Module 3. Cross-Cultural communication

There are many reasons why learning a new language is a good idea. It allows you to communicate with new people. It helps you to get a deeper understanding of another culture.

It even has health benefits, as studies have shown that people who speak two or more languages have more active minds later in life! Those are all reasons to learn any language – but did you know that there are 6,500 languages still spoken in the world today?With such an enormous number to choose from, why pick English?

Here are five big reasons that learning English can improve your life.

“Culture is the way we do things here”, they say. Here may be a country, an area, or a company. We tend to assume that the way we see the world and the way we do things is best. However, doing business across cultures asks for a more flexible approach. Recent literature suggests that cultural awareness is essential for doing business abroad. What is considered acceptable behavior in Croatia does not have to be so desirable in Saudi Arabia.    

Western cultures are in general time-conscious, deadline-oriented, and focused on results. On the other hand, Latin and Eastern cultures are more interested in getting to know the people involved in the transaction and business is built on trust ever a long period of time. The best way to build a business relationship in a Latin American country, China, Japan or even Spain and Italy, is through networking. Get yourself introduced by a trusted relation of your new client and expect many lunches and dinners before the deal is made.

Though it is impossible to fully master all the intricacies of other societies, it is worth learning at least the basics.

GREETINGS

In America and most of Europe, handshake with good eye-contact is expected at introductions and departures. The Japanese often shake hands with westerners as sign of respect and appreciate when westerners bow out of respect to their culture. In most European countries, people like to be addressed by their academic and professional titles followed by their surname. The exceptions are the egalitarian societies of Scandinavia and the Netherlands, where every person is considered as equal and titles are usually not used.

BODY LANGUAGE

If you don't know the rules of non-verbal communication, you may transmit unintended messages. In European countries and America, a person who is reluctant to maintain eye-contact arouses suspicion. But in Asian countries, maintaining eye-contact is perceived as a sign of aggression. In Arab cultures, eye-contact and other gestures of openness are important and welcome. Europeans and Americans feel uncomfortable with silent moments but in Japan long pauses in conversation are normal.

PERSONAL SPACE

Americans and northern Europeans may be made uncomfortable by the close conversation distance of Arabs, Africans or southern Europeans, who also tend to touch each other on the arm, back and shoulder. If you feel uncomfortable with that proximity, don't step back as that would be considered impolite.

GIFT-GIVING

In North America or the UK, gift-giving is rare in the business world and may be seen as bribery. In many other countries gift giving and its etiquette are very important, especially in Asia.

Settling in a new region poses many challenges, and there are some that are common experiences for migrants across the globe.

1. It's no great surprise that language tops the list of issues facing immigrants to any country. Being able to communicate (or not) affects every area of life in which we have to interact with others.

2. The next barrier that many new immigrants commonly cite when starting life in a new country is finding suitable employment. Many new immigrants face two particular problems: getting their credentials recognized and relevant local work experience.

3. A big priority for anybody moving to a new area or country is to secure housing. Lack of local knowledge or how the housing market works in the new country can present problems. 

4. Access to transportation can be essential in that it will make access to education and employment far easier. Immigrants face particular problems in this respect on two levels.

Firstly, the driver’s license may not be recognized in the new country, which means there may be costs associated with becoming qualified. Secondly, that language barrier can, again, make understanding or even finding useful local public transit services a hard task.

5. Many immigrants report that, on arrival, it is the cultural differences that really make a big impression. This can range from social customs to more significant issues such as attitudes towards gender, religious diversity, ethnicity and sexuality, which can all be vastly different in a new country. This can raise a host of problems for both immigrants and the people they interact with. It can also lead to a sense of isolation for immigrants and even affect mental health negatively. It is important to accept that values will be different and that this is something that you cannot control. 

6. Missing the support of friends, family and extended social circles is a big factor for most migrants. Those who come from societies where traditional support structures within communities are strong can find that they feel lost, alienated and disorientated when moving to a Western country where individualism is often prized over family.