Chapter III of the book: What in the world is going on?
Prejudice, of course, is a slippery thing, easy to spot in others, almost impossible to see in ourselves. But if we shift our focus to include preconceptions concerning not just race but culture, lifestyles, everyday ways of being, then it becomes easy to see that we are all susceptible to taking for granted "our" way of doing things, without entirely realizing the other ways practiced in other countries.
But preconceptions are just one aspect of the larger issue, which is flexibility. How adaptable are you to new conditions, foods, ways of thinking? How rigid are you in your expectations of yourself and other people? Do you tend to set goals and stick by them until you've succeeded, regardless of what comes up?
The people who do well in overseas assignments seem to be those who are able to adapt to the conditions they find, and work within the system that is already there. That includes getting out and meeting people, learning the language, investigating the culture, staying healthy, keeping a strong sense of self, and being accepted by the local people. What sorts of qualities are needed? Here is a short list:
- tolerance for differences and ambiguity
- open-mindedness
- patience
- flexibility/adaptability
- nonjudgmental attitude
- curiosity
- warmth in human relationships
- energy/good health
- motivation
- self-reliance, strong sense of self
- perceptiveness
- sensitivity
- low goal/task orientation
- sense of humor
- empathy
- ability to fail
What is important to remember is that going abroad to live is a serious undertaking. It requires a great deal of thought, preparation, hard work, patience, flexibility, stamina, open-mindedness, and good humor. The potential benefits are great, but so too are the risks, and you should do everything you can, before you go, to find out what you are getting yourself into.
Clearly then, it takes a special kind of effort, and a special person to be suitable for a work or study term abroad. It is dangerous, however, to generalize, because so much depends on where you are going, what you are doing, and what happens along the way... It's all so unpredictable, and many different types of people do well abroad. Perhaps the most important thing is your own attitude: if you really want to go, and are willing to prepare, then a lot of other things should fall into place.
