Pre-departure Workshop – April 9, 2014 for Study/Research/Athletics/Volunteer (SRAV) Activities...

Pre-departure Workshop – April 9, 2014for Study/Research/Athletics/Volunteer (SRAV) Activities Abroad

Kadoorie-Hong Kong – June 2-29, 2014

Dr. Sal Renshaw, Faculty Facilitator and Course Professor Kadoorie volunteer overview and job descriptions Visas for Hong Kong

Karen Strang, Director, International Initiatives Office Ambassadorship Risk & Responsibility (Waiver, Health & Medical Treatment) www. voyage.gc.ca (travel report, ROCA, country insight) GuardMe Insurance (GlobalGuard out-of-country emergency health insurance,

trip cancellation and baggage insurance) Immunizations – Travax Report Checklist, Flight Details, Kadoorie costs Simulation, Intercultural Activity Culture shock & coping strategies Q&A

Nipissing International Initiatives (F308B) - www.nipissingu.ca/international - (705) 474-3450 x4105

Kadoorie Volunteer Information


Kadoorie Volunteer Application

Participating at your own risk

Attendance

Travel to and from work site

Areas of Volunteer Work you will engage in, JDs:Live Educational DisplaysMuleVeterinaryWild Animal Rescue Centre

GEND 3056Sanctuary and Salvation: Saving, Protecting and conserving Animals in a Global World


GEND3056 course = 3 NU credits-ensure you are registered

You will be an ambassador for Nipissing University, North Bay, your home community, Ontario, Canada and “Me to We” while abroad. So ensure you are informed and ready to represent your home country, and be open minded to learn about your host country!

Keep informed about Canadawww.gc.ca

Get informed about your destinationVia country insights -Centre for Intercultural Learninghttp://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/countryinsights-apercuspays-eng.asp

AMBASSADORSHIP

International Initiatives Office (F308B) - www.nipissingu.ca/international - (705) 474-3450 x4105

http://www.gc.ca/

http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/countryinsights-apercuspays-eng.asp

http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/countryinsights-apercuspays-eng.asp


• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada

• www.gc.ca

• www.thecommonwealth.org/

• http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/kids/fun-facts/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada

http://www.gc.ca/

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/

http://www.thecommonwealth.org/

http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/kids/fun-facts/

Risk and Responsibility

You are choosing to take part in this international sojourn

Understand that with these amazing experiences you are exposing yourself to risks and dangers BE AWARE/INFORMED

Know that you are taking full responsibility for yourself while abroad (excursions, trips, etc.)

You will not hold Nipissing University and/or any of its employees liable for your actions

You are responsible for reviewing all of the information • Checklist (handout) weblinks, resources

Complete and submit all the required forms (by Thurs. April 17, 2014, submit to Karen Strang)• Waiver of Claims and Release from Liability • Health/Medical Form • Agreement to Participate• Copy of your Passport (if not already submitted to K Strang)

FINAL Payment $1963.00 due: April 17, 2014

Risk Assessment & Emergency Planning Record Risk Management Protocol (contacts in case of emergency – NU, onsite, supervisors, embassies)


Risk and Responsibility

TRIP SPECIFIC INFORMATION to enter in these forms:

Waiver of Claims and Release from Liability Health/Medical Form Participation Agreement ✔

DESTINATION: Hong Kong

SRAV LOCATION: Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden

DATES OF ACTIVITIES: June 2-29, 2014


Essential Information for Canadians Abroad

Go to: http://travel.gc.ca/ and click on “Travelling Abroad” to access:

Advisories

Travel Health and Safety

Travel Documents

Air Travel

Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) – Karen does this for our group trips

Living Abroad

Publications (e.g. Bon Voyage, But…, Her Own Way, Dual Citizenship)


DFATD Canada

http://travel.gc.ca/

http://travel.gc.ca/

Other Insurance Plans: Restrictions (age, activity, country, length of trip, etc…) Pre-existing condition clauses, exclusions Reimbursement plans – most do not pay up front Will return you home as soon as they can Repatriation, air evacuation, prescriptions, family support, etc… Leverage & support (partnership between NU & GlobalGuard)

Travel Healthcare Insurance Solutions Inc. (T.H.I.S.)

Why is Global Guard

the mandatory

out-of country health

insurance plan?


GlobalGuard Complete details: Rates on Premiums chart Coverage – departure and arrival dates back in Canada Can extend coverage from outside of Canada (if travelling beyond group trip) 100% coverage of eligible claims Worldwide coverage from time of departure (layover) 90 day extension upon return to Canada Easy payment system & claim (credit card)

How to apply: Complete the Nipissing U “on-line” application on the GuardMe web site Refer to instruction sheet

To make a claim go to: www.guard.me Follow instructions

GlobalGuard Travel Health Insurance


http://www.guard.me/


FLIGHT DETAILS

Air Canada flight # 15

depart Toronto at 9:50am

on Mon. June 2

arrive Hong Kong at 1:15pm

on Tues. June 3

Air Canada flight # 16

depart Hong Kong 3:10pm

on Sun. June 29

arrive Toronto at 6:10pm

on Sun. June 29

Kadoorie payments (due April 17, 2014)

26 nights @ $75.50 CAD/person/night = $1963.00 (540 HKD/night)


CHECKLIST

1. Complete the sections of personal information on the on-line My International database https://myinternational.nipissingu.ca/myinternational WebAdvisor Username & Password

- Ensure your next-of-kin contacts will be available during your sojourn. Insert your departure - Input your departure and return dates (June 2-29, 2014) and specify Kadoorie in text box.

2. Purchase Guardme Completely Canada emergency health and travel insurance (on-line using instructions provided by K. Strang).

3. Provide your passport photo page to Karen Strang.

4. Paid your first two installments for the trip to the NU Student Finance Office. Pay your final payment of $1963.00 due April 17, 2014 for the Kadoorie component of the trip.

5. Complete the last 2 required NU forms and submit to Karen Strang by 4:00pm on April 17, 2014“Waiver of Claims and Release of Liability”“Personal Health / Emergency Treatment Authorization”

6. Ensure all your immunizations are complete (as per Travex Reports for Hong Kong)

7. Make 2 sets of photocopies of your passport, any medication prescriptions, and any banking or credit cards you are bringing with you. Leave one copy at home with one of your next-of-kin contacts, and bring the other copy with you as well as your originals.

https://myinternational.nipissingu.ca/myinternational






Intercultural Skill Competency Development

-learn as much as you can about the new environment, culture and traditions of the people with whom you’ll interact

-engage with the local people and ask questions in a thoughtful manner

-be aware of your own cultural norms and traditions, and behaviours

-be open and flexible to learning new ways of doing things

-review the following pages that discuss cultural development and in particular deal with concepts of culture shock upon entry and reverse culture shock that you may experience upon return home

References: - Hofstede, G. (2001) - UBC Intercultural Training and Resource Centre

Human NatureWhat makes us all the same

Culture What makes some of us

different from others

Personality What makes each

of us unique

Specific to an individual

Specific to a group

Universal

Inherited and learned

Learned

Inherited


Above the surface you can see the visible characteristics of culture. Like a tree the core traits (like the tree trunk) will remain the same but some features can change over time (like the leafs).

Under the surface, the deeply rooted aspects of culture (like the tree roots) are not readily visible. These characteristics are more difficult to discover. The core values and beliefs (roots) defines a particular society (holds up the tree and allow it to grow stronger).

The visual aspects are what you can see (above the surface) :

• Body language and gestures

• Architecture and design

• Food and eating habits

• Fashion and style

• Music, dance and drama

• Religious rituals and buildings

• Fine arts and literature

• Historical buildings and artifacts

• Etc…

The deeper aspects of culture are what you cannot see (below the surface) :

• Religious beliefs

• Work ethic

• Decision making patterns

• Approaches to problem solving

• Roles in relation to age, gender and status

• Notion of respect

• Family relationships

• Etc…


Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension Power Distance (PD):

Reflects the degree to which a culture believes how institutional and organizational power should be distributed (equally or unequally) and how the decision of the power holder should be viewed (challenged or accepted).

Uncertainty Avoidance (UA):Reflects the degree to which a culture feels threatened by ambiguous, uncertain situation and tries to avoid (or not) uncertainty by establishing structures.

Individualism – Collectivism (IND): Reflects the degree to which a culture relies upon and has allegiance (loyalty) to the self or group (“I” or “We”).

Masculinity – Femininity (MAS):How cultural groups value such behaviors as assertiveness, achievement, acquisition of wealth or caring for others social support and the quality of life.

0


High

Mood

Low

Culture Shock Acculturation Cycle

Reverse Culture Shock

Adjustment

Culture Shock

Honeymoon Honeymoon

WhileAbroad

Back Home

Adjustment


Factors that lead to culture shock:

• Language barriers • Racial discrimination• Change of weather• Separation from home• New food and dietary restrictions• Money and finances• Diminished social interactions• Change of status and level of academic

success• Loss of point of reference/familiarity• Felling incompetent in the new environment• Experiencing a daily re-learning process • Making sense of other’s behaviors • Different educational system (intensity and

delivery)• Academic differences (resources, essay

writing and referencing, critical thinking, participation, etc…

• Behaviors do not give the desired results• Facing different values, attitudes and

beliefs • Facing the unpredictable (fear of the

unknown)

The Honeymoon Phase

High

Mood

Low

Adjustment


Adjustment

Culture shock

Honeymoon

Honeymoon

WhileAbroad

Back Home

• First few days or weeks

• Fascination with new surroundings • Feel excited

• Challenges start to occur

• Comparison of cultures (host vs. home)

• Experience at different time than colleagues

• Part of acculturation process

• Recognition and admittance

Culture Shock Symptoms of Culture Shock:

• Homesickness• Sleeplessness and being overly tired• Physical illnesses (lower immune system)• Loss of ability to work or study effectively • Overeating or loss of appetite• Identity confusion• Disorientation • Low moral and/or self-esteem• Helplessness, loneliness and fear • Withdrawing from people who are

different • Social isolation• Hostility and anger and irritability • Anxiety and/or stress• Depression• Alcohol and drug abuse• Mental/emotional disorders

High

Mood

Low

Adjustment


Adjustment

Culture shock

Honeymoon Honeymoon

WhileAbroad

Back Home

• Required to make adjustments to adapt to new environment

• Everyday actions, behviours and tasks require more effort and concentration

• Physical, emotional and mental implications

• Severity of culture shock and symptoms vary

• Self identification and understanding

• Awareness of personal health, feelings and emotion is essential in seeking advice or assistance

• There are support options

• Culture Shock will pass and you will experience the adjustment phase

• Having a positive attitude and an open mind assist in developing relationships with others

• Start to accept the host culture, values, customs and norms

• Everyday tasks become easier and more enjoyable

• Start to view host culture as simply different and you begin to embrace this

• Anxiety decreases

• Start to feel as part of the host culture

The Adjustment Phase

High

Mood

Low

Adjustment


Adjustment

Culture shock

Honeymoon Honeymoon

WhileAbroad

Back Home

Open Mindedness: Ability to keep opinions flexible and be receptive to new stimuli.

Sense of Humor: In another culture there are many things which lead one to weep, get angry, be annoyed, embarrassed, or discouraged. The ability to laugh off things will help guard against despair.

Ability to Cope with Failure: Everyone fails at something overseas. Persons who go overseas are often those who have been the most successful in their home environments and have rarely experienced failure, thus, may have never developed ways of coping with failure.

Communicativeness: The ability and willingness to communicate one's feelings and thoughts to others, verbally or non-verbally.

Flexibility and Adaptability: The ability to respond to or tolerate the ambiguity of new situations. Keeping options open and judgmental behavior to a minimum describes an adaptable or flexible person.

Curiosity: Demonstrated the desire to know about other people, places, ideas, etc… This skill or personality trait is important for travelers because they need to learn many things in order to adapt to their new environment.

Positive and Realistic Expectations: It has been shown frequently that there are strong correlations between positive expectations for an intercultural experience and successful adjustment overseas.

Reference: http://www.worldwide.edu/travel_planner/culture_adjusting.html

Key Factors Important in a Successful Intercultural Adjustment


http://www.worldwide.edu/travel_planner/culture_adjusting.html

Reference: http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/living/culture_shock-en.asp

Tolerance for Differences and Ambiguities: A sympathetic understanding for beliefs or practices differing from one's own is important to successful intercultural adjustment.

Positive Regard for Others: The ability to express warmth, empathy, respect, and positive regard for other persons.

A Strong Sense of Self... A clear, secure feeling about oneself results in individuals who are neither weak nor overbearing in their relations with others. Persons with a strong sense of themselves stand up for what they believe but do not cling to those beliefs regardless of new information, perspectives, or understandings which they may encounter.

Admit frankly that these impacts exist. It is not a sign of weakness to admit that you feel uncomfortable, tense or confused.

Learn the rules of living in your host country. Try to understand how and why the local people act the way they do. Their behaviours and customs may be different from your own, but they are neither better nor worse than what you are used to.

Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise and take the time to sleep. Limit alcohol consumption to moderate amounts.

Travel. Take the time to be a tourist and explore the country’s sights.

Key Factors Important in a Successful Intercultural Adjustment (continued)

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/living/culture_shock-en.asp

Take time to learn the language. It always helps to understand as much as possible of what people are saying. They will appreciate your effort to communicate with them in their language, even if it is just a few simple phrases, and it will make your daily life much easier. Carry a small notebook and jot down a couple of new words each day. Use a phrase book to learn the vocabulary you need to cope with real-life situations.

Make friends and develop relationships. Getting to know local people will help you overcome cultural differences and understand the country. It will also show you how to be more sensitive to cultural norms and expectations.

Maintain contact with friends and family back home. Writing home about your experiences and problems can help you sort through them. It is also a good idea to keep a journal of your feelings and thoughts.

Do something that reminds you of home. Listening to your favourite music or practising a familiar hobby can boost your spirits when you are feeling homesick.

Avoid idealizing life back home. Try to make the most of your stay and consciously adopt an open mind.

Get involved in some aspect of the new culture. Whether you study art or music, or learn a new sport or martial art, being an interested student will make a world of difference.

Reference: http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/living/culture_shock-en.asp

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/living/culture_shock-en.asp


High

Mood

Low

Adjustment


Adjustment

Culture shock

Honeymoon Honeymoon

WhileAbroad

Back Home

• Typically more difficult to deal with then culture shock while abroad

• Honeymoon stage – excited to return home

• Disappointment with lack of enthusiasm and understanding of your experience

• Being to miss your friends you made while abroad

• Re-questioning of aspects of your life (personal identity, relationships)

• Similar culture shock systems

• Learn to utilize the skills, knowledge and competencies gained while abroad

• Keep in touch with the friends you made abroad

• Create a photo album and/or a scrapbook with your pictures, comments and highlights. It will be a great keepsake as well as a useful and interesting resources to share with others when talking about your experiences

• Start planning your next educational experience abroad and/or backpacking trip

• Make presentations to other students at your institution about your experiences overseas

• Talk to students going abroad and/or returning from abroad (they are the ones who will be the most interested in hearing your stories and adventures

• Refresh your portfolio and resume to include your international experiences as well as the skills, knowledge and competencies that you gained

• Get involved on campus and/or with your international office

• Take part in a peer-mentorship program or start up this kind of initiative if it does not exist at your institution

• Think about how your experiences have impacted your academic and/or professional career goals and make some adjustments if necessary. Talk with an academic advisor and/ or career councilor.

• If you are experiencing major reverse culture shock symptoms talk to your International Student Advisor, counsellor, family and/or friends.

Key Factors Important in the Re-Entry Adjustment


FACULTY FACILITATOR: - Dr. Sal Renshaw x4427 [email protected]

Cell Phone + 705 498 7616 On-line Application, Health & Risk Management, Insurance, Payments:

- Karen Strang x 4105 [email protected] office location F308B 24/7 Emergency Telephone 1 705 498 9236

Nipissing International Office (A201) - www.nipissingu.ca/international - (705) 474-3450 x4540

Pre-departure Session:BEd. P.T. International Placements

KADOORIE – Hong Kong

CONTACT INFORMATION

Pre-departure Workshop – April 9, 2014 for Study/Research/Athletics/Volunteer (SRAV) Activities...

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