Culture Shock: It's the Little Things That Count in the Biggest Ways
By Desi Downey
Summary: This hilarious article for expat author, Desi Downey, is a must read for anyone preparing for expat life and those grappling with the stages of culture shock. If you're having a challenging expatriate day, this article will life your spirits!
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About the Author
Desi Downey, author of Ni Howdy! An American Woman's (Mal)Adaptation to Life in the People's Republic of China (www.nihowdy.net), lived in China for six years, and taught English there for much of that time. Today, she lives in the Deep South, where she is currently hard at work on the sequel to Ni Howdy!
Ni Howdy!, Downey's first book, is a nitty-gritty, down-to-earth, hilarious account of how she triumphed over the trials and tribulations of becoming accustomed to daily life in a foreign country. From the horrors of her first encounter with an airport squatty potty to trying to buy groceries without speaking the language to her eventual, inevitable and very public entry into the squatty potty zone, Downey paints a vivid and humorous picture of her many adventures in China.
Ni Howdy! can be ordered online at www.nihowdy.net, from your favorite online book seller, or at your local bookstore (ISBN 0-595-34236-1). Ni Howdy! is also available as an eBook (ISBN: 0-595-79008-9).
Learn more at www.nihowdy.net or email the author at [email protected].
Additional Information:
- China Guide
- Healthcare & Health Insurance in China
- Members Talk about Healthcare & Health Insurance in China
- Best Places to Live in China
- Real Estate in China
- Guide to Real Estate in China
- Pros & Cons of Living in China
- Cost of Living in China
- Chikungunya Disease in China
- How to Rent a Home in China
- Enrolling in the Public Healthcare System in China
- 10 Best Places for Families to Live in China
- 2024 Guide to Living in China
- Pros and Cons of Living in China 2024
- 2024 Guide to Moving to China
Comments
guestVery good. I lived in China for 2 years, 6 months in Sanya and the rest in Chengdu. A friend once asked me to describe life in China in one sentence. I narrowed it down to 3 words. "Squatty no paper"
guestVery good. I lived in China for 2 years, 6 months in Sanya and the rest in Chengdu. A friend once asked me to describe life in China in one sentence. I narrowed it down to 3 words. "Squatty no paper"
guestIt is very true and it doesn't apply only for expats in China. Being French, I've lived in New Zealand then Laos and I'm now living in Germany: surprisingly enough, it is not in the most distant countries that you have the biggest culture shock (apart from the honeymoon stage). I guess it is because you accept more the differences from countries you know will obviously look different! In front of Lao slow and unpredictable administration I was slighly amazed and impressed, however German inflexible and almost "Big-Brother-styled" rules do not make me smile at all. Good luck to all expats who are now living the last stage of their cultural shock: it is in my opinion the most pernicious one.