Inpatriation: United States Cultural Briefing

Coming to America: A Super-Sized Survival Session for Living in the United States

Program Overview

Working in a new country is never easy, and the United States in particular is full of challenges.  Unfortunately, it takes a lot more than just knowing English to be successful.  This crash course in American culture will prepare participants for living and working in the United States. 

Program Objectives

At this program's conclusion, participants should be able to:

• Describe the various business cultures and subcultures of the United States.
• Explain workplace business etiquette.
• Identify expectations of time and personal space in the United States.
• Comprehend American slang that is likely to appear in spoken English at work.
• Demonstrate proper table manners.
• Avoid business-killing faux pas.
• Use public transportation for short and long-distance travel.
• Transact business with banks, telephone companies, and post offices.
• Understand the proper use and care of residential conveniences.

The following outline highlights some of the course’s key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).

Course Outline

From Sea to Shining Sea: An Overview of Business in the United States

This introduction includes a review of the geographic regions of the United States and the cultures associated with each.  Participants will learn about national norms and regional variations in business customs, language, food, dress, recreational interests, etc. They will understand what distinguishes one region from another and how to survive in any.

Oh, Do Behave!: Meeting Expectations at Work

The second unit presents participants with information about acceptable workplace behavior. Among multiple topics, the instructor will provide information about basic telephone etiquette, office conduct, personal grooming conventions, and taboo subjects best avoided in the workplace.

Another Time, Another Space: Understanding Promptness and Personal Space

In this component, participants will receive instruction in “reading” American body language as a way of enhancing their understanding of verbal communication. They will explore situations to determine the need for formality or more casual behavior. By way of comparison, they will examine the concepts of time, punctuality, and respect for personal space in the U.S. and their homelands.

There’s English and Then There’s American English: An Introduction to U.S. Usage

Textbook English is not typical conversational American English, and for participants who have learned British English, what they have learned will not square with what they hear in their new U.S. workplace.  This unit covers commonly used American idioms and slang expressions that are not routinely taught in formal academic settings, yet newcomers from other countries will benefit from knowing what these expressions mean.

Let’s Eat: Business Socializing and Dining in the United States

This segment of the training offers participants an opportunity to learn the basics of American business entertaining and dining. From table settings to table manners, from company picnics to corporate cocktail parties, participants will learn how to scale the slippery slope of eating and socializing in a culture different from their own.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Getting Around Town and Around the Country

At this point in the training, participants will learn how to use public transportation for short and long-distance travel in the United States. Following general information regarding booking flights, securing train tickets, riding on buses, and hailing cabs, participants may receive additional information specific to transportation in the geographical areas where they will be working and living.

The Telephone Company, the Bank, and the Post Office: How to Work Within Their Systems

Beyond the difficulty of communicating in a foreign language and having to learn workplace practices and expectations in a new environment, participants need to know how to use the services of telephone companies, banks, and post offices in order to manage their daily affairs. This segment explains where to locate such businesses, how to find out the hours and days of operation, and the kinds of services they provide.

Dishwashers, Dryers, and Other Appliances: Surviving at Home After a Long Day at Work

In the final unit, the instructor will provide participants with information on identifying and using American household appliances, fixtures, and conveniences that they may not have in their homelands. Because the adjustments required to work in a new country are difficult enough, this last lesson is designed to make life away from the workplace less complicated than it might be otherwise.

At the conclusion of their training, participants will have an understanding of American culture, especially as it pertains to business behavior and expectations. They will understand that within the country there are regional and local differences that impact workplace conduct and expectations. They will know that conversational American English is vastly different from formal written English and  they will be aware of the prevalent use of idioms and slang in workplace speech. They will understand the features of proper business and social etiquette, and peripheral instruction in daily living considerations will contribute to their acculturation.