The culture in which we were raised has influenced us throughout our lives, and it is essential for constructing our values, beliefs, dress, and even the way we bury our dead. When we are born, we are already part of culture because even the way children come into the world is influenced by culture.

Each culture has its rules, codes of behavior, values, beliefs, etc. Each culture has a code of behavior that is expected from everyone living in that place. This cultural expectation can bring serious problems for the foreigner, especially if he wants to impose his culture on another country.

To make it more transparent, I will give you an example. I have already had the opportunity to meet Brazilian women who went to live in Saudi Arabia. Still, they did not accept the rules of the place regarding the role of women in that society. While this resistance remains only at the level of ideas, and as long as they don't express these ideas, there would be no significant problems. However, behaving according to Western culture within a culture with totally different rules could bring serious problems for these women and their husbands.

When you decide to move to another country, you need to know how to behave as expected by the country's culture that welcomes you. It is common to hear comments in the United States about the unpunctuality of Brazilians.

If this unpunctuality is restricted to social gatherings, it may not have significant consequences, but if it happens in a professional environment, the person may have serious problems. Maybe you are asking yourself: So what does it matter what they (people from another culture) think of me?

Maybe you don't care what people in the country where you plan to live to think about you. Still, knowing the culture of the place, its habits, values, behaviors, etc., will give you the peace of mind to move around in different environments, making you feel part of the place you have chosen to settle in.

Belonging is an open door for you to integrate into the community in which you live. All of this facilitates the adaptation process and increases the chances of success of your international experience, whether it is for vaccation, work, or settling down.