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Reproduced with permission from Mobility magazine, October 2002.

Love and Theriault explain that being versed in host country customs, social norms, and current events not only helps expatriates "fit in" when on assignment, but also can be the key to keeping them safe and secure.

BY MARGARET (PEGGY) LOVE AND SYLVIA THERIAULT

Safety and security issues always have been a concern for global employees, their families, and the corporations sending them to live in foreign countries. Long before September 11, 2001, companies and expatriates were aware of the potential dangers that lurk in unfamiliar territory.

   In the past, the emphasis was on raising the awareness level of security needs and using primarily physical methods, such as locks, lights, and fences, to avoid potential dangers in foreign locations.

   Today much more needs to be done. Safety efforts now must include an acute knowledge of cultural differences and mindsets. Armed with that knowledge, only then can expats incorporate a feeling of security into their daily lives.

Safety Is in the Eye of the Beholder

   How culturally adept one feels in a foreign country directly relates to how safe one feels.
   To understand how closely personal safety and cross-cultural issues are connected, it is necessary to view the role those issues have in how safe people feel at home, in familiar surroundings.
   It is much easier to spot a security threat at home simply by being vigilant and then counter the threat. People do so by avoiding suspicious people or by locking their doors.
   This is the point. In the home environment, people can be vigilant because they know what is normal and safe. They can discern whom or what is suspiciously unsafe, and, more simply, they know when to run.
   Incorporating physical security becomes logical because there is a clear sense of who needs to be locked out or why it is necessary to run.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

   Familiar surroundings feel safe because individuals know how to identify and avoid threats to personal security relative to that locale.
   However, in foreign surroundings, all the cultural cues people usually seek to decide who or what is safe no longer make sense. People are at risk when the cultural or behavioral norms of the new environment are not understood.
   Understanding the destination culture and attitudes about one’s own culture directly affect a sense of safety and security.
   Expats often can be the greatest danger to themselves if they are unaware of cultural differences. Again, at the most basic level, expats may not even be aware that danger is lurking.
   Foreign environments are inherently risky. Expats are particularly vulnerable to feelings of insecurity and fear, as they move from wellknown surroundings to foreign environments. Not knowing the people, culture, or language increases those feelings of vulnerability.
   Creating and maintaining a secure environment in which to live and work usually is done through a partnership of the individual, the company, and the community.
   Expats face special circumstances and must take active roles in providing for their personal safety and security and the well-being of their families. As newcomers, they are not yet part of a community. It is imperative that they acquire the mindset and initiative to develop strategies for addressing possible future threats.
   Contributing to expat insecurities is the element of not feeling protected or supported in the new environment. Not only is the locale foreign to newly arrived expats, but also the local population considers expats to be foreign and possibly uncomfortable to be around.
   Locals might tend to avoid expats if they think their behavior deviates from local cultural norms. Isolation due to "not fitting in" is a major factor to overcome in order to feel secure in a foreign environment.
   "Looking local" is one of the most significant steps to developing and maintaining personal security anywhere. Blending in with the local culture is "low-tech" and relatively inexpensive; however, it requires a lot of effort on the part of the expat.
   Although one cannot always physically blend in with the locals, one’s behavior certainly can be adapted to conform to the local culture. The efforts expended in blending into the new community will reap the benefits of a lower profile and increased security.
   There are three basic components to "looking local." They are:

Knowledge of the host country.

   Not only does this require some physical familiarity with one’s surroundings, but also insight into the host country’s culture. Expats should prepare in advance by talking to expats already living there and others who have visited recently.
   Expats also should gain a fundamental knowledge of the history, economy, political biases, and cultural/social norms of the host country.
   They also should find out what thelocal risks are. On arrival, the best information sources are the expat community, the U.S. Embassy, and sympathetic nationals.

Propriety of behavior and dress.

   Knowledge of the host country and its nationals should enable expats to act within the parameters of what is acceptable. It also will enable them to maintain a low profile by appearing to be "local."
   Even if it is impossible to blend in physically, dressing and behaving in a manner that mirrors local customs will help expats appear as if they know what they are doing.

Awareness of people and events.

   Knowledge of what is normal in the host country and the ability to appear "localized," if not "local," enhances the likelihood that expats will be able to spot a potential threat. In turn, assignees can take steps to avoid an unsafe situation.

Knowledge Is Power and Security, Too!

   In addition to understanding the new locale, learning how to act like a local, and being vigilant in your new surroundings, it is absolutely essential that assignees pay attention to world events in general and understand specifically how they may affect the host country.
   If the local population finds actions taken by one’s home country to be offensive, expats could have a problem. In cases such as this, it is safer for expats to assume there might be a crisis. Expats must understand that actions taken initially may impact their security later.
   No guarantees can be given for the safety and security of any expat. Expats must take personal responsibility for their safety and security.
   When times are calm and life is good, discussing safety and security matters is, at best, boring and, at worst, uncomfortable.
   When complacency reigns, the potential for problems arising radically increases. Expats let their guards down; they do not bother to learn what they need to know to maintain their safety and security.
   It is only when issues heat up, situations become dicey, or times are threatening that assignees suddenly become interested again. However, by that time, expats might compromise some or all of their security by drawing too much attention to themselves or by becoming victims, respectively.
   Expats can take charge of their security by having a mindset that values cultural differences, by paying attention at all times, and by staying alert. There are no shortcuts.