upon relocation to this area.

Research Moving Companies

As mentioned before, many different companies have risen to fill the need for the perfect international moving company. There are many scams out there, and you need to look into any specific company before you decide to hire them. Check the references and make sure that they have the appropriate licenses for the countries that they serve.

If you do the right homework and prepare yourself for all that will be different, moving internationally can be one of the most rewarding choices that you make. While stressful, having the knowledge that you need will help you avoid trouble and get you prepared for all the differences that you will be faced with over the first few weeks that you are in a new place.

http://www.123MovingCompanies.com is an official source of moving information. Here you can find an overseas moving company near you. Find the right International movers for your move.