Cross-Cultural Training
Mar 14th 2008, 5:50 am
#16
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2007
Location: O.C. CA
Posts: 3,694
Re: Cross-Cultural Training
I wonder if they will tell you things like... When invited to a Cookie/Gift exchange Party by one of your neighbours, Hubby's aren't invited!! Would have saved alot of embarressment for me and Himself... 
Mar 14th 2008, 6:36 am
#17
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: Cross-Cultural Training
Hi,
Jumping doris - that's really interesting what you say about your children doing English as a foreign language classes. Was that something that is permenant, or just for a short while? Is that typical, do you think? I was wondering how the school treat the fact that the UK kids will spell things so differently - or is that pretty much the least of the kid's issues in moving across?
Jumping doris - that's really interesting what you say about your children doing English as a foreign language classes. Was that something that is permenant, or just for a short while? Is that typical, do you think? I was wondering how the school treat the fact that the UK kids will spell things so differently - or is that pretty much the least of the kid's issues in moving across?
We are in SW PA but I've heard of other expat children in different states being offered it.
Some of the children in the group didn't have english as their first language so it was a big thing for them.
They were taught obvious (for them) things like pavement = sidewalk but they did cover less obvious things.
They had to spell the US way from almost day one or they lost marks.
My children were 10, 14 and 16 when we moved...all girls. They found school baffling at first because it was so different. So much is taught differently that they thought they didn't understand and it was a while before they caught on to the new methods and realised it was all the same after all.
Some things like American history and literature, they had never done.
Where we live everyone does masses of extra curricular stuff, mostly sporty...we're not sporty and we need a car to get anywhere. My children were used to lots more free time and being able to hop on buses and trains and go into Liverpool (the two oldest).
My eldest found it hardest but none of us found it easy because life here is more different than you expect.
Mar 14th 2008, 6:48 am
#18
I approved this message
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,425
Re: Cross-Cultural Training
Tips for Brits:
- Duelly= pick-up truck with four wheels on one axle in the back
- Tom Petty = deeply revered
- The south and the southwest are two very distinct areas. Texas is a whole 'nother thing.
- Learn the phrase "whole nother"
- Avoid stamping parties or any reference to scrapbooking
- "Down by two, they're going for it on fourth down and eight on the 45 with 18 seconds left. Offense has four out wide and they're going with the 'gun. Defense has the dime package in.": this makes sense to American men and in fact causes great excitement
- Americans, on the whole, do not understand bread
- If you've never heard of a beer, it's probably good
- Comforter = duvet
- Duelly= pick-up truck with four wheels on one axle in the back
- Tom Petty = deeply revered
- The south and the southwest are two very distinct areas. Texas is a whole 'nother thing.
- Learn the phrase "whole nother"
- Avoid stamping parties or any reference to scrapbooking
- "Down by two, they're going for it on fourth down and eight on the 45 with 18 seconds left. Offense has four out wide and they're going with the 'gun. Defense has the dime package in.": this makes sense to American men and in fact causes great excitement
- Americans, on the whole, do not understand bread
- If you've never heard of a beer, it's probably good
- Comforter = duvet
Last edited by Hiro11; Mar 14th 2008 at 6:53 am.
Mar 14th 2008, 6:55 am
#19
And YOU'RE paying for it!
Joined: May 2007
Location: kipper tie?
Posts: 2,328
Mar 14th 2008, 6:57 am
#20
Riding on silver wings
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,543
Re: Cross-Cultural Training
Tips for Brits:
- Duelly= pick-up truck with four wheels on one axle in the back
- Tom Petty = deeply revered
- The south and the southwest are two very distinct areas. Texas is a whole 'nother thing.
- Learn the phrase "whole nother"
- Avoid stamping parties or any reference to scrapbooking
- "Down by two, they're going for it on fourth down and eight on the 45 with 18 seconds left. Offense has four out wide and they're going with the 'gun. Defense has the dime package in.": this makes sense to American men and in fact causes great excitement
- Americans, on the whole, do not understand bread
- If you've never heard of a beer, it's probably good
- Comforter = duvet
- Duelly= pick-up truck with four wheels on one axle in the back
- Tom Petty = deeply revered
- The south and the southwest are two very distinct areas. Texas is a whole 'nother thing.
- Learn the phrase "whole nother"
- Avoid stamping parties or any reference to scrapbooking
- "Down by two, they're going for it on fourth down and eight on the 45 with 18 seconds left. Offense has four out wide and they're going with the 'gun. Defense has the dime package in.": this makes sense to American men and in fact causes great excitement
- Americans, on the whole, do not understand bread
- If you've never heard of a beer, it's probably good
- Comforter = duvet
Mar 14th 2008, 7:11 am
#22
Riding on silver wings
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,543
Re: Cross-Cultural Training
Not necessarily. Perhaps they are 30 yards away from the goal line with that down. If they make a 4th down conversion to keep their hopes alive then all is good. Also there may be that many seconds left in the first quarter, second, and so forth. You've gotta state the quarter to make it relevant. I know I'm being anal. Just giving you a little 411 on it. However I do have to give you kudos for mastering the jargon. Well done!
Mar 14th 2008, 9:34 am
#23
L2, GC, Surrey, OH, TX!
Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Surrey to Dallas (via Ohio)!
Posts: 6,363
Re: Cross-Cultural Training
we did the training about 3 weeks after we got here on the visa. the househounting was 1 week only and too busy to spare 2 whole days then.
Mar 14th 2008, 9:59 am
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 42
Re: Cross-Cultural Training
There are plenty of things the average British person could learn about American culture in a real cross-cultural training program. Plenty of apparently well-intentioned British people make really jarring or ignorant statements, especially when it comes to race/language/history, because they are not familiar with the culture.
Edit: although to be fair, the same could also be said for many Americans!
Edit: although to be fair, the same could also be said for many Americans!
Mar 15th 2008, 3:43 am
#25
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 57
Re: Cross-Cultural Training
I'd say go for it, it would be interesting.
I read a good book after been out her for a year. I forget what it was called now. Something like ‘Culture shock’ it was well worth the read, it explained a lot of stuff I didn’t understand e.g. friends in the US and things like parties and expected social behaviour.
It would have been worth reading before I came out.
I read a good book after been out her for a year. I forget what it was called now. Something like ‘Culture shock’ it was well worth the read, it explained a lot of stuff I didn’t understand e.g. friends in the US and things like parties and expected social behaviour.
It would have been worth reading before I came out.
