The following culture tips will come in handy when traveling through Nigeria or when interacting with its people.

+ The four primary languages are Fulani, Hausa, Ibo, and Yoruba. The official language of the government and of many businesses is English.

+ Religious diversity abounds in Nigeria: Christians predominantly live in the south, while Muslims live in the north. Indigenous religions exist throughout the country, which are connected to traditional medicine and magic.

+ With the possible exception of the Muslim north, Nigerians tend to be accepting of foreign businesswomen and will treat them with the same respect they would a businessman, if she has the qualifications and credentials deemed necessary for her position. Since male chauvinism is entrenched in the culture, women should establish her credentials prior to her arrival by forwarding a brief bio of herself, including her academic background and professional accomplishments.

+ Address Nigerians by their academic, professional, or honorific title and their surname. As a sign of respect, males who are older than you can be addressed as “uncle” and women as “auntie.”

+ Nigerians employ proverbs, wise sayings, and even songs to enrich the meaning of what they say.

+ Non-verbal facial expressions that imply empathy are preferred to indifferent facial expressions, which indicate to Nigerians that a person is ignorant or obnoxious.

+ Nigerians can be both direct and indirect communicators depending upon the situation or degree of friendship. Even when stating their position clearly, they will temper their language so that they do not cause offense.

- provided by RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

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The New York Times reports that many Hollywood film studios, like Warner Brothers, Disney and 20th Century Fox, have had local-language movie production operations in India since 1999. While many Bollywood films fare poorly in India (1:9 “hit-flop” ratio), films produced by Hollywood firms for the enormous Indian audience fare even worse. Critical cultural elements are usually missed by foreign film studios, which often lead to failure. The Times states that “the Hindi film industry and its consumers have their own peculiar dynamic. Though the industry has become more corporate and organized over the last 15 years, it is still very much about relationships and family.”

This “peculiarity” is a culturally-rooted business framework. Indians are very interpersonal in their working relationships, as they find time invested in personal conversations builds trusting relationships that can facilitate a smooth, productive work experience. Hollywood is transactional, which means that relationships don’t need to be developed on a personal level in order to work with others, as they expect to be hired based on their relevant experience and competence.

Hierarchy, another strong cultural dimension in India, is something Hollywood studios aren’t used to. Decisions are made by the leadership in Bollywood firms, and by the leadership alone (Egalitarian cultures would interpret this as an inefficiency, Indians recognize that senior officials have the experience to make the best decisions). Hollywood acknowledges the cultural disparity: “…We want to be there, and we will adjust our ways to be in line with theirs and not the other way around.” Butting heads with mega-stars like Shah Rukh Khan, i.e. releasing a movie on the same day one of his movies comes out, is not conducive to capturing an audience. It’s laudable that successful American movie-producing giants understand the value of adapting to new cultural paradigms.

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When the excitement of your homecoming dies down, reverse culture shock hits you. The special feeling you had as an expat goes away and you transition back into the being a local. Here are a few important things to keep in mind:

+ Friends and family can only hear your traveler’s tales so many times. The pride you derived from managing across cultures may no longer be a skill used everyday and you may even have less responsibility at work than when you were abroad. Colleagues may undervalue your international assignment, too, especially if they haven’t been an expat.

+ Since few organizations provide the same settling-in assistance on return, you may find it hard to share your experiences with others. Relating to friends and family may also be harder than it was pre-departure, as your world view has most likely changed. Contact other repatriates because they will understand how your life has changed and will be good people to network with.

+ At home, make new routines that are different from the ones you had before you moved away. Be patient and remember that you’ve already experienced culture shock when you initially expatriated.

+ The accompanying partner of the expat may have a several year gap in their resume, making it difficult to find work. At this point, it may be appropriate for the partner to reevaluate his or her career plans, since they’ve likely changed after their time in another area of the world.

+ Children will be greatly affected by repatriation, as new schools and friends are hard to adapt to at certain ages. This can be easier if a connection to the home country is maintained during the assignment.

+ Maintain contact with friends and colleagues in your former host country. This is a benefit that sets your apart from people who’ve never had the opportunity to live abroad!

+ Survive reverse culture shock by reminding yourself of the valuable personal change you’ve gone through and the rich, life-enhancing advantages your experience now presents.

- adapted from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

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The Wall Street Journal notes the rigorous global requirements of the Cross Continents Program, an executive M.B.A. offered at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, which takes places over 16 months in 6 different countries. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu will sponsor several of its employees for this program because they’ve recognized that a global mindset is a required competency at the firm. Learning and doing business outside the context of one’s home coutnry is increasingly possible through programs that bring students around the globe on real-world assignments. Cultural immersion is key to gaining the insight and skills academic study at the home campus can’t afford.

Many universities across the US have begun strengthening partnerships with schools and organizations abroad, e.g. in China and Turkey, which lay the foundation for truly global degree programs. They prepare students to hit the ground running when they enter the workforce. If you’re in the global talent management industry, have you noticed an increase in credentials like these?

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A featured post on WorldHum by a writer for the New York Times takes an important stand on a growing enterprise, slum tourism. Travelers eager to gain perspective on poverty are guided through areas of cities like Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro and Mexico City. Slumdog Millionaire’s success has actually boosted business in this niche industry. Those who support the somewhat controversial type of travel say that it increases cultural awareness and ciphens funds into the hands of some of the poorest people in the world. Opponents argue slum tourism is the “worst kind of travel voyeurism, degrading and utterly without redeeming qualities.”

A view of the Dharavi slum in Mumbai, India.

The writer supports the industry, but warns that there must be rules surrounding its operation, e.g. no photos when on a tour of a slum, small & inconspicuous groups and donations of tourism profit to slum dwellers. The cross-cultural value of tourism remains inherent, regardless of its being in a slum or in an affluent enclave. Cultural immersion is one of the best ways to grasp the reality of life in locations distant both physically and culturally, so slum tourism is surely capable of extending a valuable point of view to people who would otherwise not have the opportunity to comprehend the reality of living in a slum.

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The Independent suggests that emigration may be an option to escape the economic downturn that has affected so many countries, including the UK. Countries who were unable to or decided against investing in American securities have not been hit as hard as the rest. According to the writer, these areas include Brazil, New Zealand and Qatar. Conversely, traditional relocation destinations like Dubai, Australia and Spain are not advisable if you’re looking to avoid economic instability.

The article is directed towards individuals living in the UK who are in financial trouble, but how should these candidates for global relocation expect to live and function in a country like Brazil, a complete departure from the realities of Great Britain? Cultural and linguistic barriers alone would make it hard to recommend a move abroad unless one was adequately prepared. Moving abroad is no simple undertaking and, of course, economic conditions are important when considering a move, but a personal assessment of your own aptitudes should be an important factor in making a decision. Moving alone or with a partner is undoubtedly less complicated than moving with a family, so this takes even more consideration.

Look in the “Expat Preparation” and “Family Relocation” categories on the right-hand menu of this blog to read more about the subject!

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The Moor Next Door, a blog that covers the politics, foreign policy and diplomacy of the Maghreb and the Arab Middle East, posted on an incorrectly labeled map of Islamic nations that appeared in Newsweek. It’s since been corrected, but it had initially marked the Palestinian Territories as Israel. However, there is a larger issue the blog brings to our attention: although the map states that its purpose is to focus on “some of the countries with the largest Muslim populations,” it fails to highlight several that would be valuable inclusions, e.g. Tunisia, Libya, Bangladesh and Malaysia.

Geography is an important aspect of cultural awareness and is vital to building sensitivity. Media outlets serve the public when new knowledge, like statistics in the aforementioned map on religious freedom, are accurately and comprehensively portrayed.

See the post here.

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I came across a really interesting post on a blog called Agents of Urbanism about the cultural differences of crossing streets in different countries and cities. Culture dictates more than one would assume, even things that would seem logical and universally true.

The blogger writes from personal experience and is sensitive to urban culture. Crosswalks are marked in a number of ways, but signals are usually legible without prior knowledge of any particular language, since they implement symbols rather than text. However, the interpretation of safety/danger and rules varies across cultures. The blogger highlights a faux pas he/she experienced in Munich, Germany: crossing a street when the signal does not allow for it.

“I found myself standing at an intersection amongst six or so Germans, no cars in sight, and a static red hand across the street. I’m assuming the role of suave Parisian by now, so I dart across the street. Not sensing the herd behind me, I turn around and discover the glare of a disapproving group still standing on the other side. Tsk Tsk. Shortly the light changed, the ‘walking man’ appeared, and the group crossed the street.”

Germans, clearly, are rule-oriented, as even in absence of danger, people would not cross a street until told to do so. New Yorkers, for example, would interpret this action as inefficient, unnecessary or unmotivated. Most people quickly learn that pedestrians cross the streets of New York when and wherever they please. The competition to be mobile is a constant in New York, as high population density makes it harder to move about easily, let alone swiftly. Thus, rules of previous eras are bent to meet modern requirements.

Has anyone experienced a quirky cultural experience like this? Please share!

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The following tips will help develop your cultural knowledge, making a move to Great Britain much easier.

Language & Communication

Even though the United Kingdom is the birthplace of the English language, it has evolved under separate, unique circumstances, making it distinct from international versions of the language. Depending on the kind of English you’ve been exposed to, you may or may not know what the following words actually mean. Ask yourself if you know the British meaning:

+ The “queue”
+ “Cheers!”
+ “Skinny milk”
+ “Dodgy”

(Answers: the line you wait in e.g. at the store, used in conjunction with goodbye or at the end of a phone conversation or when making a toast, nonfat or fat-free milk, an adjective for something negative or troublesome.)

+ The subtle way Britons give negative feedback may make it hard to understand the core of their message. They are likely to cushion bad news by sandwiching it between more positive messages. This can obscure underlying, yet important information, so be alert.

+ As a group, the British are not animated speakers. In fact, if you insult someone, their facial expression may not change. This only shows they do not believe in putting their innermost thoughts on display.

+ Humor is a vital element in British communication. As a general rule, it tends to be subtle and clever. Irony and self-deprecation are very common.

Behavior in General

+ The British sense of politeness is world renowned, so keep this in mind. Personal space (at least an arm’s length) and privacy are important aspects of British culture.

+ Do not confuse the geography of the country. Referring to someone from Wales as ‘English’ is inaccurate and offensive. The United Kingdom, much like the United Arab Emirates and the US, is a union of smaller political entities (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and numerous outlying islands). Regionalism is a strong cultural aspect of the country.

+ The British aversion to risk is another cultural difference. Think of the American proverb, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” as opposed to the British proverb, “Let sleeping dogs lie,” which means that disturbances cause complications. Britons will often initiate business discussions by outlining the history and risks involved before discussing the actual opportunities.

+ Business meetings are generally structured although not excessively formal. They begin and end with a modicum of social conversation. This may center on the weather, a favorite subject among the British. Meetings tend to end without a recap or “next steps.”

Finally, it is important to differentiate between living in London and living in other parts of UK. They are two drastically different experiences. Many expatriates find London much more fitting than, for example, Liverpool, given London’s high volume of international residents. You could live in the UK for years and still not grasp the full breadth of British culture, so always keep your mind open and aware of differences, subtle or not, that are culturally rooted.

- parts adapted from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles

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An article in the New York Times shows how the financial services industry has seen a significant decline in their expatriate workforce. Finance positions worldwide are no longer sustainable. Consider loosing your job, but then add the fact that you live and work in a foreign country (and oftentimes for a company that is not headquartered in that country). “…Career counselors are generally telling them not to move, and to use their networks to look for jobs locally instead of sending résumés halfway around the world.” Would you return home or would you use your establishment in the host country to find employment?

Another article in the Times compliments this post by demonstrating the challenges of returning home from an international assignment. In fact, repatriation is oftentimes harder than expatriation because organizations provide few services to acclimate and adjust upon return. “Home” as it was known pre-departure is never the same after life abroad. Children and teenagers have to adapt to new schools with new classmates. Reverse culture shock is both a learning experience and an obstacle to adjustment, as you see your native culture through the lens of the culture you were immersed in before. Corporations aren’t convinced repatriation is a problem, so no investment is made in the individual’s or family’s transition. A recent survey by KPMG , “Global Assignment Policies and Practices,” reports that only 4% of HR manage their staff’s repatriation. Perhaps opting to stay in the host country beyond an assignment’s length or in the case of a lay-off, as noted in the first part of this post, is worth considering.

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A group of Economist enthusiasts in China, all volunteers, work every week to translate the entire newspaper into Chinese (see the above example). A PDF is created and made available on the internet, passing Chinese internet censors (aka The Great Firewall). Here’s a link to the website where the translations appear. The Economist approves this endeavor, but has no editorial control over what is written.

Can anyone literate in Chinese remark on the translations? Many of the expressions and topics in the publication are culturally specific, which may be hard to understand in other languages. How are culturally-rooted messages read in Chinese?

For the original post on this subject, click here.

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NOW…

This humorous Telegraph article will surely strike a chord with expats worldwide. Air travel today is not only uncomfortable, but hardly eventful. Traveling long distances isn’t usually made to be a special occasion. The meaning of long distance is also changed, as non-stop flights from Singapore to New York (nearly 19 hours in the air) are relatively new. The picture below is of the interior of a dining car in the Orient Express, which originally ran 2000 km (1200 mi) between Paris and Istanbul in the late 19th century. Read the article to see how travel has lost the intrigue it held in the past and how expats deal with it today.

THEN…

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Current Nursing is an open access website devoted to timely nursing practices and news. This particular post is aimed at increasing the nursing population’s awarenessof cultural differences, especially between health care practitioners and patients. Since hospitals in many countries serve a culturally diverse population, a sensitivity and understanding of culture is essential to successful treatment.

The article is a stimulating foray into culturally-bound concepts of health, disease, reposal, healing, medicine and other related topics. Its ultimate goal is to “use research findings to provide culturally congruent, safe and meaningful care to clients of diverse or similar cultures.” Culture pervades all industries, even the most scientific, which are commonly perceived to be objective. The health industries are excellent candidates for cultural learning, as they deal with cultural diversity on a daily basis.

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The major difference between basketball in China and in the US is the relationship team members have with each other. In the US, it’s typical for players to act selfishly, scoring as many points as possible without considering other team members (or giving them the chance to score). This inherent aspect of competition can be seen throughout US sports teams. In China, all members of the team try to increase everyone’s reputation as a strong player, which reflects their culture’s group orientation, versus the American focus on the individual.

Reuters reports that NBA players, recruited to play on Chinese basketball teams, have begun to dominate their team’s scoring power. A CBA (Chinese Basketball Association) authority agrees that this has negatively impacted playing time for Chinese players, but also sees it making basketball in China more competitive, forcefully improving the skills of Chinese players along the way.

In a way, China is trying to balance two cultures: improving the group’s status while showing Chinese players how individualism fuels the success of international basketball teams.

“Yao Ming said the league’s low-contact style was not producing players tough enough for the international game,” which is one of the CBA’s primary goals, along with increasing China’s visibility in the sports world. At the same time, NBA recruits are reminded by the CBA that they are brought to China to help their teams develop skills, not just to show China their own talent.

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