Question

3-Janice Davis, a marketing representative for a U.S. firm, was looking forward to her assignment in Japan because she had visited the country on one occasion. However, her anticipation quickly turned to frustration. Because all stores signs were in Japanese, she didn’t know where to buy even a broom. Directions and instructions for using appliances were in Japanese. Question: How could Janice have better prepared herself for the cultural shock she experienced?

Answer 1

Ans: Janice should have used the below tips to better prepare herself for the cultural shock that she experienced after moving to Japan:

• Preparing by reading about the destination - She should have learnt about what’s different about doing all the basic things she did every day like, ordering food, basic etiquette, simple social rules, and basic language: greetings, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, etc.

• Ask around for a local contact - She should have checked with friends, family, or a colleague who may have travelled to Japan earlier and found out details of living and working there. Check, if they had a local contact who could have helped Janice during the initial days after her arrival.

• Befriend, be friendly, and observe - She could have been friendly to anyone she met and tried to greet them in their local language. People usually help others who make an effort.

• Be patient and gentle - As with many other types of stress, culture shock affects the traveler both physically and emotionally. It’s important to take a moment and be patient with herself and with others if she was feeling the effects of culture shock.