October 17, 2014
Overcoming Reverse Culture Shock
Does diversity in cultures and working styles make a noticeable impact on the experience of an internship? Without a doubt, the answer is yes. For me, a student accustomed to the United States’ work culture, going back to my hometown in Hanoi, Vietnam this summer and interning at a local office of UNICEF allowed various opportunities to learn and adapt to a "new" environment. Despite having expected an international work setting well beforehand, there were still instances when I experienced difficulty, anxiety, or ambiguity at the workplace. What exactly were those situations? How did I manage to overcome the cultural gap and make the best out of unwanted situations? This presentation aims to answer these questions by providing an overview of the structure of the UNICEF office in Vietnam and the common working styles there, and discussing how the outcomes of the internship depended heavily on adapting to a specific work culture.
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