Barrett Cruce found this summary of helpful tips online.
1. Listen and observe. Since there are new rules, norms, and cues that may be unfamiliar to you, you need to listen to verbal communication and observe non-verbal communication carefully and try to put them in the proper context.
2. Ask questions. You cannot assume that you always know what is going on or that you always understand some communication. Most Americans will be very helpful to you if you need an explanation of something. You may need to rephrase a question, check the meaning of something, or repeat what you have said.
3. Try not to evaluate or judge. You will see many things that are different from your own culture. It is important not to label everything as good or bad in comparison with your own culture; most customs, habits, and ideas, are simply different from what you have known before. You may also misunderstand something and thus put the wrong interpretation on it until you have more information.
4. Try to emphasize. Try to put yourself in the other person’s place and look at the situation from that person’s perspective. There are very different cultural perspectives of the same situation.
5. Openness and curiosity. To experience a new culture and to learn from it, it is important to be open to new experiences, to try new things, to be curious about the way things are done in a new place. The more you explore, the more you learn.
6. Sense of humor. It is very likely that you will make mistakes as you explore a new culture, and if you can laugh at them yourself, it will help you learn, and other people will respond with friendliness.
7. Anxiety and frustration. Learning to function in a new culture is not easy, and it is natural to feel anxiety and frustration. If you recognize that these are a normal part of the experience, you may be able to deal with them more effectively. Your sense of humor and openness will also help.
8. Become involved. The more you put into the experience, the more you will learn from it. You should make an effort to meet people, form friendships, get involved in activities, and learn about the people and their culture.
