China Impat(-riate). Civilizing tidal wave or constructive tide, which one are you?

Euphoria, culture shock, acculturation, stable state.

Psicologists and sociologists will list these four sequential phases as the habitual mind-thought and emotional evolution Expatriates experience as they land in a new culture (country) and try to adapt.

I propose more descriptive names for some of these phases. Also I believe that the last one is actually a duality of outcomes, not an individual phase:

1. The euphoria phase equals to a "traveller" state of mind: I am on a trip and all is new and wonderfull. This disposition is also quite graphically called the honeymoon phase as all is rosy, nothing is upsetting. Newly arrived Expatriates will have this kind of impression.
2. Culture shock normally happends once the Expatriate tries to settle in. The sharp contrast between their expectations and that which the country of destination can actually offer gives way to cultural mismatch and subsequent disorientation. Language barriers, bureaucracy, unknown foods and many other quotidian events normally taken for granted suddenly seem overwhelming. Ironically hardship is at the core of the Expatriate's existence...
3. Acculturation, or as I like to call it, the survival phase. By this stage Expatriates have learnt enough from local customs and available services to function and survive.
4. The frustrated Expatriate phase: he or she can carry on daily life but does not understand or accept the local conditions. This leads to an increasingly frustrated mindset. Economic conditions (on which the Expatriate hardship package is built) will eventually be outweighed by that mounting frustration until the decision is finally made to relocate.
5. The Impatriate phase: once the Expatriate has learned to cover their basic needs, they will afterwards go on to thrive through the use of cultural empathy by comprehending, effectively predicting and correctly responding to local customs. 

So...what steers one towards the Frustrated Expatriate? What do you need to become an Impatriate?

• Ethnocentricity leads to frustration. 
• Cultural relativism empowers the China Impat(-riate).

Throughout history, as countries developped, explored, sent out travelers and colonized other territories, their citizens brought along their cultural values, which of course they considered to be correct and absolute.

Indigenous people were judged civilized or un-civilized according to the perceived proximity or distance to the motherland's culture. 

To this day we still frown at some local habits and quickly sentence them as unrefined when they differ too much from our own culture or are too difficult to understand.

Admit it...what was the first thing that came to your mind when that young gentleman at the bank did not wait for his turn and simply cut the queue? Or when that elderly lady on the street spat just in front of you?

This is ethnocentricity: judging foreign civilizations according to our own cultural parameters. It leads to misscommunication, missunderstandings, distrust, dislike and a great deal of frustration.

Cultural relativism on the other hand proposes to adopt a neutral view.

Instead of being an ethnocentric judge, Expatriates should be observers of local cultures. This leads to growth, multiculturalism and to becoming an Impatriate.

This polarity of attitudes is also reflected in how foreigners view there role as factors of change for their country of adoption:

• Expatriates think of themselves as civilizing tidal waves, tsunamis that will inmediatly and drastically change -civilize- all.
• Impatriates believe they are a constructive tide that slowly and gently contributes to the improvement and growth of their adoptive culture.

Choosing between these two mindsets is relatively easy.

The difficulty latter stems from maintaining a positive view over time. 

As is the case for so many ailings affecting mankind, ignorance is the evil and knowledge is the solution.

The only way to fully comprehend, respect, contribute to and enjoy our adoptive culture is by learning about it. Impatriates must grasp the political, religious, moral and economic foundations that have shaped the local culture.

Most importantly, this rationalization process will bring comprehension were before only frustration was present. This discouragement is one of the most important reasons why Expatriates give up and decide to relocate.

Here are some common situations, which, if left misunderstood, will give way to frustration:

• At work you try to empower your associates but none seems to be willing to take the step towards growth through training and freedom of choice;
• You speak Chinese like a local, can cook dumplings and can play Majong... but you can still feel that as a foreigner you will never be totally accepted or integrated within Chinese culture;
• Everyone seems to be intent on taking advantage of you and your goodwill: the taxi driver asking for more money from foreigners than from locals; your business partner wanting to re-negotiate a clause included in a signed and sealed contract...

Follow the next China Impat(-riate) post as we set out to explain the origin of these cultural mismarriages.