📘 Part 3: Foreign friends

This episode's vocabulary

Exploitative (adj.) - using someone unfairly for your own advantage.

Extras (plural noun) - advantages; non-essential things.

Certain (adj.) - having no doubt or knowing exactly that something is true, or known to be true, correct, exact, or effective.

Contingent on/upon sth- depending on something else in the future in order to happen.

Resilience (noun) - the ability to be happy, successful, etc. again after something difficult or bad has happened.

Proficiency (noun) - the fact of having the skill and experience for doing something.

Culture clash (noun) - a conflict arising from the interaction of people with different cultural values.

Analogy (noun) - a comparison between things that have similar features, often used to help explain a principle or idea.

Punctuality (noun) - the fact of arriving, doing something, or happening at the expected or correct time and not late.

Frustration (noun) - the fact that something prevents plans or efforts from being successful.

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Questions and Answers

M: Rory, do you think having foreign friends is a good way to know other countries?

R: Well, it's definitely one way, though I don't think it's the only way. Actually, if that's the primary reason you get to know people, then it's a bit exploitative, isn't it? Um, it's probably better to make friends just because you like the people involved, and then any advantages that come with it are like added extras.

M: Do you think it's important to know the culture and the language before going to another country?

R: Well, maybe not everything, but you should at least make an effort. It's respectful, and it helps you grow as a person, in my opinion. For example, you have an understanding of why people are the way they are. And you can reduce stress on service stuff when you ask for things, or make an order or request.

M: What do you think of people who work in international companies?

R: Well, I suppose that depends on what you mean, as people, I'm sure they're no better or worse than anyone else. I'd imagine they have more developed language skills compared to people who work in companies working within borders, rather than across them. Although that's by knowing certain, is it? It would be contingent on where you work like the department.

M: What abilities do people need to have when working in an international company?

R: Well, like I said, good language skills, resilience will be in high demand too, given stressful situations that can occur when working with people from different cultures that have different values. Organization and communication will be a priority as well. But they're in demand everywhere, aren't they?

M: What difficulties can people face while they're working in an international company?

R: Well, I suppose the communication issue because if you're dealing with people from other countries, then they might not have the same proficiency and language as you, or you might not have the same proficiency as them. So that could cause problems. I think that's the biggest one, really, that and culture clashes in terms of what's valued and what's not.

M: What do you mean about culture clashes? Is it like culture shock?

R: I don't think that's the best analogy. It's closer to, it's better to give an example like time or punctuality, for example. Some cultures value punctuality, and some don't. And that can cause frustrations when people are late and they don't seem to care, for example.

M: Do you think it's difficult to have foreign friends?

R: I don't think so. As long as you're willing to put in the effort to maintain the friendship, then it's not difficult at all.

M: Thank you, Rory, for your answers!

R: Hooray!

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