An experience I was confused by and had to adjust to in London was going for coffee runs and breaks at my internship at least 2 times a day. On my first day at my internship, I noticed that everyone would go on a snack or coffee break whenever they pleased and they didn’t really have to ask for permission. I don’t know if that is how the culture is in other British companies but my internship company allowed and promoted these behaviors. I had to adjust to this because I had never had a job where I could leave and go get food whenever I pleased except during lunch or after work once I was done. People in the office enjoyed taking their breaks and would usually invite others to join them which promoted team culture.
My perspective on this experience was very positive because I believe that it overall helped the company and employees work together better. In the US, the culture in most offices is usually very serious and has a work-oriented focus. At my internship company, most people got along very well and worked together easily. They also knew how to relax and have meaningful conversations which made the dynamic better in the office. However, it is a time-consuming experience that some people may abuse because of the liberty of the experience, but I think that when people have less pressure, they work better. I was able to learn a lot about my coworkers and built more professional connections during these little breaks because we weren’t only focused on our work but also on our interests and goals.
Someone from my host culture would probably view my experience as incredible because it’s an experience that not all people are able to do. I met a British girl at a restaurant with my study abroad friends and told her about our experiences so far. She responded by telling us how amazing and grateful we should all be because she wished she could study in America. She explained that she’s always wanted to go to the US but was too worried about getting hurt or sick while abroad because she knew that health care was not free and actually very expensive. My friends and I were actually quite surprised because we never thought that could be a reason that people are unable to study or visit the US.
These reflections prepare me to respond to future cultural misunderstandings and conflicts by recognizing and acting accordingly from the knowledge that I have acquired and approaching and identifying the roles that vary across cultures with respect. When presented with a cultural conflict that I have not experienced before, I will stay open-minded and observe first without acting. I will also try and be as prepared as I can before traveling abroad by doing research online so that I don’t experience as many cultural misunderstandings. I will try to learn and observe different cultures that I encounter at home in order to expand my cultural intelligence.