Lessons From Living Abroad
0 Comments Published by Svetlana Zhukova on Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 1:21 PM.
It was an interesting and insightful evening today.
1. I had a chat at a work function with my also foreign boss about how sometimes/some australian people are actually close-minded towards foreigners (excluding UK people). Even when speaking correctly (mind you, many foreigners speak better english than locals), you are asked to repeat what you say because people don't expect to hear things in a foreign accent. Or worse, people try to correct you - and while meaning perhaps well, aussies are not precisely the most polite people, so this can be quite annoying.
And especially those people who have never lived overseas (majority), are quite set that their white australian way of life and thinking is the right way. My company, for example, is very homogeneous. The whole sales team is anglo-saxon, and apart from the finance department and ground operations, we do not have asians. I think I'm the only one employed with non-australian/UK passport - which is not a bad thing in itself, it just represents quite certain points of view.
Foreign experience is not as much appreciated in Australia as it should, in my opinion. I was lucky enough to start my job in Sydney in a team that respected diversity and I had the opportunity to present my opinions. But in so many cases I know the companies do not leverage the experience of their staff who represent different cultures.
Lesson #1: when moving overseas/living in a different country, for your own happiness at work try to choose a company or team that will leverage, appreciate or at least acknowledge your overseas experience
2. When I got a cab to go home, I got a driver who was Russian, from Baku (Azerbaijan). Of course, he asked where I'm from - I do sound eastern-european, Russian to be precise :) My theory is that if you started living overseas after 18, your accent will never go away, but I'm actually proud of it now - different story. He told me that he has lived in Australia for 26 years, and before that in Europe and US, but he still misses Russia. The old one. He says Russian people of Soviet generations are most intelligent - over 60-80% would have university education as it was free. This cab driver used to be a marine engineer. So many scientists, engineers, sportsmen from ex-USSR are now in other countries earning their living in their field, because they have their brains to offer. But the nostalgia never goes away. For small things that are ingrained in memory - songs, movies you grew up with, childhood memories of ice-cream for 10 kopeeks, summer camps and grandma's preservatives for winter...
But that taxi driver, even though he misses Russia a lot, doesn't want to go back. Which is smart actually. He doesn't want to go and see his memories of good old days be shattered by a new Russia. Yes, I believe in a bigger picture life there is better that 20 years ago, and will keep getting better, but the thing is it's very different. People are very different. Even to how I remembered from my own - very early - USSR childhood. You can be killed for 1,000 dollars, because money and material status matter so much now.
And that cabbie, he doesn't want to see that, because then he would loose his place in life - it's hard to accept when you are 50 that your motherland as you know it doesn't exist anymore. And at the same time you are never a part of your new country's life, because you miss the old one, which is no more... Vicious circle.
Lesson #2: Protect your memories. Or be brave to face the changes and be brave to adapt to a new reality.
3. And finally, I read an article in The Economist about how living abroad gives you a creative edge. The most interesting part is actually the comments, some really really cool thoughts there. One of my favourite comments:
READ THE ARTICLE
The key thought is that living overseas makes you more flexible and adaptable to change (given open mind and curiosity). And you also actually need to live abroad, not just travel - a key difference.
Lesson #3: Reflect on how your overseas experience has changed you. And once you understand your strengths, leverage on them. Be proud (but not arrogant) of your diversity.
1. I had a chat at a work function with my also foreign boss about how sometimes/some australian people are actually close-minded towards foreigners (excluding UK people). Even when speaking correctly (mind you, many foreigners speak better english than locals), you are asked to repeat what you say because people don't expect to hear things in a foreign accent. Or worse, people try to correct you - and while meaning perhaps well, aussies are not precisely the most polite people, so this can be quite annoying.
And especially those people who have never lived overseas (majority), are quite set that their white australian way of life and thinking is the right way. My company, for example, is very homogeneous. The whole sales team is anglo-saxon, and apart from the finance department and ground operations, we do not have asians. I think I'm the only one employed with non-australian/UK passport - which is not a bad thing in itself, it just represents quite certain points of view.
Foreign experience is not as much appreciated in Australia as it should, in my opinion. I was lucky enough to start my job in Sydney in a team that respected diversity and I had the opportunity to present my opinions. But in so many cases I know the companies do not leverage the experience of their staff who represent different cultures.
Lesson #1: when moving overseas/living in a different country, for your own happiness at work try to choose a company or team that will leverage, appreciate or at least acknowledge your overseas experience
2. When I got a cab to go home, I got a driver who was Russian, from Baku (Azerbaijan). Of course, he asked where I'm from - I do sound eastern-european, Russian to be precise :) My theory is that if you started living overseas after 18, your accent will never go away, but I'm actually proud of it now - different story. He told me that he has lived in Australia for 26 years, and before that in Europe and US, but he still misses Russia. The old one. He says Russian people of Soviet generations are most intelligent - over 60-80% would have university education as it was free. This cab driver used to be a marine engineer. So many scientists, engineers, sportsmen from ex-USSR are now in other countries earning their living in their field, because they have their brains to offer. But the nostalgia never goes away. For small things that are ingrained in memory - songs, movies you grew up with, childhood memories of ice-cream for 10 kopeeks, summer camps and grandma's preservatives for winter...
But that taxi driver, even though he misses Russia a lot, doesn't want to go back. Which is smart actually. He doesn't want to go and see his memories of good old days be shattered by a new Russia. Yes, I believe in a bigger picture life there is better that 20 years ago, and will keep getting better, but the thing is it's very different. People are very different. Even to how I remembered from my own - very early - USSR childhood. You can be killed for 1,000 dollars, because money and material status matter so much now.
And that cabbie, he doesn't want to see that, because then he would loose his place in life - it's hard to accept when you are 50 that your motherland as you know it doesn't exist anymore. And at the same time you are never a part of your new country's life, because you miss the old one, which is no more... Vicious circle.
Lesson #2: Protect your memories. Or be brave to face the changes and be brave to adapt to a new reality.
3. And finally, I read an article in The Economist about how living abroad gives you a creative edge. The most interesting part is actually the comments, some really really cool thoughts there. One of my favourite comments:
Living overseas also forces you to accept alternate viewpoints and opinions and think about things very differently to how you would normally look at them.
READ THE ARTICLE
The key thought is that living overseas makes you more flexible and adaptable to change (given open mind and curiosity). And you also actually need to live abroad, not just travel - a key difference.
Lesson #3: Reflect on how your overseas experience has changed you. And once you understand your strengths, leverage on them. Be proud (but not arrogant) of your diversity.
Labels: living overseas, philosophising, thoughts and feelings
Tomorrow I turn 26. so funny, I don't feel the difference from being 24 or 25. Because I think the life is in the current, and happens day by day, minute after minute. All these dates & milestones anyways are just mark-ups invented by us. 25 December is Christmas for some, and a normal day for others, every celebration is only in the attitude, not in the date itself.
And so I think our life changes when something happens: events, decisions, meeting other people - not when your calendar turns and you mark up another year in the birthday celebrations tradition... Birthday is just a moment in time to stop and take notice.
I think the fast-paced life I lived in my teenage and early 20s made me used to the changes; I feel like nothing special or significant happened in the last year or two, while before something quite radically changed almost every year.
I want new challenges and new surroundings; new conversations and new motivations.
How am I going to make my next year the most exciting year yet??
And so I think our life changes when something happens: events, decisions, meeting other people - not when your calendar turns and you mark up another year in the birthday celebrations tradition... Birthday is just a moment in time to stop and take notice.
I think the fast-paced life I lived in my teenage and early 20s made me used to the changes; I feel like nothing special or significant happened in the last year or two, while before something quite radically changed almost every year.
I want new challenges and new surroundings; new conversations and new motivations.
How am I going to make my next year the most exciting year yet??
Labels: birthday, thoughts and feelings, turning 26
I finally watched Susan Boyle video, in short - amazing. In case you haven't seen yet, the full version (with pre-show backstage comments) is below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
over 75,000,000 million views, 200,000 comments, it's a global sensation
It's such a cool story, a few thoughts that were running through my head:
- beautiful moment, I had a smile on my face since the moment she started singing
- never have preconceptions, assuming too many things backfires :)
- such a shame how people reacted to her at first. What where all those comments in the beginning, frowns, tone about?? Don't people have a chance to start doing something later in their life? Do you really have to be only young and beautiful to be considered a talent? entertainment industry is such a monstrous machine, seriously
- gotta love internet and youtube in particular :) Such story could have never happened a few years ago
- a lesson to aspiring social media/viral specialists: it happens when there is an authentic story, not just a set-up you want people to follow
- I watched with delight how judges' faces changed; got it??
- interesting how quickly the audience switched from laughing at to applauding to, from frowns to smiles. Either people can admit their mistakes, or it's the success that wins the crowd over?..
- it's never too late to give it a try :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
over 75,000,000 million views, 200,000 comments, it's a global sensation
It's such a cool story, a few thoughts that were running through my head:
- beautiful moment, I had a smile on my face since the moment she started singing
- never have preconceptions, assuming too many things backfires :)
- such a shame how people reacted to her at first. What where all those comments in the beginning, frowns, tone about?? Don't people have a chance to start doing something later in their life? Do you really have to be only young and beautiful to be considered a talent? entertainment industry is such a monstrous machine, seriously
- gotta love internet and youtube in particular :) Such story could have never happened a few years ago
- a lesson to aspiring social media/viral specialists: it happens when there is an authentic story, not just a set-up you want people to follow
- I watched with delight how judges' faces changed; got it??
- interesting how quickly the audience switched from laughing at to applauding to, from frowns to smiles. Either people can admit their mistakes, or it's the success that wins the crowd over?..
- it's never too late to give it a try :)
Labels: show, susan boyle, thoughts and feelings, what people think
several thoughts, in no particular order, that occupied my mind recently
I've just finished a book, The Kite Runner - one of most powerful and moving books I've ever read. I could even sleep one night, after getting through the first third of the book, co-living those emotions. The book is about life of a family in Afghanistan, starting in 1970s and finishing in 2002. This is how I best take in the history and point of views - not through publicists' articles but through stories of people.
The thought is going through my mind after reading this book, which is about dramatic life of an Afghani boy - I'm so lucky, among may be several percent of the world's population. I was never starving (even there were times when the food was basic, oh those 1990s in post-USSR), I was living in a safe place (Belarus isn't the most exciting place but it's safe), i haven't had major tragedies around me. I have never experienced war, I have higher education, my parents are great support and I even have never even heard them swearing (but did my father keep the discipline, yes he did :) I can travel, don't have liabilities, not abused and I am not discriminated (if you don't count visa processes).
How much depends on the place you are born in, your skin colour, your sex, your parents. All the things you don't have control of...
I was thinking to write recently a blog post, about inspiration at my work. It is even saved as a draft in the blog. It was about how great my work is - I work in marketing communications, managing projects with suppliers and internal stakeholders, working with creative agencies. I design stands and invitations, release corporate brochures and multimedia promotions, manage online space of my company. I put together presentations and strategies and post-implementation reports (yes, i actually enjoy it :) I go to cultural events because my company sponsors many arts organizations and I manage events & promotions.
But then, when I was about to write that - my manager (great person, one of best and most positive people I've ever met) said she is going to the UK with her partner and is leaving. And later, when the new manager started, my boss, marketing director, announced he is also going to Europe with his partner and would be leaving in several months.
It made me very sad - the environment I enjoyed at work was one of main reasons I decided to stay with the company. It's like my family - I associate my life in Australia with my marketing team, as they were the people I spent most of my day (working 8hrs), and it's a good part of the day. So seeing them go is like seeing my life here changing to be something different... (which is philosophically isn't a bad thing). But fair enough, the main reason I stayed with the company is the experience I'm getting there - the new job role is great and gets me towards where I want to go in my marketing career, I'll be working on very exciting (and challenging, which is always good) projects.
And with the changing team, changing role - it's indeed a new start. It's a more mature attitude towards the job, when I want to develop particular skills while still being passionate about what I do, it's about getting out of the comfort zone to be a better professional and, well, person. Just need to keep this all in mind while getting my teeth into the business of tasks to do :)
I'm so lucky to live in Australia, this country rocks. It's not only well and has high living standards. It's safe, I feel more so than Europe; people are friendly - a surfer on the beach helped us to put a kayak on top of the car easily mastering the knots; when someone exits the lift you are entering, and your eyes cross - the person would usually smile. Australians are not only well-mannered (mostly) but are humourous (oh, famous Australian humor!), welcoming and enjoy their life and usually let others do the same (I found Europeans colder and more pessimistic - oh opposite chaotic if you think south of Europe :)
And the place itself - there is everything here, mountains with snow and beaches with great water and sand; palm trees and pines. In one day, you can go from the seaside into the wine hills. Sun is out most of days, the sky is blue, and it's great climate.
And Sydney... I travel across the bridge to work every day, and still can't get enough of the beautiful Sydney Harbour. There is something magical in those glowing with lights skyscrapers of city centre reflecting in the harbour waters. Sandstone historical buildings (well, architectural history goes like 100 years back at most), modern building, futuristic and classic street sculptures. Busy crossroads and parks, and quite alleyways. Music festivals and open air cinemas, endless cafes and restaurants, and great food. There is something for everyone here, and I must say, Sydney came the closest to my favorite place of all the cities I've been to.
I've just finished a book, The Kite Runner - one of most powerful and moving books I've ever read. I could even sleep one night, after getting through the first third of the book, co-living those emotions. The book is about life of a family in Afghanistan, starting in 1970s and finishing in 2002. This is how I best take in the history and point of views - not through publicists' articles but through stories of people.
The thought is going through my mind after reading this book, which is about dramatic life of an Afghani boy - I'm so lucky, among may be several percent of the world's population. I was never starving (even there were times when the food was basic, oh those 1990s in post-USSR), I was living in a safe place (Belarus isn't the most exciting place but it's safe), i haven't had major tragedies around me. I have never experienced war, I have higher education, my parents are great support and I even have never even heard them swearing (but did my father keep the discipline, yes he did :) I can travel, don't have liabilities, not abused and I am not discriminated (if you don't count visa processes).
How much depends on the place you are born in, your skin colour, your sex, your parents. All the things you don't have control of...
I was thinking to write recently a blog post, about inspiration at my work. It is even saved as a draft in the blog. It was about how great my work is - I work in marketing communications, managing projects with suppliers and internal stakeholders, working with creative agencies. I design stands and invitations, release corporate brochures and multimedia promotions, manage online space of my company. I put together presentations and strategies and post-implementation reports (yes, i actually enjoy it :) I go to cultural events because my company sponsors many arts organizations and I manage events & promotions.
But then, when I was about to write that - my manager (great person, one of best and most positive people I've ever met) said she is going to the UK with her partner and is leaving. And later, when the new manager started, my boss, marketing director, announced he is also going to Europe with his partner and would be leaving in several months.
It made me very sad - the environment I enjoyed at work was one of main reasons I decided to stay with the company. It's like my family - I associate my life in Australia with my marketing team, as they were the people I spent most of my day (working 8hrs), and it's a good part of the day. So seeing them go is like seeing my life here changing to be something different... (which is philosophically isn't a bad thing). But fair enough, the main reason I stayed with the company is the experience I'm getting there - the new job role is great and gets me towards where I want to go in my marketing career, I'll be working on very exciting (and challenging, which is always good) projects.
And with the changing team, changing role - it's indeed a new start. It's a more mature attitude towards the job, when I want to develop particular skills while still being passionate about what I do, it's about getting out of the comfort zone to be a better professional and, well, person. Just need to keep this all in mind while getting my teeth into the business of tasks to do :)
I'm so lucky to live in Australia, this country rocks. It's not only well and has high living standards. It's safe, I feel more so than Europe; people are friendly - a surfer on the beach helped us to put a kayak on top of the car easily mastering the knots; when someone exits the lift you are entering, and your eyes cross - the person would usually smile. Australians are not only well-mannered (mostly) but are humourous (oh, famous Australian humor!), welcoming and enjoy their life and usually let others do the same (I found Europeans colder and more pessimistic - oh opposite chaotic if you think south of Europe :)
And the place itself - there is everything here, mountains with snow and beaches with great water and sand; palm trees and pines. In one day, you can go from the seaside into the wine hills. Sun is out most of days, the sky is blue, and it's great climate.
And Sydney... I travel across the bridge to work every day, and still can't get enough of the beautiful Sydney Harbour. There is something magical in those glowing with lights skyscrapers of city centre reflecting in the harbour waters. Sandstone historical buildings (well, architectural history goes like 100 years back at most), modern building, futuristic and classic street sculptures. Busy crossroads and parks, and quite alleyways. Music festivals and open air cinemas, endless cafes and restaurants, and great food. There is something for everyone here, and I must say, Sydney came the closest to my favorite place of all the cities I've been to.
Labels: australia, books, career, sydney, the kite runner, thoughts and feelings, work
Growing up and what about my people
4 Comments Published by Svetlana Zhukova on Wednesday, October 03, 2007 at 2:37 PM.
I feel I am at some point in my life when I don't really reach out to make more new friends, I want to keep those I have already.
And this is not easy, living by one-year cycles in different countries, when people come in and move on, and so often you have to say good buy, and start all over again, start friendships again.
I grew to understand at times I just want to live around and get to know more those friends I made already, and who were sharing so important parts of my life. I want to spend not only a year but more with people who mean much to me; I want to grow and mature and change with them; I want to continue sharing and creating life stories together. But my circumstances change, and who knows when I meet again my dears...
That's why probably I can't define where I really belong to - because through my family and friends I belong to so many countries and places... I can't be happy in one without the chance of connecting to others, and I haven't figured out a way yet to pull all of this together.
And this is not easy, living by one-year cycles in different countries, when people come in and move on, and so often you have to say good buy, and start all over again, start friendships again.
I grew to understand at times I just want to live around and get to know more those friends I made already, and who were sharing so important parts of my life. I want to spend not only a year but more with people who mean much to me; I want to grow and mature and change with them; I want to continue sharing and creating life stories together. But my circumstances change, and who knows when I meet again my dears...
That's why probably I can't define where I really belong to - because through my family and friends I belong to so many countries and places... I can't be happy in one without the chance of connecting to others, and I haven't figured out a way yet to pull all of this together.
Labels: thoughts and feelings
