Adjusting to the host culture was not as difficult as I had initially anticipated. I think already being an international student helped me to adjust and has equipped me for being in a new place. I am accustomed to being new and feeling different and this helped my assimilation process. To be honest I was not it a lot of culture shock. I expected there to be certain similarities between the culture in London and my home culture of Jamaica and there were. There was a sense of directness in communication that was similar to my culture which felt familiar but still had its own u uniqueness.
My internship is what really allowed me the most interaction and immersion with the host culture. Interacting with my coworkers as well as the clients of the organization was interesting and educational. I worked at a charity who helped people in vulnerable situations and circumstances. I made calls to clients and attended a few events. Many of these conversations involved people sharing their circumstances and struggles. I don’t think these would be the the most accurate or objective interactions to use but they did give me insight into how the culture deals with hardship in a sense. I also learnt about the difference struggles people in the UK are facing.
I think that this experience has further shaped and strengthened my cultural competence. Living, learning and working with different people has broadened my perspective. I think someone my London would see my experience as a good introduction but still limited. I think a lot more time and exploration would be necessary to get a full feel for the culture and place. Many of my coworkers were even interested why I chose London as they didn’t see it as a very exciting place. It is all relative and as with anywhere so many factors can determine how you view and experience a place. I think this experience further reinforced the importance of being open to new experiences and interactions with people from all walks of life. Experiencing the big and small of a new city was an eye opening experience. It allowed me to appreciate the new place I was in as well as aspects of all the places I have been. I think having to take public transportation and being able to walk made learn, observe, and immerse with locals and in different neighborhoods.