When I first migrated to the United States
Migration comes with an immediate challenge of culture shock. This is a phenomenon where a person feels disoriented in terms of his normal way of life due to a culture change. This happened to me when I first moved to States, and it landed me in some problems.
I moved to the United States to work as a Financial Analyst in one of the world’s best companies- Deloitte. Being among the highest ranks, I got the privilege of having a company car. Back in Trinidad, where I come from, I had an international driving license, but they did not pay much attention to the ways of driving in different countries; therefore, I thought that every place is the same.
On my first day at work, I woke up very early so that I can get to the office on time. The car was parked right outside, and the keys were in the apartment, so after doing my morning routine, I started my drive. As I was driving, I noted that vehicles on the main highway are moving in the right lane. This is contrary to the situation in Trinidad; therefore, I thought that they were just confused. Driving off the service lane into the main highway, I joined the road’s left side, and most vehicles were driving on the opposite side.
It hit me that twenty people cannot be wrong, and one person can be right. Before I could find a roundabout and rectify my mistake, the highway authority was on my neck. I was pulled over, and the police were there. It was quite intriguing how the police were understanding, and I paid some fine, and they let me join the right lane. On my first day at work, I arrived late!
Learning about culture shock and how to adapt could have helped me avoid the situation. Therefore, it is necessary to learn about adapting to a new way of life before migrating.