{"id":9052,"date":"2023-02-19T09:54:02","date_gmt":"2023-02-19T09:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/?p=9052"},"modified":"2023-02-19T09:54:05","modified_gmt":"2023-02-19T09:54:05","slug":"ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas-6-do-not-expect-the-same-sense-of-urgency-or-availability-of-conveniences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas-6-do-not-expect-the-same-sense-of-urgency-or-availability-of-conveniences\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas #6: Do not expect the same sense of urgency or availability of conveniences"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do not expect the same sense of urgency or availability of conveniences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the heat of a strong and intense culture shock moment in your host country, it is very, very easy to slip a bit. \u00a0Slipping up is what culture shock is all about. \u00a0There are moments when you take a step back and ask yourself, “Did I just do that?!” \u00a0Not the best moments in your attempt to have meaningful cultural experiences and intercultural exchanges. \u00a0Many of these moments are things you are actually trying to avoid or think you are above them, but then your \u201csense of urgency\u201d just shows its face at the most inopportune times. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what are these conveniences of our home country that we instinctively want to cling to? \u00a0They aren\u2019t necessarily things you can explain in specifics, but there are general topics we could discuss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere is the bathroom? Is that the only bathroom in this place? Am I going to have to use that? Do I really have to actually pay money to use this restroom?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are times when you are in search of a bathroom in a non-western country; probably the most important thing you need while traveling. In the United States and in some other westernized countries, the general idea that restaurants, stores, grocery stores, etc. in a community will provide you with a restroom free of charge, and most of the time you don\u2019t even need to buy something there. \u00a0We expect that the bathrooms are going to be there for us that we indeed start taking that convenience for granted. \u00a0Then you find yourself in another country and that convenience is now gone. \u00a0Many places do not even have a bathroom for their customers to use. \u00a0The quest for where you are going to find a bathroom to use is indeed a real one when walking around a city in a foreign country. \u00a0Not everyone will let you into their bathrooms!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is taking so long for the internet to get set up in my apartment! Why don\u2019t they offer an English option when I called the phone company\u2019s customer support line? Why is the internet so slow in this country?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How important is having internet in your home nowadays? Most people cannot live without it. Now throw in your inability to communicate in the host country\u2019s language to actually get internet set up in your home, and it can feel like your sense of urgency about getting internet into your life is not shared with the local phone company\u2026not one bit. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some international schools provide support to their new teachers to help get things set up in their apartment or to even have them set up before they get there, but other international schools leave you on your own. \u00a0That means you are the one going to the telephone store and trying to figure everything out yourself. \u00a0Now the tricky part is when you finally get to the date of the installation, you get the phone call from the technician who is literally minutes away from your house. \u00a0You are so close to getting the internet set up, yet the technician is speaking to you in the host country\u2019s language and doesn\u2019t speak one word of English. \u00a0Luckily though, many times the technician does arrive and is able to install everything successfully, but in that one stressful moment, you would have given anything to be able to speak their language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCould this line be going any slower? How can there be so many people here? Where exactly is the \u2018line\u2019 anyways??!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waiting in line in more western countries is sometimes quite different from waiting in lines in countries in Asia. \u00a0What are the hidden rules about getting in a line in China for example? What are the hidden rules about getting in line in India? \u00a0In some countries pushing and shoving is just part of the game when in a line waiting to get to the cashier. \u00a0The locals have a \u201csense of urgency,\u201d the correct sense of urgency, and they get to the front of the line faster. \u00a0You just need to carefully observe and figure out what their rules are first so that you can also get to the cashier in less time. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The convenience in a more western country is that you can assume that nobody will be touching you or pushing you in a line, the line will most likely be a straight one, and there will be someone who can speak English more or less at the register. \u00a0Once you are living in a foreign country though, you soon may realize that you have possibly taken for granted all of those conveniences from your home country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If there is one lesson to be learned\u2026it is that you actually do (usually) end up getting the conveniences that you look for in your host country, it just comes to you a bit slower than or in a different way maybe to what you are used to. \u00a0It all comes down to communication (or your lack of communication) doesn\u2019t it? \u00a0Maybe your sense of urgency for all the conveniences you expect will be lessened a bit if you are able to explain yourself better. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What has been your experience living in your host country?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article was submitted anonymously by an ISC member.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do not expect the same sense of urgency or availability of conveniences In the heat of a strong and intense culture shock moment in your host country, it is very, very easy to slip a bit. \u00a0Slipping up is what culture shock is all about. \u00a0There are moments when you take a step back and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9054,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[49],"tags":[3023,3024,316,39,40,547,1256],"class_list":["post-9052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas","tag-bathroom","tag-convenience","tag-culture","tag-culture-misunderstanding","tag-culture-shock","tag-internet","tag-language"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2023-02-19-at-10.33.46.png?fit=894%2C592&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2flVT-2m0","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8934,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas-4-develop-tolerance-for-ambiguity-and-frustration\/","url_meta":{"origin":9052,"position":0},"title":"Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas #4: Develop tolerance for ambiguity and frustration","author":"ISCommunity","date":"November 6, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Develop tolerance for ambiguity and frustration by being flexible and open toward the new culture. Effects of Culture Shock \u2022 A sense of uprootedness\u2022 Feeling of disorientation\u2022 Not knowing what is going on\u2022 Behaviors and attitudes which were necessary for obtaining goals in the culture we learned are no longer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas"","block_context":{"text":"Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/asian-gee89085a0_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/asian-gee89085a0_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/asian-gee89085a0_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/asian-gee89085a0_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/asian-gee89085a0_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8865,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas-2-anticipate-a-challenging-adjustment-period-of\/","url_meta":{"origin":9052,"position":1},"title":"Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas #2: Anticipate a challenging adjustment period of\u2026","author":"ISCommunity","date":"September 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Anticipate a challenging adjustment period of at least SIX months. Do not decide if you like it until these six months have passed. 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Concepts such as immigration and international relocation have become increasingly common in the modern age, with developed nations such as the United States a popular destination for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas"","block_context":{"text":"Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/bremen-1580196_640.jpg?fit=640%2C462&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/bremen-1580196_640.jpg?fit=640%2C462&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/bremen-1580196_640.jpg?fit=640%2C462&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8989,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas-5-strengthen-and-maintain-your-enthusiasm\/","url_meta":{"origin":9052,"position":3},"title":"Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas #5: Strengthen and Maintain your Enthusiasm","author":"ISCommunity","date":"January 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Look for ways to strengthen and maintain your enthusiasm. We all have been there before; alone in your new apartment, not wanting to go out onto the street to the nearby market, not wanting to be confronted with a bunch of people that are speaking a language you don\u2019t understand,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas"","block_context":{"text":"Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screenshot-2023-01-01-at-09.31.48.png?fit=1160%2C774&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screenshot-2023-01-01-at-09.31.48.png?fit=1160%2C774&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screenshot-2023-01-01-at-09.31.48.png?fit=1160%2C774&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screenshot-2023-01-01-at-09.31.48.png?fit=1160%2C774&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screenshot-2023-01-01-at-09.31.48.png?fit=1160%2C774&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9687,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/ten-commandments-of-relocating-overseas-9-maintain-a-sense-of-humor-but-most-importantly-be-ready-to-laugh-at-yourself\/","url_meta":{"origin":9052,"position":4},"title":"Ten Commandments of Relocating Overseas #9: Maintain a sense of humor, but most importantly be ready to laugh at yourself.","author":"ISCommunity","date":"November 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Maintain a sense of humor, but most importantly be ready to laugh at yourself. 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