Overseas Living

L. Robert Kohls opens his book, Survival Kit for Overseas Living, with a preface that reminds its reader that even if you have chosen to live your life up until now within your own culture and/or social groups people in today’s world are expected to know and be able to function within society at an intercultural level of acceptance and unity. The purpose of this book is help Americans to see what intercultural skills we already have, those that must be developed to ‘survive’, and to become aware/more aware of the biases and cultural norms we cannot expect when traveling/living abroad.
In the first chapter of this book Kohls shows the transparent nature of this book by letting us know that without help “your chances of having a really satisfying
experience abroad..(is).. one in seven” (1). However, if you follow the exercises and tips within this book you will better equipped for success and more aware of your own crippling biases.
In chapters two, three, and four of Kohls’ book we are confronted with the concept of stereotypes and how to handle them. Chapter two’s goal is to confront the concept/idea of stereotyping and tells the reader of its intrinsic qualities. It states that stereotyping is a natural phenomenon that people use to deal with things we do not regularly deal with in our everyday lives, or that would otherwise ‘overload’ our senses (5-6). Kohls after this brief explanation gives a useful exercise of writing down the stereotypes we expect to be given to us as Americans abroad. This exercise both helps us to distance ourselves and try and understand what others my see in us and leads into chapter three’s discussion of “The Stereotyped American” (Kohls 9) and fours’ discussion of how our biases, in the form of stereotypes creates egocentrism within ourselves and cripples us from seeing the beauty of other cultures and their ability/right to live different from us without being primitive; as defined in chapter 5 (14-23).
The next chapter analyses the idea of culture in terms of it being an “..integrated system of learned behavior patterns..of any given society..” (Kohls 25) and through this allows the reader to understand culture as our experiences within our society, and not simply expectations we have for ourselves and others. Kohls reminds us that there is no right or wrong way of doing things, just differences we cannot always easily understood/adjusted to. This idea continues into chapter seven where the reader is asked to compare our culture to others simply as different ways of thinking. He does this with the “Kluckhohn-Strodtbeck Model” (Kohls 32) to show the values of several well know cultures in contrast to ours.
Chapter eight presents a series of common “proverbs” (Kohls 40) and asks us to write down our own as well. This leads into chapter nine: how others see us, and how this can empower us to overcome others inevitable negative stereotypes of ourselves and understand we will not ‘get’ them either better understand our own actions and habits.
The next two chapters introduce the common American practice of always knowing why you are going before you leave. The reader is asked to set up their goals for the coming excursion, and why they took the assignment in the first place. Chapter eleven tells us this is for we can try and avoid being completely overcome with a loss of identity when we go, allowing us to remain focused on our goals instead of how difficult the transition will be. It also says to think about what we naturally levitate toward for comfort: food, people, certain landscapes/cityscapes, and places such as a library or park.
This leads into the next section of chapters/ideas: twelve, thirteen, and fourteen, which all deal with putting action to the chapters before.
Chapter twelve says to visualize yourself in your new home, and find the things that comfort you the most within it, learn the words necessary for survival on street signs and grocery stores, identify the differences from ‘home’ and try to find others who can help you learn the new landscape and culture. Next, the reader needs to learn all they can before and after arrival about the culture, tradition, and sights that are ‘must sees’. But also to make sure you are well aware of the ‘must know’ about government, your place in society, and how you should act/react in various common situations,. Such as dinner parties (59-74).
Chapter fifteen is one of the most important steps, if possible, to accomplish before moving to another country long term: learn the language. Kohls stresses the invaluable knowledge and ease one will get from really knowing the language, but also that this is difficult and states that even a few key phrases/pleasantries show respect to the host and helps to break the American stereotype of egocentrism while allowing you a greater sense of confidence in your own abilities to succeed abroad
(75-78). The next four chapters coincide into why moving overseas, or even visiting for any length of time causes fear for so many: culture shock. The section starts with a brief overview of what frustrates Americans most: lack of mobility, lack of conveniences, slow pace or life, etc. and for the natives: insensitivity, taking credit for the group, think they have all the answers, etc. are a few mentioned.
Seventeen discusses the issue of coding within a culture and how the way we view the world will inevitably cause language breakdowns/barriers. Next chapter eighteen moves into the meat and potatoes of these issues/breakdowns by introducing culture shock, allowing the reader to turn from despair at the endless issues of the past few chapters to feeling that one can overcome them through knowing the cause and how to deal with it effectively Chapter nineteen warns us not to become sensitive or angry when language barriers breakdown, or when we realize there is no way for us to easily get where we need to go: “culture shock is virtually inevitable in some degree..” (Kohls 101) Kohls states, but, as always when we are given bad news he also gives us hope with twenty “..steps..to minimize the impact..” (101). A couple of the steps can be simplified into remembering what you have read and glimpsed of society/culture in this book, and never forgetting who you are by being willing to explore what interest you most in your host country (102-108).
Chapter twenty presents the reader with a few qualities that will help them to succeed and enjoy foreign life: empathy, a sense of humor (to laugh at one’s self), tolerance of differences, and a strong sense of self, are a few of the qualities that are a must to have or develop in order to have a successful trip overseas (109-112).
Kohls then moves to how life overseas will affect the entire family unit. Several well know ‘rules’ in most countries are pointed out, such as males have preferential treatment in almost all areas of culture, and women are often seen as the possession of a male (father if single, husband/sons if married) and children must learn to study, play, and survive in a culture that is as good as an alien world or sci-fi novel to them. He warns against just expecting the family to come along, and the resentment that could follow if you bring them and then leave them to find their own way. Kohls states this will leave them feeling left without a foothold to enter the culture and they will be left to flounder into despair with a feeling of abandonment that can be prevented by simply helping them learn the new world along with you
(113-118). Kohls finishes this piece with a suggestion to become a people watcher. He says to learn the culture through its people; a good skill as most people do now know the intricacies of their culture/customs. And a warning that it is necessary when it is all over to have had someone back home that cared for your place in the office during your adventure and that you are “provided..a repatriation briefing” (Kohls 127) to help you successfully return to your home culture. In the end this book ends with a simple phrase, “Bon voyage!” (Kohls131). However, this is exactly what this book is, a good start to prepare its readers for a timeless journey. The pages of this book are both encouraging and blunt to allow the reader to understand the risks and triumphs that can be had overseas, and gives many skills and words of wisdom to help anyone succeed.

Works Cited
Kohls, L. Roberts. The Survival Kit for Overseas Living. Yarmouth, Maine: Intercultural Press, Inc, 2001. Print.