The returnees had a range of views on methods of re-adapting to the Chinese culture. R14, who had stayed in the US for seven years and finished his PhD and then returned to the university in which he had worked before he went overseas, said trying to re-adapt to Chinese rules and norms and even the living environment were the most challenging for him:
[In terms of re-adaptation], the living environment is obvious. Sometimes when I think of the traffic here, I really want to go back to the living environment of America. The living environments are so different. When I first came back, I could not even go across the road. I was always slower than others. I could not move when vehicles came. Now I have become braver.
“Becoming braver” in this context can be interpreted as R14 believing that even though it was difficult for returnees to re-adapt to the home country’s life and culture, they have to accept the truth. He said:
The biggest challenge is to adapt. Since you have come back to China, you … have to do things according to the domestic norms here. All these norms, way of doing research, life styles and rules, you should … re-adapt to them. We cannot change it. Maybe the pain is that I cannot change it, right! Therefore, what you have to do
is … adapt to it.
From R14’s perspective, the onus was on the returnees to change themselves or to modify their thinking and behaviour to re-adapt to the norms, rules and lifestyle in China. This view is interesting. On one hand, it could mean that returnees could see the differences between these different cultures and they now held different values towards the Chinese culture, seeing its shortcomings. On the other hand, it could suggest that returnees should drop their newly acquired cultural values and try to fit into the Chinese culture again, and embracing the norms, rules and behaviours of China.
R1, who stayed in the UK for one and a half years to obtain her master’s degree, also
At first, I felt unable to adapt to the life here. I should say the normal life here; for
example, how to go across the road, people’s qualities, and such things. I felt it a
little bit difficult to adapt to them. Then I gradually become used to them.
When she was asked what suggestions she would like to give to overseas Chinese students, R1 said:
[My] Suggestions are that [returnees] should not view these Chinese organisational settings from a foreign aspect. [They should] learn to adapt to every aspect here in China, such as the bureaucratic culture, the working environment and the academic atmosphere, etc. They should readjust themselves if they come back.
R1’s comments indicate that returnees themselves must decide whether or not to accept
the norms and values in China and that their concepts and attitudes were very important in this process. She believed that failing to modify their behaviour to fit back into Chinese culture could result in returnees failing to re-adapt.
Some returnees, such as R11 and R12, had traumatic re-adaptation experiences. Others, such as R1 and R14, reported that they finally re-adapted to the cultural norms and values again. Some returnees readjusted quickly and tried to take measures to fit into the home culture. For example, R18 had studied at a Chinese university for three years before she went to Germany for four years. She had the opinion that compared with her friends who worked as entrepreneurs or government employees, it was easier for her to re-adapt to the university culture:
I had some experience studying at one Chinese university [before going overseas], so the environment is familiar to me. So I think I am better [in re-adaptation] than some of my friends who came back to work as entrepreneurs or in government offices. [There is] too much difference for them. I feel easier than them in re-adaptation.
Sometimes, at the … beginning, I found it difficult to re-adapt, such as in interpersonal relationships. I feel like I had become used to the way of yes-is-yes and no-is-no overseas. I directly expressed my ideas [overseas]. I directly told (others) I was not happy when I was not happy. However, here in China, you need to be moderate and sensitive. You cannot be direct in all ways. Usually after one year, you will feel better.
R18 managed to re-adapt after adjusting her own attitudes, particularly by communicating with others:
I think you should stay with your friends quite often. When I first came back, I had some friends here who grew up with me. I then communicated with them a lot. This is also a process of re-adaptation. Colleagues in your workplace are new to you. So you can try to make as many friends as you can to practise how to get along with your new colleagues. Going out with new friends can let you know what you can say and what you cannot say. [Re-adaptation] really needs such a process. For R18, spending time with old and new friends was a way for her to remember the rules and behaviours of handling interpersonal relationships, which she could then apply to deal with the workplace culture. She believed returnees must readjust themselves and not continue to behave as they did overseas. R21 also mentioned these issues. She had finished her post doctorate in the US and then returned to a university in Yunnan Province. She said that although in the US she could argue with her boss and share her feelings directly with her colleagues, China was different and this was a little difficult to handle. She said she was misunderstood by her colleagues for some time until she managed to blend in to this culture:
[The biggest challenge for me] I think was the relationship with my colleagues. … [Overseas] was very open. You became very direct when you were talking.
Because in foreign countries, it was no good if you didn’t tell your boss the truth.
You could argue [with him or her], which would not lead to misunderstanding and distance between you and your boss. After you came back, your thinking was so different. You said what you wanted you say. Maybe you did it unconsciously, but your words had gone out and could not be taken back, which made you so embarrassed. Even those colleagues whom you had never talked with and whom you never knew thought you were very arrogant.
The relationship between my colleagues and me was tense. However, after a couple of years, you find other staff actually are quite nice. … This is related with the environment. You need time to let others know you and you get to know others. Then finally, you know others, and then you will find this guy is nice, and that guy is nice too.
R21’s experience shows that being accepted by local colleagues is very important to re- adaptation, suggesting the desirability of returnees adjusting their behaviour by fitting
into the workplace. Returnees’ behaviour can be misunderstood by local colleagues
which can become an obstacle to getting along. R21’s use of the word “arrogant” demonstrates the different understandings and practices of different cultural values. Interestingly, the data from the questionnaire survey showed that non-returnee colleagues seemed to have a positive attitude towards returnees in terms of their relationships, as shown in Figure 5-11.
Figure 5-11 Non-returnee colleagues’ satisfaction of relationship with returnees
The data shows that 73% (N=8) of the non-returnee colleagues were satisfied with their relationships with returnees. It seems that for most returnees, even if at the beginning they found it difficult to fit back into the Chinese culture, they could eventually find a way to be accepted by their non-returnee colleagues. The comments from R21 and R18
indicate individuals’ attitudes towards the Chinese culture was very important to facilitate their readjustment. They also show that for returnees, modifying their own behaviour, communicating with colleagues and friends were significant methods of relearning the norms and rules, thus to help them to re-adapt to the home culture again.
R9 also found that communication was critical to her readjustment. She said she was in a panic when she first returned and had to deal with interpersonal relationships with her colleagues, which, she believed, was not a concern overseas. She said it was through communication that she got to know her colleagues and learned about the norms of social
0% 9%
18%
46% 27%
I am satisfied with the relationship with my returnee colleagues (N=11) Strongly disagree Disagree Uncertain Agree Strongly agree
interchange again, which then moderated her thoughts and behaviour:
I didn’t need to consider the interpersonal relationship when studying overseas. My
thinking on this issue was not activated [when overseas]. … After coming back, I still handled things with that thinking and only found that my thinking was too simple and then I felt a little bit of panic. However, later I have found actually all problems need communication. The only way is to communicate, to know about it. Some of my colleagues have many strengths of their own. They know a lot about communication. I can learn a lot from them by communicating with them.