Expatriate Adjustment from the Inside out an Autoethnographic Account

Case study: “Expatriate adjustment from the inside out: an autoethnographic account”

WU Yue

Professor: Hélène Langinier

Introduction: The author describes her experience as an expatriate working in Hong Kong. She underwent the culture shock, but done well with it. Success in this cross-cultural assignment is dependent on the expatriate’s ability to adjust to and master the new culture. There is a change process that the expatriate adjust the new environment.

The first author who is Canadian worked for the financial services company in Hong Kong. We can use the approximate U-curve or the W-curve model to analyze her experience.

[pic 1]For example, at first, she studied Mandarin expecting it to be useful in the wake of the handover of Hong Kong to the Chinese and also researched the Hong Kong business and social culture. She expected to fit in the new environment. However, next few day, she got into trouble gradually, like being ignored by senior executives in boardroom, and noticing “guanxi” is extremely important in Chinese relationship. Fortunately, she made a friend with a local enthusiastic girl. The girl’s insights and behavioural advice taught the author the norms and nuances of the culture. Ultimately, the author gradually integrated into the environment, and did great “guanxi” with partners. What conditions made her well into the environment?

At first, she mentioned that her parents took her to Europe every summer, and she explored other culture by her own. These are her precious life wealth. With these experiences, she knows the culture diversity between different countries and she can accept new culture very well. So before her arriving to Hong Kong, she had already prepared for her foreign country life. It made her fitted in new environment much more quickly. Learning orientation at the beginning had a positive impact on both measures of cross-cultural adjustment. Second, she had her own special method to relieve pressure. She knew she would let go of many negative feelings on her runs. This physical release was her tool for releasing undesirable emotions, which enabled her to develop relationships with host nationals, the executives at work, and more importantly, to embrace the culture. Thirdly, she is fortunate that she got some help from a native. The friend helped her not only on language but also on local customs. Various conditions affect her adjustment to new culture.

For expatriate, the culture shock has always existed. As for the first author, she faced many gaps. First, Language Barrier. Even if she uses English during she working and speaking English is normally in Hong Kong, she had to know at least a litter about Mandarin and Cantonese or sometimes she couldn’t get the key point from others. Language barrier is so formidable, pervasive, and ubiquitous, that it is almost unimaginable for foreigners. If you don’t know anything with one foreign language, what this means is that until you acquire some minimal language survival skills (usually three to six months), you will not be able to do anything that you took for granted back home, without first being accompanied by an interpreter. You will not be able to go to a restaurant, order water for your apartment, shop in any store (other than a grocery, perhaps), go to the bank, change money, visit a doctor, get eyeglasses, or take a taxi, etc. Chinese is so difficult, particularly for the foreigners in China. We have 5000 years’ history, sometimes as a Chinese we may not understand one rarely used words. As well, like us, we go abroad for study, English and French are not our mother tongue, we can’t use them as a native speaker., sometimes make a big joke.

Second, the author mentioned one particularly important word “guanxi” in China. If you don’t have “guanxi” in daily life, you will make your life difficult. Since we were born, you need “guanxi” to get into a high quality kindergarten. After graduating from university, you need “guanxi” to get into a treatment good job and promotion. The first author realize this important thing when she wanted to join the bike trip. After understanding this rule, she tried to build much deeper relationship with important person. For the expatriates, they still have other difficult to face, like difference in food, the style of thinking and so on.

We need to understand the U-curve to fit into our new environment.

First, the Honeymoon Phase. This is a fun time. Everything is great, exciting, and new. You love the differences, meeting new people, tasting new foods, seeing different architecture, doing new things, working in your new job. This phase can last days, weeks, or months. Like me, when I first arrived at France, because it’s the first time I went abroad, everything for me is new. I’m curious with every new thing. I went to travel and I made some new friends. Everything for me is great.

And then, the Honeymoon is Over Phase. During this phase, you're noticing differences, even slight differences, and typically not in a good way. You don't like people's attitudes, you have had enough of the food and just want mom's cooking, you miss your TV program, you don't like the water, it's too hot/cold, life is too fast/slow, things are so much "better" at home, they celebrate the wrong holidays, and so forth. There's no set time when this begins — with some people, it can be within days, with others, months. During this phase, a person often feels anxious, angry, frustrated, sad, and/or irritable. A person may withdraw and have difficulty concentrating at their new job. For now me, I think that I’m in this phase. I resist understanding the word that teachers told in class. I miss the delicious food in China. I miss my family member. But I try to adjust.

Finally, the All's Well, or Everything is OK Phase. Those who arrive at this phase feel more at home with the differences in the new culture. Depending on how big a change a person has experienced, the person may feel as if the culture isn't in fact new, but that they belong, or the person may not exactly feel part of the culture, but they're comfortable enough with it to enjoy the differences and challenges. Negative feelings are minimized. The person doesn't have to be in love with the new country (as in the honeymoon phase), but they can navigate it without unwarranted anxiety, negativity, and criticism. I hope I can get this stage as soon as possible.