by April Phelps

Created on: April 19, 2008   Last Updated: April 21, 2008

Living in a foreign country is similar to being the new kid in class. You are awkward and unfamiliar with the customs of the teacher and of your new classmates. In addition some of the native kids may tease you for appearing to be different. Yet all countries and walks of life teach us that variety and cultural relativity is a good thing. A person can learn a lot from living among another culture for an entire year, it's a lot like being a foreign-exchange student. For example when I was stationed in South Korea via the Army, the time I spent there helped me to step beyond my own cubbyhole to glimpse how others viewed and lived in the world. This helps me to be flexible in thinking and adaptable in living. Further you learn that the daily grind in one country is only relative to another.

Living in a foreign country really puts things into perspective, because the familiar is replaced by the new with language and customs taking awhile to learn. The cultural supports once in place to give a person her bearings are now replaced by the more colloquial language of basic needs. What I mean is that it doesn't take much to communicate hunger. However, money is also a universal need in that the country determines the currency. Therefore having the resources to survive is just as important as being able to use them. When a group of us went out to eat at a South Korean restaurant, we paid for our meal of bugogi and yakimandu with Korean currency called won (but pronounced Juan). Clearly a language translator and dictionary helps communication along, too. In short the foreigner assimilates to her new home if she wants to get through the day and survive.

Assimilation demands paying attention to and respecting the laws, the customs, and the natives of the country. When the military stationed me in South Korea, I learned of the strict laws forbidding physical confrontation of any kind. If one Korean man gets into a disagreement with another on the public streets, say over a care accident, it is best to agree to disagree verbally for everyone's welfare. Besides law, South Korea's customs include more respect for family and its elders in contrast to the US. The tradition of familial respect in South Korea includes taking off your shoes upon entering a house. Living in South Korea is about respecting the native's familial customs as well as keeping an open mind.

Another important guideline to living in a foreign country is learning a thing or two about the transportation system.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>