Being Welcoming - Be Inclusive
This is part 9 of 10 ways to be more effective in interacting with someone from another country
Be inclusive. Encourage the person to join your group or to go up to the buffet with you. Don't smother them, but gently and respectfully include them.
Being a foreigner is exhausting and can make you feel like a baby. All your natural instincts are stripped away and it's very hard to read people and situations. I know, I've been there!
For instance, in Senegal I was laughed at because I couldn't understand the accent and dialect of French and because I ate rice with my hands "like a baby"! In fact, I got put with a three-year-old because I got rice all down my arm like he did!
Having someone who recognizes this and gently includes you can give a feeling of safety.
Previous tip: Don't overwhelm them.
Next tip: Use networking to connect them to others.
