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Sunday, April 28, 2002
Working overseas an option for engineers in energy field
By K. PICA KAHN
Employment Correspondent
Many engineers in the energy field are going abroad to find work. The perks are good and the adventure of it all draws many.
When Fran Gladstone got married, she wore a simple flowing cotton dress and he wore a serape. They married in Bali and had a reception in the American embassy there. They spent their honeymoon climbing to the base camp of Mt. Everest.
She was the daughter of a diplomat living abroad, and he was an engineer working in a foreign country.
It seemed natural for them to live in another country, and so when he was offered a job in Saudi Arabia, he moved his wife Susan and their two small children and all of their belongings for a four-year stint in the country.
"We experienced wonderful moments," said Susan, daughter of a diplomat who spent early years abroad. "The kids went to the American school and had friends from all over the world. We celebrated birthdays and Christmas and holidays of other countries, and we were happy. Growing up overseas was a gift my family gave to me.
"I think this is the gift that I am giving my children as well. They are so tolerant and accepting of others, and once when we were visiting my parents, my 7-year-old asked me what country we were in. He divides the world like that."
"My children learned about other cultures and other countries," said Susan. "As the daughter of a diplomat, I grew up all over the world. I wasn't sure where Ohio was when I moved back to the States after I was married."
Cultural awareness
But relocating abroad is not all adventure. It can be very disorienting and nerve-wracking for those who are not familiar with other cultures.
"One of the most important things is to understand their cultural values," said Jan O'Brien, intercultural consultant and also president of SIETAR Houston (Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research). "When my husband and I first went to live overseas, I had no one to tell me anything. They just handed us our airline tickets and sent us on our way.
"As both the wife of an engineer who lived abroad and a cross-cultural trainer, O'Brien understands first-hand the challenges of moving overseas.
"For the employee the greatest challenge can be learning to do business effectively in another culture, especially in situations where business practices are different from our own. For example, in American culture we value equality and we prefer to consider ourselves to be everyone's equal.
"Relationships are more casual and even the `boss' gets his or her own coffee at the office. In contrast, there are many cultures in which there is a much greater distance between the subordinate and the superior, and relationships are conducted accordingly. Deference and respect are expected and accepted."
For the accompanying spouse, the challenge can be that of isolation and loss of identity. The spouse has to build up his or her support system by making new friends, learning how to cope with everyday life in a new country, learning a new language, and generally dealing with many of the settling-in issues alone. In addition, if the accompanying spouse is in a situation where they have given up their job in order to relocate, they may feel the need to recreate their "identity" outside of the workplace.
Do your homework
"For a family relocating overseas, I would suggest learning as much as possible about the new country before relocating," said O'Brien. "This can be done by reading travel books, watching videos, and even reading literature written by authors from the host country. An introduction to the language is also extremely useful.
"However, by far the most helpful would be to attend a cultural orientation program (cross-cultural training program) if the employee's company is willing to offer such a program. These are usually one, or two-day events facilitated by cross-cultural trainers and country experts. During these programs, the family will learn key facts and information about the host country, how to set up a household and deal with everyday living including children's issues and schooling.
"They will also examine the different cultural characteristics of the host culture, compare and analyze their own cultural characteristics, and develop strategies for working and communicating according to those cultural differences. Issues of relocation stress and coping strategies are also addressed and can be of tremendous help."
According to O'Brien, people from the United States value individualism and independence, proud to let others know of personal achievements, happy to stand out in a crowd. Yet at the same time they highly value individual privacy.
In contrast, many other cultures are less concerned with their own individuality. The emphasis is on their belonging to, and their role within their extended families, their group, their team, their village, their company.
Loyalty to the group is paramount and affects all aspects of society. In a business environment for example, it would be preferable to publicly praise and give recognition to a group or team of employees rather than single out an individual for a job well done.
"It is also important to build a relationship before selling a product or an idea. Building trust is more important than a better price. Creating the relationship is vital to success in many countries. These are the things that would help people to know about before moving blindly to another culture to work and to live," O'Brien said.
"When relocating overseas, my own personal advice would be to go with an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to enjoy a world full of wonderful people and enriching experiences that will benefit you for the rest of your life."
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