Today’s guest post comes from Lindsay McMahon. Lindsay is the founder of English and Culture, located in Boston, MA and New York City. Her company offers English tutoring for professionals and students as well as cultural competence training to help clients become more effective intercultural communicators and to adjust to life in US culture. Take it away Lindsay…

Are you getting as much as you can out of your experience in the United States? Living abroad is an adventure. This adventure offers an amazing opportunity. You probably came to the US to improve your English, right? But is that the only reason you came? What you didn’t foresee is that by living in the US, you have an opportunity to improve not just your TOEFL or IELTS score but to gain intercultural skills that will take you further than any grammar point or advanced vocabulary word. Intercultural skills are what you need to work in many different countries, with different colleagues from all over the world. It is not just about being able to respond with the correct word or phrase in English. It is about understanding how that word or phrase reflects something deeper and what it tells you about the culture of the people that you are working with.

But wait, not everyone who studies in the US returns home with marketable intercultural skills. Why is that? Unfortunately, it is possible to let this opportunity to gain intercultural skills pass you by. How could that happen? By making the wrong choices. In this article, I will tell you about 5 good choices that you can make while you are here in the US to be sure that you return to your country not just a better English speaker, but with intercultural skills that will set you apart in the job market and put you on a path for continued professional growth.

1. Move toward Uncertainty: Living abroad isn’t always easy. You are in a new place and everything is a challenge. Paying bills, buying shoes that are the right size or even mailing a package can be confusing. On top of that, you are interacting every day with people who see the world differently. In situations like these, it is natural to want to shy away from challenges and to take the easy way out. You might be tempted to spend your free time with others from your own country or you might hesitate to apply for that internship because you don’t think your English is good enough. Taking risks is the best way to grow. Try to challenge yourself every day. Recognize that cultural adjustment is a process and take incremental steps. Find a mentor who has also embraced uncertainty in his or her life abroad. Surround yourself with people who want to grow from their experience abroad, not those who want to hide.
2. Observe your own Culture: How much can you really understand about your own culture and worldview before leaving your own country? Not much. Now that you are in a new country, your goal should be to learn as much as you can about yourself and the way that you see the world. How is it different from your classmates in your ESL class or your American colleagues at work? What do you assume to be true about life that might not be true for others? Think about the ways that you use time, how you solve problems and negotiate and how you approach conflict. Do you notice any differences?
3. Get a Language Exchange Partner: While you are living abroad, it is absolutely imperative that you interact with native speakers on a regular basis. This will not only help you learn to speak English more naturally but it will also help you understand US culture, beyond the stereotypes that you have seen in the movies or on TV. Notice the idioms and expressions that your exchange partner uses, ask questions and find out what those phrases mean and what they say about the culture. Be curious and be active in your investigation of the language and the culture.
4. Find a Homestay: Learning English and gaining intercultural skills doesn’t happen only in the classroom. Actually, ninety percent of it happens outside of the classroom. Do your best to create an English learning environment for yourself. It is the late-night conversations over dinner that will help you develop a deeper knowledge of the language and the culture, not the grammar exercises that you complete in class. It is tempting to live with people from your own country. It’s comfortable. Sometimes we need support in our life abroad. But why not try giving up that safety and taking a chance by living in a homestay with American people or in an apartment with international students from other parts of the world? You will be glad you did.
5. Volunteer: It is great to work and intern while you are living in the US, but if you have some extra time in your schedule, there is nothing better than joining a group of like-minded people and giving your time to help others. Not only will you learn a lot about US culture by interacting with other local volunteers, you will also get the chance to take on a different perspective, even if it’s just for an afternoon. If you are struggling to adjust to life in the United States, volunteering can help you work through your feelings and get stronger through giving back and focusing on other people, rather than dwelling on your own situation.