Before arriving, some people:

• learn enough language for basic conversation
• read about the new culture,
• are naturally more sensitive and perceptive to the feelings and reactions of the people around them,
• have the ability to ask more insightful questions,
• have thick skins while being very accepting of different situations, and/or,
• have already learnt another culture as an adult so are better equipped to appreciate cultural differences.

Culture is too complex and all-inclusive to allow you to anticipate specific questions and problems. No matter how helpful a written guide is, it cannot fully replace a person who can help solve problems as they arise.

You need a support person or group of friends to whom you can ask questions with whom you can share your joys and frustrations. A support group might be a group of peers with whom you are simply good friends. A mentor is one or more individuals who will monitor and help your adjustment process. For this reason, if people are left to their own resources, married couples tend to support each other and survive more easily than do many single people.

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