What to Pack for Your Full-Time Global Work Experience?
A List from a Former Explore Program Student
First a little bit about me: My name is Tori and I am a fourth-year political science major with a Spanish minor. I was undeclared for 3 semesters before finally settling on political science and I still consider myself to be undeclared at heart. I am currently living in Quito, Ecuador working on co-op as a Program Director at the international non-profit, Manna Project International. If you are interested specifically in my role at my co-op, you can learn more here: http://www.mannaproject.org/program-director/. Here’s the packing list I compiled based on my experience:
- An Open Mind
As an Explore Program student whose mind is already wide open to different academic paths, this packing list item should be a breeze! Working in another culture is very different from working in the US and if you come in with the same expectations, you may find yourself disappointed. For example, in Ecuadorian culture, timeliness is not as emphasized as it is in an American workplace. As a part of my job, I teach English classes and often my students will stroll in to my class a half hour late. Sometimes, the American in me gets frustrated with this and takes their tardiness as a sign that my students don’t respect me and the work I put in to prepare for class. But then I have to take a step back and remember that their culture and upbringing is not the same as mine and that it is unfair to judge them based on my American cultural values. Instead, I have learned to adjust my lesson plans to anticipate that some of my students may arrive late. I now start every class with review material so my late-comers won’t miss any new material. Working with an open mind ensures that my students do the best they can in my class!
2. An Open Stomach
Food is something that is very important to me and I see the opportunity to work abroad as an opportunity to try new exciting foods. Sometimes other cultures eat things that may seem unsavory to the American eater. For example, a very popular Ecuadorian dish is called cuy, or in English, guinea pig. I tried cuy and I thought it was okay- I didn’t hate it but I probably wouldn’t order it again. However, I was glad that I was brave enough to try an authentic dish that so many Ecuadorians adore. A more successful example would be when I tried pescado encocado, which is a very popular dish on the coast of Ecuador. It consists of a fillet of fish with a sauce made from coconut milk. I had never tried anything like that in the US so I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but from the first taste I knew it was the right choice! It was absolutely delicious- everyone at my table had food envy! For this exact reason, I always think it’s helpful to come to another culture with an open stomach- you never know what foods you might discover!
3. Something from Home
Homesickness is almost inevitable when living in another culture and I think it is important to be prepared for when it hits. One way to battle homesickness is to maintain hobbies or activities that you regularly did in the United States. When my head is spinning from too much Spanish and I am craving some good old Vermont cheddar (the cheese in Ecuador is a huge disappointment to me and a common source of homesickness), I like to have some alone time in my room and watch American shows on Netflix. For the hour I am watching Desperate Housewives (they have it on Netflix here!), I am able to forget about the stresses of being away from my home and culture. That type of mental break is essential to combating homesickness when it strikes. Netflix is my “something from home”, but others I know continue their workout routines, read books in English, or practice yoga. I think the key is to identify what your thing will be before you come to your new country, and then make sure that you have the things you need to continue your hobby.
4. Research, Research, and More Research
This item is something I wish I had thought more about before coming to Ecuador. The more you know about the country you are going to, the easier it will be to adapt to that culture. Arriving to a new environment can be overwhelming, there are a lot of differences to process. For me, since I am only living in Ecuador for 5 months, I found myself very stressed out about all the things I need to do and see before I come home. I think if I had done more research about Ecuador before I arrived, I could have hit the ground running when I got here, which would have relieved some of that stress. Another preparation I would suggest would be to try to learn at least the basics of your country’s main language. Luckily, I have a Spanish minor so I was mostly prepared for all the Spanish that my job entails. But even if your job does not require any foreign language competency, I still think it is a good idea to practice the basics before you get to your country. This will make everyday activities like ordering coffee or trying to find a public bathroom significantly easier!
5. Excitement!
Going into your full-time global work experience with a positive attitude can make all of the difference! I know that immersing yourself in a new culture can be a bit scary, but ultimately it is the opportunity of a lifetime and will give you memories that you will remember forever!