How can we adapt to new cultures when we are travelling or working aboard?

In this episode we look at culture from the perspective of being an international visitor or someone working in another culture. Being immersed in another culture gives us a unique opportunity to see how other people live. It also gives us a great opportunity to see what it feels like to be a visitor. You may find yourself leading people from different cultures, putting yourself in the position of being the visitor can be a valuable way of understanding things from their perspective.

Joining Chris and Jordy in this episode to discuss how we can better adapt to new cultures is Patrick Barrow. Patrick Barrow has been guiding around the globe for 20 years, toggling between adventure travel and outdoor education. Pat is an ACMG Hiking Guide who has worked extensively in Central Asia, Western China, Southeast Asia, Russia, the Himalayas, Australia, Europe and Canada.

This is another engaging conversation that offers practical strategies on how we can integrate into new cultures.

Key Takeaways

To adapt to new cultures, we can:

Observe: This is where we we watch behaviours and habits, looking for what is normal for them.

Integrate: This is where we participate, join in and interact on the level they are interacting in.

Manipulate: This is where we copy what people are doing, mirroring behaviours.

Amalgamate: This is where we put everything together to the point where we get a level of acceptance within the group or culture.

Respect Ego: This means being aware of not causing others to lose face by challenging their ego. Not respecting the ego of others can cause serious relationship damage.

Guest Bio

Patrick Barrow has been guiding around the globe for 20 years, toggling between adventure travel and outdoor education.

A student of anthropology, originally from Australia, Pat's path into adventure guiding came through travel. Pat has worked across Europe and Australia, parts of the Indian and Nepalese Himalaya, the Stans and the Silk Road of Central Asia and West China, jungles of South East Asia, on the Yamal Peninsular of Arctic Russia with Indigenous Reindeer Herders, and most recently Canada.

Pat’s career focus has been on facilitating formative expeditions for both youth and adults in culturally remote locations around the world. In particular living a decade between Kyrgyzstan and Russia, and guiding locally in Kyrgyzstan across the Tienshan Mountains. Guiding locally has given a unique perspective in working across cultures and what it takes to manage international teams.

In Canada Pat is an ACMG hiking guide and an Outdoor Council of Canada Instructor.

In Australia Pat has Cert IV in Outdoor Recreation, Cert IV in Outdoor Leadership, Cert IV Trainer & Assessor and is an Associate Fellow of the Academy of Extreme Environment Medicine.

Guest Links

Tengrie Expeditions: www.tengriexpeditions.com

Patrick Barrow Contact: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-barrow-83712b36

Patrick Barrow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tengriexpeditions?igsh=MTI4dnlmZTNrZWNheg==

Resource Links

Feedspot Top 30 Pacific Northwest Adventure Podcasts: Link

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