Have you ever experienced culture shock? What did it mean to you?

Sample One

I was thrilled to be assigned to a project performing due diligence for a merger of a client company in the Middle East. I had spent two semesters abroad while in college, in Spain and in Singapore, and I welcomed the opportunity to broaden my horizons further. However, when I arrived in Dubai I realized that the standards of behavior I had become accustomed to were not standard. For example, in a meeting with my colleagues at the client company, I started discussion by suggesting some changes to our analysis. I noticed that our clients were uncomfortable, so I steered the conversation in another direction. Afterwards I spoke with a colleague who was more accustomed to working in the Middle East and he advised me that treating clients with extreme respect was the normal behavior. While in our practice in New York City we were used to presenting our opinions directly, it was better to speak with the client privately about any concerns rather than bringing them up openly in a meeting. Along with the rough beginning with our client team, I found other cultural differences to adjust to. While I knew that more conservative dress would be important in a business context, I was not prepared for the attention I would attract by wearing a fairly typical western style cocktail dress in Dubai. Particularly if we ventured outside the city center, I became acutely uncomfortable when men would stare openly at any bare skin that was revealed. To avoid standing out, I took the simple step of buying a few more demure, but still attractive, evening dresses. Despite the learning curve, I quickly became comfortable in Dubai and made friends with both other ex-pats and local professionals. During prayers at night I loved to walk by the Jumeirah Mosque and observe the beauty of people worshipping together. My time in Dubai taught me to remain flexible in my behavior and to enjoy the differences in the world. Tip #X: Showcase Global Awareness without Global work experience