employer handbook - Council on International Educational Exchange

Adjusting to Life
in the USA
Adjusting to a new culture and way of
life will be both an exciting and challenging
task for your international
workers. Your workers should not be
surprised to experience some highs
and lows during their time in the US.
They have taken on an adventure of a
lifetime and moved to a new environment,
which may seem strange and
difficult at times. At the same time,
these cultural differences are often the
reason that we all love to travel – to
experience the unknown!
While CIEE does not expect you to
serve as a counselor for participants,
we thought it would be helpful for you
to have some basic information that
may prove valuable to your workers
who may be experiencing feelings of
homesickness or culture shock.
Stages of Cultural Adjustment
While everyone responds differently
when adjusting to a new culture, there
are typically three stages that most
people go through.
1. Participants will probably experience
an initial period of excitement
and happiness, due to new things
around them. They will be constantly
reminded that they are in a
new culture and are many miles
from home.
2. As participants adjust to the
routine of daily life, that initial
sense of adventure will wear off. They
may even find that their new life in
the US can be quite ordinary and
dull at times – just like at home!
During this phase, they may start
to miss their friends and families at
home – wishing things in the US
were more similar to their home
country. They may find it hard to
keep a positive attitude and to
keep up with their routines. They
may be tempted to withdraw
from people around them and
even simple things may seem like
an ordeal. At this point, it may be
helpful to remind your participants
that this phase doesn’t last too long.
3. The second stage should soon give
way to the third and most rewarding
phase – their true adjustment
to American culture. Once the
values and characteristics of people
in the US become more familiar to
your international workers, day to
day life for them will become
easier. They will find it easier to
immerse themselves in American
life and they will begin to
experience the culture in a way that
would never be possible if they
were just tourists traveling for a few
weeks.
If you notice one of your international
workers seeming to struggle through
these stages of cultural adjustment,
you may wish to recommend the
following “survival skills”:
• Stay positive
• Give yourself a chance
• Try not to withdraw from your American
friends, co-workers, or <strong>employer</strong>.
Make a special effort to have fun
and most importantly, remember all
of the reasons that brought you to
the US in the first place.
• Be open and friendly, and people
will respond likewise
• Maintain a sense of humor and an
open mind. Keep in mind that even
the most extraordinary experience
will make an entertaining story
at home that is sure to make your
family, friends, and even you, laugh
someday!
For some participants, these basic tips
may not be adequate to help them
get through this adjustment period.
If you have any more serious concerns
about the welfare of your workers,
please direct these participants
to contact CIEE’s Customer Service
Center at 888-COUNCIL (888-268-6245)
or via email at contact@ciee.org. Also,
please do not hesitate to contact us
yourself if you feel that one of your
workers needs our assistance.
Account Support for CIEE
Employers
If you have hired your students using
a CIEE service (CIEE Road Show, CIEE
Recruit or CIEE Direct), we offer you an
online support service. Please follow
this link to report any non-emergency
situations: http://www.ciee.org/hire/
support/
Procedures for Changing
Employers/Hiring
Participants for a
Second Job
Participants must receive permission
from CIEE, in the form of a letter, before
changing <strong>employer</strong>s. This policy
helps us better regulate where each
participant is working, as well as pro-
viding more assurance to <strong>employer</strong>s
that participants will meet their agreed
upon employment obligations.
If you are looking to hire a student
who is changing <strong>employer</strong>s or seeking
a second job, direct them to contact
CIEE to secure permission authorizing
them to work for you as a second
<strong>employer</strong>. This process will protect the
interest of the original <strong>employer</strong> and
make sure that both <strong>employer</strong>s, the
participant, and CIEE are in agreement
with the new situation. The original
<strong>employer</strong>’s (or CIEE’s) name will remain
on the DS-2019 form.
If a student leaves your company
to look for another job without your
consent, please contact CIEE as soon
as possible at 888-COUNCIL (888-268-
6245) and we will address the situation.
Staying in Touch with
Your Workers
One of the most rewarding aspects of
hiring international workers is the opportunity
to build a worldwide network
of acquaintances. With email, keeping
in touch with people in all corners of
the world is easy to do. Be sure to exchange
email addresses and even telephone
numbers with your international
workers as their time with you ends.
You will be amazed at how enjoyable
it can be to keep track of how your
workers’ lives unfold. And, you may
even end up with a place to stay the
next time you’re in Bangkok, Warsaw,
or Lima!
8 <strong>Council</strong> on International Educational Exchange Work & Travel USA
9