How to make cultural shifts

Culture is something that we often take for granted. Just like the air we breathe; we are not aware of its importance until it is threatened. We are not aware that our intake of air is threatened until we have difficulty breathing. Think of the last time that you were stuffy because of a cold. You tried to find relief in so many ways. You may have tried rubbing your nose, blowing your nose but to no avail. Maybe you tried using some Vicks, taking some cough medicine, or doing a face steam; by acting, that’s when relief came. According to the Oxford dictionary “Culture is the customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social organization of a particular country or group.”

Similarly, when a person lives in their own country, naturally, they know the norms and customs of their country. There is a certain level of comfort, knowing that everyone and everything around them is familiar. Each day is like the day before, there is hardly any surprise. They know exactly how the day is going to go. When they immigrate to a new country. The familiar gets replaced with new learnings and new experiences. It is no longer safe to assume that they know what is going to happen. Each day is filled with new surprises. 

There are several things that are different in the new country. Such as:

• Language
• Food
• Customs 

Language

In this new environment, the language and terminology are different. Let’s take an eraser also called a rubber in some circles. Erasers are used to erase mistakes which are made while writing. For example, you are using a pencil and writing some figures. Inadvertently, you write 6 instead of 3. You would use an eraser to take out the 6 and write 3 instead. I remember one day I was using a pencil and writing some figures. I made a mistake and wrote the wrong numeral. I went to the reception area which had about 4-5 persons, and asked my coworker “May I borrow your rubber, please?” My other coworkers looked at me in confusion, they didn’t have a clue as to what I was asking. Thankfully, one of them was from Newfoundland. She handed me the eraser. She then told me a story about how when she was in grade 12 in Toronto, a young man asked another student if he had a rubber. She said the student turned red in the face and said “it’s in my locker. I will give it to you after school”. The student thought the young man was requesting a condom. 

Food

Going to the supermarket to look for food takes on a whole new meaning. How does one get the food that they are used to eating and which they took for granted? I remember that when we came to Canada finding familiar food was difficult. Nothing says home like the food that one eats. We came to a small city, as such, most of the food options that would be available in a bigger city were missing from our palette. I remember trying to find LaSoy milk at the supermarket or even cho-cho to make some soup. I found turnip, carrots, and a few other vegetables. I went to another supermarket and found the cho-cho by another name – Chayote Squash. Transitioning to a new culture and country takes time and effort. Be patient as you will get there. So many things are new, the people, the places, the customs. Being aware and appreciative of other people’s cultures will go a long way in ensuring a smoother transition. 

Customs

For example, in Jamaica and other places if a coworker passes you in the morning without a word of greeting, it is safe to say that both of you have “beef” or a disagreement. Whereas in Canada, persons will pass you without a word of greeting, without there being underlying issues. This was strange to me. Another thing is the looseness of the F-word, especially for younger employees. It came as a surprise the flexibility with which everything warranted the F-word. I mean everything and it doesn’t matter that it’s in the workplace. Of course, we are not condoning that type of unprofessional behaviour but to ensure that we prepare you for some things that you may experience and to minimize your culture shock.

Cultural Shifts

There are some cultural shifts that need to be made for a successful transition. Here are a few:

1. Recognizing that each culture is different – the norms and behaviours in your culture are not the same in a new culture. Sure, some things remain the same but in other ways, they are different. For example, being on time. In the more laid-back Caribbean, African, and Latin American cultures, time is something to be experienced. Whereas in North American culture there is an emphasis on being on time, in fact, being on time means being there ahead of the required time. For instance, if a meeting is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and you arrive at 3:00 p.m. it could be seen that you are not on time as the preference is that you were to have been there some minutes to the hour so that the meeting could begin promptly at 3:00 p.m.
2. Hierarchical structure of organizations – in some cultures the structure of organizations is more hierarchical; this means there are several layers before one gets to the person at the top. In a number of North American cultures, the organizational structure tends to be flatter. This means that there are more responsibilities for a manager or supervisor and there are not so many people between the position of receptionist and CEO.
3. In North America, titles and prefixes are not used in the same way. For instance, in our Caribbean context, we would use Ms. Mrs. Dr. etc. In the new country, people are addressed by their first names. In some instances, you may not even be aware of your coworker’s last name. Whereas, in the Caribbean context, because we use the person’s title and their last name, we may not be aware of their first name. Of course, each organization is different, see how the employees relate to each other and follow their lead.
4. Give yourself time to explore and become familiar with your new surroundings. If you can, go for a walk to the supermarket, so that you can become familiar with the names of the items and where they can be found. You will also know the layout of the supermarket for when you need to make a shopping trip. Who knows, you may just meet a new friend.
5. Immerse yourself in the culture – volunteer with organizations. If you have school aged children, volunteer at their school. One thing I have noticed about Canada is that they are always looking for volunteers. You can volunteer at the local library, local hospital, animal shelter, as well as a host of other organizations. By immersing oneself in the culture, you get to meet new people and get to understand how the system works.

Small beginnings

As immigrants, it can be challenging to settle in the new culture. Embracing the new – food, friends, work environment, can be downright perplexing. We sometimes wonder if it is worth it. Especially since sometimes one must start at a lower level than the position one occupied in their home country. In several instances, one must change jobs and industries. Try something new until what you really want becomes available. A Jamaican proverb says, “one one coco full basket”. This means small efforts will reap big rewards.

Most people are aware that upon migrating, they will be starting over. Some people take the time to prepare while others do not prepare at all. They get into full blown culture shock. There needs to be a level of understanding to say “Why did I come here and what do I hope to achieve?”. If one loses sight of the overall goal, it is easy to become disheartened and discouraged. However, by focusing on the goal, a person can spend some time creating the strategy that will get them to their destination. 

Culturally speaking, looking at and appreciating another person’s culture and values will help us to become team players. If we focus on our culture and think that our culture is somehow superior to that of others, we stand to miss out on important learnings and opportunities for growth. Intermingling with others and sharing some things that make our culture unique, will help us to add diversity to the work environment. Research shows that companies that value diversity are more innovative and can command a greater market share (BCG diversity and innovation survey, 2017). As immigrants, it is our responsibility to ensure that we bring all of ourselves to work so that the work environment can become a more culturally friendly place.

Leaving Legacies

As immigrants we must ensure that we keep our culture alive so that we can pass it on to the next generation. Cherish the positive things about one’s culture. Being intentional means taking deliberate action in what we do. Some customs are worth keeping. For instance, in Jamaica, Sundays would not be complete without rice and peas and chicken for dinner. Another custom is to greet persons that you are seeing for the first time. In some organizations, people just pass each other without a word of greeting. In our Caribbean culture, we teach that manners and respect does not cost anything, so we give it freely. A cheery greeting to a coworker or customer does not hurt anyone. In fact, it does so much good as it can be the foundation for creating connections and relationships.

A few weeks ago, my girls were reminiscing about the things they enjoy doing whenever they visit Jamaica. Surprisingly, one of the things that stands out to them is the fact that once we arrive at the airport. I usually leave them with the suitcases and dash across the road to buy some coconut water and cane. Nothing says “Welcome to Jamaica” like a cold coconut jelly. For them, it was the small things that they enjoyed. Things such as buying donuts from the guys on the street or as my younger daughter said “Mommy, when next we go to Jamaica, we need to buy jerk chicken”. I said, “Sure, we can go to Liguanea and get it.” She said “It doesn’t have to be Liguanea, anywhere will do. I just love street food!”

As you think about your culture, what are some things that you need to pass on to the next generation? If you are not intentional about leaving a legacy, then your children will not appreciate and value the rich culture that they are a part of. That would be a tragedy. Especially for those of us whose forefathers had to fight for our freedom and expression of our culture. 

Embracing the new culture

Integrating in the new culture is of utmost importance if we are to survive and thrive in the new country. Look at the things that are good and choose those. For example, Canadians take pride in their surroundings, as such there is hardly any trash on the street. There are bins on the road for persons to dispose of their garbage. In addition, each community usually has a natural area or trail that people can walk on while appreciating their natural surroundings.

They are also polite in that they form lines when they are boarding the bus. They are caring and willing to assist the less fortunate. For instance, when Fort McMurray residents had to leave the city due to the wildfire of May 3, 2016. Businesses and other individuals were so willing to assist the displaced residents. Businesses provided discounts for Fort McMurray residents and the ordinary citizens were willing to share their homes with total strangers. As part of their focus on community, they value volunteerism and giving back to others who are less fortunate than themselves.

Being culturally aware is important and integral to successful transition. For this to happen, immigrants need to make cultural shifts from their previous culture to that of the new country. Intentionally valuing the best of both cultures is a wise move.

*Stock image provided by Pixabay.