American domestic regulations The cultural order of the country Its place among all countries

Tips for Participants
Adapting to American culture is important, but InterExchange programs also provide an opportunity to share your own culture when interacting or working with Americans. As a cultural ambassador of your country, sharing details about life at home is also a good way to start a conversation about cultural exchange, and it is also a good way to build up self-confidence by speaking about a topic you know plenty about – your home! Plus, intercultural skills are important assets in the workplace and in our globalized world, and will be an advantage to you in the future.
Here are some tips on how to share your own experiences with co-workers and friends:

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  Share information about your favorite foods, sports, music and books. Then get recommendations from your co-workers and friends about their favorite parts of U.S. culture.
  
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  Tell co-workers and friends about any special holidays from your home country.
  
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  Show photos of your family, home and favorite spots from your home country or any other travels.
  
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  Volunteer to learn more about your local community, American values, and it’s a good opportunity to meet new people and discuss your own culture! The Cultural Compass guide includes volunteering resources for each state to help you get started.
  
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  Browse our posts on Community Involvement to see how other international participants have interacted with Americans and shared their own cultures.
  
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  Practice English as often as you can before you arrive and during your time here. Strong language skills will help ease your worries about communicating in the United States.
  
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  Many Americans are happy to discuss current events, but it’s best to avoid controversial topics in the workplace and with people you have just met, including topics related to personal values, religion, money and politics.
  
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  Avoid being overly critical of differences between your culture and the U.S. Life would be boring if we were all the same!
  
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  Downloading language apps before arriving at a new place can be helpful for translating signs and menu items in a different language.