Introduction
Participating in a cross-cultural program brings a lot of challenges to all partakers. Group leaders who come from abroad are supposed to inspire and educate Japanese students to be better prepared for globalization. However, living with a host family, dealing with misguided expectations, and miscommunication with other participants can present a challenge. To overcome these difficulties, one should develop a certain mindset.
Main Objectives
First of all, there are equal odds that all the mentioned troubles will not happen. Still, there are rarely any provisions made to prepare would-be group leaders for a cross-cultural project psychologically. Behavioral exercises, as well as self-empowerment techniques, can create an overall positive attitude. Although this can prove to be an energy-consuming process, it must be done if group leaders want to succeed in their task. Another essential component is open-mindedness as well as acceptance and respect of other cultures. Being ready to embrace different cultures, traditions, ways of doing things, and being open to discussion are the keystones to success. A group-leader should shift the focus of attention from their conveniences and perceptions to their goal, which is in giving and not taking.
Conclusion
Taking these points into consideration, I believe that positive thinking and concentration on work objectives, rather than personal experiences, would help overcome any cross-cultural differences and misunderstandings. Staying curious, being ready to adapt alongside working on one’s virtues can open any door. Needless to say, until such a mindset has developed, staying with a host family in another country might be a problem.