Designing your life in the United States
Moving cross-culturally is a challenge filled with opportunities. This course is designed for you to learn new information and tools to build a successful life in the US. Participants will better understand national values, build skills and confidence to respond to culture shock and develop stronger coping strategies for potential stresses. They will also be coached towards rebuilding a sense of identity in the new land. This is a unique opportunity to come together with other expatriates going through similar experiences, learn from cultural differences, share with each other, and take active steps towards creating a more fulfilling life in a new land.
This course is for you if you…
- are facing unforeseen challenges while adjusting to a new culture
- are experiencing stress and culture shock and need more resources
- feel socially isolated and want to be part of a community
- don’t understand why people around you communicate directly (or indirectly)
- want to better support your children navigating the ups and downs of moving abroad
- are confused about being authentic while respecting others’ values
- are having communication challenges with your supervisor due to cultural misunderstandings
- want to better prioritize logistics of relocation to minimize overwhelm
- moved internationally to support your partner and now find it challenging to reinvent yourself
- are transitioning careers in a new country.
Course overview
Session 1 – introductions, cultural intelligence, exploring personal and national values
Session 2 – how cultural dimensions affect you personally and professionally
Session 3 – best practices of intercultural communication
Session 4 – culture shock and resourceful adjustment tools
Session 5 – four aspects of living in the US – your customized chart
Session 6 – somatic and emotional intelligences for intercultural adjustment
Session 7 – transferring your skills and interests to a new country
Session 8 – program summary, your action plan and conclusion
Course format (9 hours)
Eight virtual sessions through Zoom conference as follows:
Session 1 and 2 (90 minutes each)
Sessions 3 to 8 (60 minutes each)
Testimonial
“At University of California, Berkeley we created a powerful program for visiting scholars, post-doctorate students, graduate student researchers and their spouses arriving from countries outside of the US. Some of the deepest and most impactful work offered was through Rita Brown’s course Designing Your Life in the US. She helps participants address and resolve the significant internal challenges they face around building their new life here. This includes issues regarding confidence in communicating in English, the difference in US values and those of their homeland, and how to navigate both cultural shock and the emotional landscape of an international transition.”
~ Sam Castaneda, Retired Founding Director – Visiting Scholar and Postdoc Affairs Program, UC Berkeley
Contact for details
Rita M. Brown
MA, Intercultural Trainer & Integral Master Coach™
rita@ritambrown.com
+1 510 393 4797
