Your Future in the Global Community

Johanna Shapira

Johanna Shapira, coordinator of the Asia Pacific Management Program at Capilano College, shares with us ways that young people can prepare themselves to succeed in Asia. Her ability to give youth advice stems from her experience living in Thailand, where she lived for almost a year, and in Viet Nam. Her many adventures gave her a taste for Asian culture and are the source of her knowledge of the history, religion, social, economic and political diversity of Asia.

Johanna does not describle overseas placements as an effortless way to experience Asia. In her travels, she has faced many barriers but through perseverance she managed to overcome any obstacles, one at a time. She recounts that one of the biggest culture shocks she encountered was discovering she needed to reexamine her personality and make personal changes at the deepest level in order to fit in.

"In Asia, before you are a woman, a Canadian with white skin or brown skin, you are a stranger. This can be both good and bad so it is crucial to have a good understanding of yourself," she said."For example,in the labour market in Asia, especially as a woman, you should not have opinions, you should agree with the way that things are done".

Johanna was forced to suppress certain characteristics of her personality to adapt to Asian culture. However, she explains that because of her "foreigner" status she had fewer restrictions than her Asian female counterparts. This demonstrates, in Johanna's words, that Asians know how to respect and appreciate the culture of foreigners.

Language is another barrier that she had to overcome. She describes an episode that still makes her laugh. In Bangkok, Thailand, Johanna learned basic Thai until she felt able to converse fully and attempted to tell a story. She was recounting an anecdote about her mother when she used the Thai word "maa", but quickly understood from her listeners' reactions that she had not used the term correctly.

The Thai language uses five different intonations for what we would view as the same word but in fact all have different meanings! For example, the word that Johanna used in her story could have meant dog, doctor, becoming, horse and mother! Her listeners were laughing because they thought she was talking about a dog.

These comical lingusitic misunderstandings repeated themselves often during her travels but Johanna insists that Asians appreciate it when North Americans try to speak their language. This, she explains, helped her to maintain her courage and improve her Thai considerably. It is always essential to learn the language in order to understand the way of life, she notes wisely.

Johanna offers some basic rules for success in Asia. Be energetic and humble.

"Youth should tell themselves before they go, that an overseas trip will be very different from anything they have ever experienced before," she said. "They should demonstrate an openness to other cultures and be committed to adapt to Asian culture rather than impose their own culture on others.

"Young people, when they arrive in Asia, are students of life and should consider every person they meet as their teachers," she said.

She finished by saying that every day in Asia is a challenge. Buying clothing was difficult for Johanna because she is taller than the average Asian woman. Fortunately, a few friends showed her a "foreigner" clothing boutique.

To succeed in Asia, Johanna reports that there are three things that young people should do before they depart. First, study the language, the history, and the geography of their destination. Then , establish a network of young Asians through Canadian organizations such as the Junior Chamber of Commerce and / or other international agencies geatred towards youth. Finally, Johanna suggests that it is easier to go to Asia on an international exchange program than it is to do so on your own.