Yes.

Read more here.

If you're a new (or old) expatriate, these tips can help you to successfully manage change.

1. Get involved. Plan activities for the week, the month and the year. You need to have something to look forward to.
2. Create traditions from home. Find a BALANCE between the two cultures. Understand that including the host culture in your life does not mean you are reducing your home culture.
   
3. Manage the amount of contact with other expatriates in the country. They can be helpful, but balance is the key.
4. Learn the language as best you can. Keep your goals realistic.
5. Bring items with you which remind you of home, specifically sensory items such as sights, sounds and smells.
6. Reflect on how you have managed other transitions in your life (death, domestic moves, divorce, job change, etc.). This is life. How can you use some of the same healthy coping strategies to deal with cultural change and transition?
7. Listen more than you talk. Observe your surroundings. Listen and observe more than you describe and evaluate. This can help reduce stereotyping.
   
8. Be aware of your own cultural values, beliefs, behaviors and stereotypes. Acknowledgement of difference is the start in managing cultural differences. Differences are neither good nor bad; rather have opportunities and challenges that need to be managed.
9. Develop empathy. See it from the others person’s perspective.
10. Discuss repatriation NOW for your personal and professional life. You’ll be happy you did once you return.

This fall, I will celebrate living in Germany for 9 consecutive years and 11 altogether. Of course, over this time, I've learned more than 10 things, but thought I'd share these with you.

1. Leberwurst doesn't taste as bad as I thought it always would. As long as there are some pickles with it.
2. It is possible to have complete darkness in the bedroom at 2 p.m. thanks to outside shades.
3. Home-made air conditioning is possible and works in a solidly built German home.
4. Swimming naked is really as great as everyone says it is. I really don't like swimming suits anymore.
5. You can learn German. It's a logical language.  Well, most of the time. Handschuh = hand shoe.
6. Even when you learn German, there will still be something you don't understand. Always.
7. And if you understand it, it doesn't mean that you can actually remember how to spell it. After 9 years, I almost always speak in German but write very often in English.
8. Just when you want to cross the street on red, the 'Sei ein Vorbild für Kinder' sign stops you in your moral tracks and you wait for green.
9. I may never be able to correctly pronounce ü and u. This, as my last name is Müller, a challenge, especially when spelling my name on the phone. Jamie also proves tricky. 'Wie der Koch, wie der Koch.' = Like the cook, like the cook.

What have you learned since living abroad?

Communicating effectively across cultures as a team member or a leader takes time and practice. Lots of practice.

In case you need a reminder, here are some helpful tips to improve your communication across cultures.

1)    Decide on how formal to be. Consider the other culture’s issues of respect such as terms of address, age, manner of speech, body language, eye contact, dress, and personal space. Too much informality may be interpreted as disrespect.

2)    Don’t rush to get down to business. Establish the relationship first. For example, too often US Americans are results oriented without sensitivity to the “people” ingredient.

3)    Never assume anything.  Observe, listen, and take your cues from others. Provide clear reasons and background information for all requests or changes. The listener may not understand why you need or what you are asking for.

4)    Be aware of your verbal communication style.  Slow down and use simple words. Avoid colloquialisms or slang, particularly sports analogies. Never shout.

5)    Be empathetic. Realize that the other speaker may be having as much difficulty and frustration as you are.

6)    Be aware of your own cultural bias. Realize that each person perceives the world through the filters of his or her own cultural glasses, and that your way of seeing things is just that - your way of seeing things.

7)    Don’t be quick to judge.  Don’t jump to conclusions until you have all the information you need to understand the situation. 100% certainty can be very dangerous!

8)    Rephrase, confirm and repeat to ensure understanding. A “yes” may not mean real understanding or agreement as much as being polite. Conversely, don’t pretend to understand when you do not.

9)    Be careful with humor.  Jokes can be easily misunderstood and can do more harm than good.

10)  Be patient.  Communicating across cultures takes longer. Plan for more time needed.