It´s impossible to ignore the responsibility of expatriates to adapt to the host country. There are expats that barely face problems with adjusting to new cultures, while others find out the hard way that they aren´t cut out to live across borders. The majority of expats (including myself), however, go through a learning process enhancing the ability to live and work in another culture.

One of my previous posts already discussed the four stages of cultural adjustment. I mentioned that getting to know a foreign culture can be worth the occasional discomfort (a.k.a. culture shock) by turning it into a positive experience. Today, I guide you through the challenge of minimizing culture shock and adjusting successfully to your host´s culture.

Challenging Parts of Cultural Adjustment

One complicating factor of cross-cultural adjustment is the lack of familiarity with everyday situations and behaviors. Moreover, your own background will have a great effect upon your perception of the unfamiliar behaviors and systems. Your reactions to the cultural differences are caused by subconscious attitudes.

Interacting with people of different nationalities makes us more aware of those cultural attitudes. Scientific research states that developing this cultural awareness demands a specific intelligence among expats. Human intelligence is multidimensional and the dimension crucial for the success of cultural adjustment is called Cultural Intelligence (CQ).

There are several definitions of cultural intelligence, this one is widely spread:
Cultural intelligence reflects a person’s capability to gather, interpret, and act upon radically different cues to function effectively across cultural settings or in a multicultural situation. Earley & Peterson, 2004

The Importance of Your Personal Cultural Intelligence

All expats arrive with a basis level of cultural intelligence; encounters with other cultures either at home or abroad taught us to some extent how to treat those from different nations. Depending on your CQ starting point and the difference between your native culture and the new culture, you experience either more or less problems with adjustment across cultures.

Living abroad requires a high level of cultural intelligence. Insufficient CQ can lead to culture shock and those who continue scoring low are always going to be in a state of shock. Increasing your personal cultural intelligence is therefore of major importance. If you want to feel integrated, you should strive for the level demanded in your new living situation.

Let´s have a look at how you can achieve this.

How to Become Culturally More Intelligent

Unlike someone´s IQ – which changes little after puberty – CQ seems to be largely trained. Improving your personal cultural intelligence can be time-consuming but definitely personally rewarding and intellectually stimulating. The following 7 steps are designed to help you overcome the difficulties and become culturally more intelligent:

Step #1 – Accept the Differences

In most challenging life situations we usually have three options: changing it, accepting it, or walking away from it. Expatriation, however, leaves us with only one option. Accepting that the locals act differently is the basis for living abroad peacefully.

Step #2 – Maintain an Open Mind

Cross-cultural adjustment will put your openness to the test; the impact of culture shock can decrease your open outlook and behavior. Try to maintain an open attitude to learn from the host country and it will be easier to adjust.

Step #3 – Research & Observe Your Surroundings

To know another society from within you have to investigate and observe the people and the country with all your senses. Pay close attention to those around you in order to get familiar with the obvious and less obvious characteristics of the new culture.

Step #4 – Don’t Judge

Observe actively but objectively. Especially during the first couple of months, it is easy to misunderstand some things. Try not to make judgments until you have more complete information. Be aware of your own cultural heritage and try to discard stereotypes.

Step #5 – Try to Understand

A high score on cultural intelligence includes having ideas about why people behave and think differently. Search for explanations behind the differences and you will be able accept and appreciate your new surroundings much sooner.

Step #6 – Apply a Mantra for Patience

You will also come across situations that seem to be unexplainable. We have a bag full of things we still don’t understand about the Mexican culture. One day, Jan started to say:

Manche Dinge im Leben muss man einfach nicht verstehen
Some things in life we simply don’t need to understand

Every time now, when we think “Why do they do it this way?”, we look at each other and repeat that sentence. It has developed into a personal mantra. It fosters acceptance and patience, and restores your sense of humor. Think of a mantra that works for you. It is worth a try!

Step #7 – Know How to Act

Cultural knowledge and understanding helps expats by effectively dealing with daily situations. You shouldn´t lose yourself by adjusting too much, but approaching the locals as much as you can is advisable, because:

It is much easier to love a country, when the country loves you back.

One Condition Remains

Expatriates can be expected to be more culturally intelligent under one condition: Willingness. You have to invest time and effort to get to know the culture, the people, the language, etc. If you continue living in your own “bubble”, you won´t enjoy the full benefit of living abroad.

Interactions with locals are of primary importance. Be creative if you don´t work with them; look into voluntary work, attend some courses, search for a language buddy, etc. The more you push cultural interaction, the sooner you reach the optimum level of cultural intelligence and adjustment.

Life abroad would certainly be a lot simpler if the locals would just see and do things our way. But it would also be less rewarding, wouldn´t it? Do you have more tips for dealing with adapting to new cultures? How is your personal experience with cultural adjustment? Please share your experience, ideas and feedback via the comment section below.