It is always a great deal to travel continents and to adjust to new environments and new people, new manners and new cultural trends. The key element is "to adjust". It is never easy but with every bit of new information that you get about the world around you, you enrich yourself spiritually, you become more cultured and above all a better human. However, at the initial phase, in spite of all odds, travelling to different countries does bring about its dose of comfort.
Where's the comfort in stumbling on "Namaste", "hello", "ciumripsua", "hola", "como estas", "as salaamu alaykum", "ram ram" and what not? All at the same time when every bit of your mind wants to make friends in your own native language... Adjusting to new cultures is just about as comforting and equally challenging as reinventing yourself, which is always fun.
1) Say "hello".
When you get stuck at "hello" and do not literally speak sign language, then do be considerate and salute with a non-verbal gesture and mumble a hello in your own language. Your clumsiness will be overlooked. How to use body language to greet other people? Try this; slightly raise your arm to the level of your forehead, open your palm and show it to your interlocutor, smile and engage into a cheerful, semi-flexible nod of your head.
For an extra bling, HERE is a quick video of how to verbally say " hello" in different languages. You may choose whichever seems appropriate.
I always communicate better in my native language and yes I do believe my best interlocutor so far is my grey furry Russian Blue cat. Who talks back at me, cheeky fellow. He doesn't mind one bit if instead of a polite hello I lure him into friendship by offering a bite of chicken nuggets, and we're friends for the day. Did I just mention non-veg? Oh, pardon me.
2) Eating.
When invited for lunch/ dinner, play it safe and find out which are the delicacies you should NOT bring.
HERE is a list of eating habits around the world.
Yes, do be considerate and play it on the safe side. Not everyone on this planet has the same eating habits as yours and bringing a meat delicacy when invited over for dinner may turn your good intentions into a total fiasco. Yes, multicultural societies do have the charm of mixing the unexpected cultural differences. Accepting the differences make you a better human being. You cannot be a douche-bag and bring alcoholic drinks, meat products, and you may definitely not offer your host a smoke.
3) What to wear?
Well, eventually it is all up to you. However, you may want to take into consideration other people's reactions to whatever you are wearing. If the society is traditional, then it may be a good option to wear something that makes sense to them and dress in that looser dress, wear the funny trousers, cover your hair and not wear shorts and spaghetti tops in front of the elders. It is always a bonus to figure out on which level of society you want to position yourself and stick to that.
4) Found your soul-mate?
Aaah, you'd better take a dive into the social manners and give it a second thought. Some societies prioritise marriage over love while others see love as a means of existence. Some cultures have adamant family bonds, and you should consider living with the in-laws as member of a joint family, before thinking to marry her/him. And in some other cultures, the society lands you over their minors into marriage for a small, lifetime, remuneration. Do not get confused. Let me repeat that: do not get confused.
Meanwhile, HERE are few ways in which you can say "I love you" in different languages.
5) Talking business.
You've probably noticed by now that as a foreigner, wherever you go, there might be at least one or two "locals" interested in your monetary disposition. In case you're up to do some business, big or small and are willing to invest or to become a link in a chain of transactions, it is always a good idea to have a very clear understanding of what people are telling you. It is impetuous that you either know the language or hire a translator.
HERE is a link to a translation platform which might come in handy. Apparently, this service offers to translate everything from your love letters to your legal business documents.
6) Bargaining.
Where I come from, people do not have the habit of bargaining. It is perceived as rude or too ridiculous to be taken into consideration. However, trade manners are not as stable as I would personally like them to be and many times I find negotiation to be a tad difficult for the little ol' me to deal with. Especially that I'm a shy person who happens to be awful at math and not great at saving money either. But, as there is always a but, when it comes to cross-cultural adjusting, personal rules are meant to be bent for survival purposes.
HERE is a link to an excellent read in case you are looking to polish your negotiation skills.
7) The solitude of an expat.
If you are a woman trying to adjust to a new cultural surrounding, then the first issue that comes to any sane mind, is safety. To that extent, I would personally suggest applying the old saying " when in Rome act like the Romans." However, general precautions which are of common sense should always apply, don't go out alone late at night, don't drink with strangers, dress appropriately and choose your friends wisely.
As a man, do choose your friends wisely, and keep the company of benevolent comrades.
Oh, and for the cherry on top, make sure you have easy access to a phone, enough cash, safe accommodation, and make sure you know where your embassy is and how to reach them in the case of an emergency.
