Introduction

This document is part of larger project to bring the reality and theory of culture together. At its core it the website www.culturalcompetence.eu. The model used has the size of groups as its starting point, ranging from very large groups through larger and smaller groups to the individual.

The focus of this e-book is on the individual confrontation with another national culture. This is discussed on the basis of the time spent abroad: duty trip, (student) exchange and expat assignment. Such a division coincides with the increasing requirements for dealing with the experienced differences. Other reasons for travelling, such as holidays are not mentioned.

A wider discussion of dealing with cultural differences may be found in the e-book on cultural competence (Culture 10). It discusses more than national cultures, it outlines the learning processes and highlights the integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Overview

The first part discusses the three different forms of staying abroad, mentioned above (duty trip, exchange and expat assignment) and in addition the idea of living abroad (possibly permanent).

Some aspects are then discussed in some more detail: preparation, culture shock, dealing with cultural differences, the impact of history and the role of experience in handling situations in the guest country.