Know Your Hosts
Before you embark on your adventure abroad, it is essential that you inform yourself about your host country. This preparation will give you a strong foundation of general knowledge about the country, upon which you can build a more specific knowledge through your interaction with the culture while you are there. It will also give you a good indication of some of the similarities and differences from the U.S that you will have to cope with. In addition to preparing yourself to live abroad through researching your host country, it is also crucial that you have a strong knowledge of your own country so that you may provide your hosts with insights into your cultural background. This page contains many helpful links to conduct your research!
Helpful Sites For host country information
Country and Cultural Information
Language and Intercultural Communication
Map and Time Information
News, Weather and Sports
A Few Questions to ask yourself about your host country
- What type of government does your host country have? Who do the majority and minority parties represent and who are their leaders? What are the distinguishing differences among these parties?
- What is the geography of your host country like? How about the climate?
- Do you know a brief history of your host country? How long has it been independent? Was it a colonizer or a colony? Was it a major power in the region at some time? Did it win or lose any important wars? How long has the current governmental structure and/or system been in operation?
- What is the education system like? How much education is compulsory? Does the government heavily subsidize higher education?
- What languages are present? Are these official or unofficial? Do these languages represent any geographical, economic or other divisions?
- What religions are present? Are these official or unofficial? What do you know about these religions (e.g., beliefs, practices, holidays)? If the country is mainly Christian, does it have a patron saint?
- Who are the service workers of your host country? Did they come from somewhere else and why? Who are the elite of your host country? Is there an indigenous population? How do these groups relate?
- Who are the national heroes/heroines? Who are the celebrities?
- What kind of relationship does your host country have with the USA?
- Are the roles of men and women in your host distinctly different? How are these difference manifested? How should you respond to this while in the culture?
- What is appropriate school dress for men? For women? How about social occasion dress for men? For women? How should you dress in order to be appropriate in your host country?
- Is your host country culture formal or informal when meeting new people? How does the culture respond to personal questions?
Customs and Courtesies
- What is the formal way of greeting someone in your host country? The informal way? Do they use gestures like handshakes, kisses, hugs, etc.?
- What is a "typical" home visit like?
- What familiar "western" gestures are used in normal conversation? Which gestures might be considered inappropriate or insulting?
- What is the place of family life in your host culture? Is most entertaining at home or away? Is it formal or informal?
- What are the dating and marriage customs of your host culture (e.g., typical age? Do couples live together before/instead of marriage?, Are there church or civil ceremonies?)
- What do the people of your host country eat (i.e., what are the typical foods)? Which meals are eaten at home or outside the home? By whom?
- What are the popular sports and entertainment activities of your host culture? What do these reflect about the people in your host country? About the age groups?
- What are normal business hours? What are the major holidays and what determines these holidays (religion, state laws, politics, etc.)?