Feature photo by Quinn Mattingly. Photo above by blmurch.
Don’t be complacent and stick with what’s comfortable. If you’re moving to a whole new country then you might as well live like the locals.
So you’ve moved to a new country for work/study/self-growth, and culture shock has hit. It’s all too easy to hide from the world in that expat pub, speaking English and bonding with others over your cultural hurdles. Instead, follow our tips for immersing yourself in this new country, through food, friends, and language:
Find a native roommate.
If you’ve gone overseas to work, ask your employer for help. Otherwise, check housing websites like Craigslist. A native roommate will keep you connected to the country through language, food, and mannerisms.
Even if you don’t become the best of friends, a roommate is a great asset for all those little questions. (”Where can I buy lightbulbs?” “How late do the subways run?”)
Practice a new word every day.
Language immersion is crucial. Learn a new word or phrase every day, starting with basics like “Excuse me” and “That was delicious.” Practice on as many people as you can. It takes time, but it will stick.
Photo by blmurch.
Eat like a local.
Instead of familiar chain restaurants, hit the local eateries. You’ll eat the most authentic local dishes when they’re not catered to a tourist palate. And when ordering, forget the phrasebook. Listen carefully to the way locals order their food and imitate them as best you can, even if you’re not 100% sure what they’re saying.
The same goes when shopping at local markets. Imitating the way locals make their transactions is the gateway to language acquisition–you’re not translating, but already “speaking” their language.
Set up a language exchange.
A language exchange is an opportunity to make friends and to learn local slang and idioms. Post a flyer or online advertisement for find a partner. If you’re living in a city with a university, contact the English department, as they may have information.
Steer clear of gloomy expat bars.
When your new culture gets overwhelming, it’s all too easy to hit the expat bars for some American music and familiar comfort food. But when culture clashes strike, the best course of action is to sit back and learn from them. Griping with fellow foreigners about the things you dislike in your adopted country will only alienate you from it.
Photo by philyook.
Find an ally or two.
Still, there’s no need to avoid other expats altogether. A good expat friend will want you both to navigate this new culture together, not join you in shying away from it. Seek people with the same interests as you and the same curiosity for the country you’re in.
Close the guidebook.
Keeping your nose in a guidebook means you’ll be meeting other travelers at guidebook-recommended places, but not many locals. Instead, ask a local for his or her recommendation on restaurants, sights, or maybe his / her favorite place to go and relax.
Nine times out of ten, their insider tips (for example, your coworker’s cousin’s art show) will take you places that a guidebook never could.
Accept all invitations.
At least as many as you can tolerate. Go to dinner with your zealous boss. Take that flyer for a student battle of the bands. Have tea with the eccentric housewife next door.
These interactions can give you insight to different viewpoints of the culture. It might not be an offer you’d take back home, but now is as good a time as any to break routines.
Community Connection:
Looking to meet some locals on your travels? Check out 6 Essential Items to Pack if you Want to Meet the Locals or 6 Strategies to Connect with Locals Through Sports.
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Having lived as an expat for almost a year in Eastern Europe (Austria & The Czech Republic) I find your suggestions very true. It's so important to "get with" the local kulture and not be an "ugly American". I brought a German/English English/German here in the states and found it quite invaluable whilst living in Austria. And I discovered that the German I'd learned helped me out quite a bit while living in Prague. I'd read some of the guide books, but soon found out that they weren't much help to an expat. The may have provided some help to a vacationer who'd be in town for 4 days, but not much help for a resident like me. I had to get to know the people in my neighborhood, the shops and stores, in order to be able to "get by". Your tips should be used by all, and not just us expats. Bob
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Practical, sensible, and difficult to practice for most first ex-pats. Thanks for sharing.
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i loved living like an expat, and living like a local in both shanghai and beijing – there are great benefits in both experiences
i hate to see people always slam the expat connection – living as an expat often leads to incredible bonds with other expats, as well as a huge community of like-minded adventurers that can never be accessed otherwise. these friendships are incredibly accelerated and long lasting. my advice – while abroad you'd be a fool NOT to take advantage of ALL of the inspirational environments that present themselves.
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Annette, I tend to agree. I've done the expat thing for 20 plus years, 6 years in Germany for work and study (degreed there). Mexico, Brazil and lastly Egypt ( all assignments 18+ months), and the expat experience can be very rewarding, but do take advantage of all the local opportunities that come to you.
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yes i agree greg. if you don't fall into a trap there is a best of both worlds to be had. i've seen both sides as have you, when expats either completely disconnect from their realities, or never enter into the new reality in which they have arrived. but again, i'm not one to romanticize, and while it's great to emerge oneself in local culture, it's also equally great to enjoy the international communities at your finger tips. my exboyfriend was mainland chinese, and the best was the mingling of one world with others. i came to meet great friends in beijing, from india, germany, france, singapore, hongkong, taiwan, tibet, mongolia not to mention the us and canada. so again, i don't favour cultures, but try to appreciate the people that all experiences bring us into contact with.
cheers to you and your adventurous soul!
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We are not expats, but have been away from our home country going on our 3rd year as we are on an open ended world tour. I like these suggests and think many of them can apply to travelers as well. I think the very best way to immerse is through having your kids in the local schools! You become part of the community instantly that way through walking your child to school, talking to parents at pickup time, arranging play dates, sleep overs, through the kids participating in after school events together like flamenco class and football practice etc. Too many expats miss this by going to International or American schools. We have spent the last three winters in a 15th century small village in Spain and it has been a highlight for us!
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I agree. I actually came on here to leave a comment and say something similar. While all the tips for living like a local are great, there's no reason to diss living like an expat. It's not a trap, it can be a completely enriching experience if you do it right. I've also found that people who are super anxious to avoid all things American and "live like a local" are usually people who are here in Chile short term. I call anything under a year and a half short term. Most people who stay long term need and appreciate the community of expats. The term "escaping the expat trap" sort of gave me the idea that the author has never been an expat in one place for a significant period of time.
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Kyle — The intention of the article was certainly not to "diss" expats. The fact that you wrote "it can be a completely enriching experience if you do it right" suggests that we're actually in agreement here — the idea of the article was to encourage people to "do it right", by diversifying their experience and making an effort to get involved in the local scene as well as the foreign community. I don't think there was a suggestion here that you should, at all times, avoid all things American. As for the headline, the author didn't write it — I did.
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I think immersing yourself in your new culture and learning all you can is a wonderful opportunity one has while living abroad. The word for the day is a great idea and I may need to do that when I start teaching in China next week. As for avoiding Expats/Expat bars…I am not so sure about that. I hope to meet expats, as well as locals, that can help me with any adjustments or problems I have to my new “home”. One thing I hope to do is take cultural classes or cooking classes – those are always a great way of learning about where you are living or just visiting.
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