ScandAsia China - October 2011

OCT 2011

China

Sigrid Maria

Takes on Beijing ScandAsia.dk

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Overlad strategien til Os – så plejer vi dine investeringer

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din investeringsrådgiver, der møder dig på din hjemmebane, forener ekspertise på højt niveau med en afslappet og imødekommende facon. derfor vil du straks føle dig velkommen i sydbank (schweiz) ag.

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SwedCham HK: 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner

FinnCham HK: 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner

Date: 4 November 2011 Location: Aberdeen Marina Club

Date: 12 November 2011 Location: Hong Kong Football Club Restaurant

The Swedish Chamber in Hong Kong celebrates 25 years! Join an unforgettable gala dinner on Friday 4 November 2011 at the Aberdeen Marina Club. Do not miss this fantastic opportunity to celebrate the Chamber. Time has come to polish your dancing shoes, start shopping for a new evening dress or dust off your dinner jackets. Follow latest announcements on www.swedcham.com.hk.

Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong celebrates 25 years! The Anniversary Gala Dinner will be held at the Hong Kong Football Club Restaurant on Saturday 12 of November 2011.

This Gala Dinner promises to be a night of fine dining and great entertainment in one of the oldest private clubs in Hong Kong. Stay tuned for further information at www.finncham.com.hk. Any inquiries please email to info@finncham.com.hk.

ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish residents in China.

We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in Thailand, Singapore and the rest of South East Asia.

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com Publisher : Scandinavian Publishing Co., Ltd. 4/41-2 Ramintra Soi 14, Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Advertising : Finn Balslev finn@scandmedia.com Piyanan Kalikanon piyanan@scandmedia.com Nattapat Maesang nattapat@scandmedia.com

Discover Hong Kong with SWEA Date: 18 November 2011, 10.00 am Location: Bell Tower at the Star Ferry in Tsim Sha Tsui

The Swedish Women’s Educational Association in Hong Kong invites you to discover Hong Kong.

Tsim Sha Tsui is the important economic area where you can find any level of activities such as finest dinning, street vendors, historic building, or modern shopping. Register to sweahkpg@yahoo. com. This is an interesting trip especially for newcomers who want to be introduced to Hong Kong from insiders.

Sasiprapa Silatham sasiprapa@scandmedia.com Chiraluck Maleekaew chiraluck@scandasia.com Graphic Designer : Supphathada Numamnuay supphathada@scandmedia.com Distribution : Pimjai Chaimongkol pimjai@scandmedia.com Printing : Advanced Printing Services Co., Ltd.

Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com

DCC HK Annual Christmas Ball Date: 3 December 2011 Location: The Hong Kong Jockey Club The Annual Christmas Ball 2011 of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong will be held on December 3rd at the Happy Valley Race Course. It is the biggest party of the year where all Danish in Hong Kong will gather for dinner, dancing and celebrating Christmas season. Please save the date and stay tuned at http://www.dcc.hk.

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ScandAsia News Brief Nordic Investment Bank Celebrates 25 Years in China

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ordic Investment Bank (NIB) celebrated on 22 August 2011 the 25 Year Anniversary of co-operation between NIB and the People’s Republic of China.

NIB operations with China started in 1985, when NIB offered the first loan to the Agricultural Bank of China in a rural project. Since then, more than 300 projects worth an amount of over 1 Billion US dollars have been financed.

Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Sweden founded the Nordic Investment Bank in 1976 to promote sustainable growth of its member countries by providing long-term competitiveness and enhance the environment.

Chinese Tourism to Norway is Booming

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he Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Shanghai is pleased to report an astonishing growth in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Norway.

The number of tourist visas (ADS) issued at the Norwegian Consulate General in Shanghai reached a record high this summer, counting almost 2 000 in July.

This is a year on year increase of more than 150 per cent since 2010. “We are very happy that so many Chinese travelers want to visit Norway and explore our beautiful county” says Norwegian Consul General to Shanghai, Mr. Bjørn Blokhus.

The two most popular group destinations are; Norway`s capital Oslo, where people can enjoy the urban city, cultural life and great shopping, as well as the fjords and the amazing scenery of western Norway.

Sweden Helps China Invest Overseas

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he China Development Bank and the Swedish government are jointly accelerating construction of an outbound investment financing platform for facilitating Chinese companies to conduct business in developed countries.

Eddie Chen, vice-president and chief representative for Greater China of Invest Sweden, says Chinese companies have good technologies and products but lack experience and financing support in entering the markets of developed countries.

“As China’s major banks have not been able to provide such a platform currently, we must speed up providing this.”

China Development Bank and Invest Sweden signed their in March. Chinese companies now stand a good chance of joining Sweden’s iron ore exploitation.

Chen pointed out this is a golden opportunity for Chinese companies planning to invest in natural resources in Europe.

“About 90 percent of Europe’s demand for iron ore is satisfied by Sweden,” he said.

New energy resources are another area in which China and Sweden can cooperate.

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6 ScandAsia.China • October 2011

Yet Another Success for the Crayfish Party in Beijing

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or the 13th time, the Swedish Chamber´s Traditional Crayfish Party took place in the Royal Garden at Radisson BLU Hotel on 17 September 2011. After a day with bright blue sky and about 26 degrees Celsius the evening came, with quite cooler temperature. But this was nothing that kept the 250 guests away from the longed for Crayfish Party.

Our MC Lars Olofsson took the lead and introduced the evening and our special guest Stefan Gunnarsson especially flown in, from Sweden, to entertain for the evening. Stefan is, today most known as pianist and singer but also working professionally as a guitarist, bassist, harmonica and brass player. He quickly became a household name in Sweden as a pianist in popular TV show “Så ska det låta” 2006-2010. Stefan showed us his great width as an entertainer, in his repertoire. Basically, you could ask Stefan to play any pop-song from the last 80 years and he delivered. Of course Stefan becomes a success among the audience and the dance floor was heaving during his performance.

Not to forget the tasty crayfish that was served in combination with a lavish international buffet, tempting desserts and as always, free flow of beer, wine and soft drinks that set a nice party atmosphere in the garden. The traditional bottle of Linier Aquavit was on the table and kept us worm.

During the evening our sponsors where introduced and thanked with the Chambers traditional Sponsor Fun. This year, with help from Stefan, songs where played and the sponsors got questions to be answered for each song. Ericsson became the winner with a full pot of correct answers, amazing! They where well deserved the Prize “A dinner for two sponsored by Royal Smushi House.

Thank you to our Gold Sponsors, Ericsson, SEB, Finnair, Radisson BLU, STC, Swedbank and our silver sponsor, Vinge. Without your generous 6 support this party would not have been the success it turned out to be.

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1. Stefan Gunnarsson 2. We like Crayfish 3. Nice Crayfish Hats 4-8 What a fun party ever!

Text and Photos by Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Beijing October 2011 • ScandAsia.China 7

Sigrid Maria Inderber A After living in Guangzhou for three years, Norwegian classical flute player Sigrid Maria Inderberg has just arrived to the capital to become a flutist divine.

“The greatest challenge is to be able to combine Norwegian- with Chinese tones,” she said.

By Alexandra Leyton Espinoza

8 ScandAsia.China • October 2011

fter a bachelor from Trondheim Conservatory of Music and later a masters from The Royal Danish Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen, Inderberg decided to move to China to explore new opportunities.

“I wanted to go someplace different, on an adventure. I knew a friend that was living in Shanghai so in 2007 I packed my bags and moved to China for a six month period to live as a musician.

During her first time in Shanghai, where she worked at a ChineseFrench music school and as a freelance flutist she learned one of the key criterias for many Westerners during their first time in China, improvising.

“I could find myself playing norwegian folk music and Peking Op-

era, during one and the same show.

However, that only made everything more exciting, in China you don’t really know what will happen next,” she said.

“One thing though that is of big relevance here is connections, thats how I started, building relationships and learning the language.”

One example is when one graduation class had it’s ceremony and there were only a couple of Westerners among the rest of the Chinese class.

“I thought, they must have felt very outside, but I soon realize if you have good connections and speak Chinese, it’s not bad,” she said.

Close to the end of her stay, she met her future husband Paul, got married and soon after they moved to Guangzhou, were her Norwegian

I could find myself playing norwegian folk music and Peking Opera, during one and the same show. However, that only made everything more exciting, in China you don’t really know what will happen next.

rg Takes on Beijing husband Paul had got a job for the Norwegian consulate.

“My path in China has followed by different occasions that had led to others. I guess I always had a positive outlook. When we moved from Shanghai to Guangzhou, I thought it would be exciting,” she said.

Combining Norwegian and Chinese tones In Guangzhou Sigrid started joining orchestras, bands and playing both with westerners and Chinese. Most importantly of all combining both Chinese and Norwegian tones.

“To just play classical music with Chinese people doesn’t work. Chinese musicians don’t have a long tradition on European music as Mozart, Bach and Bethoven, they know the techniques but since they aren’t brought up with western traditional

music they have a harder time understanding it,” she said.

“On the other hand, Norwegian folkloric music has few characteristics in common with Chinese traditional music, and when these two different techniques combine it turns out really good.”

According to Inderberg, she doesn’t feel like the “laowai” amongst her Chinese peers.

“Of course people are interested to know who I am and were I come from, but mostly they are interested in the music I play with my instrument. Which is different from any other wind instrument in China, to mix both styles and create something new.”

Another difference that Inderberg noticed during her stay has been the importance for her previous Chinese students to have their musical

ability on paper, she explains.

“Chinese students are very eager to have the grades written on paper. In Norway if you are studying an instrument as a second subject, an exam is not required. In China, Chinese students demand one, music is a very well respected skill here,” she said.

The cultural scene in Guangzhou has according to Inderberg grown during her years spent there, more orchestras are playing and specially as a foreigner the opportunities are endless.

“When I first moved there three years ago, even if it took some time from the beginning.

Once it was rolling, I got more opportunities almost immediately. Being in a big city with few Western musicians is great. I got to be part of a lot of concerts and if you take

initiative you can get a lot of experience.

Looking for an agent in Beijing Two months ago, Inderbergs husband got a job in Beijing, once again she has landed in a new city building new relationships, but this time she has got a plan.

“Previous times I have always been my own agent, but Beijing is too big and the competition is fierce, I also noticed that classic music is not as popular as Jazz and rock, so I am planning on getting myself an agent,” she said.

“In Guangzhou I have missed much of the Western scene, in Beijing I feel you can get both. Even if you can be very lonely in China without family and friends, time just makes it easier,” she said.

October 2011 • ScandAsia.China 9

We are over fifty commercial advisors in seven different missions in China. For a fairly small country we are extremely well positioned in China simply because it’s very important to Danish trade.

10 ScandAsia.China • October 2011

Danish Counsellor Facing New Challenges Jesper Kamp assumed in June his new and challenging position as Commercial Counsellor at the Royal Danish Embassy in Beijing. One of his targets is to increase the presence of small and medium size Danish enterprises over the next four years.

By Alexandra Leyton Espinoza

“I

have always had a personal interest in the potential of expaanding business relations between Denmark and China,” says Jesper Kamp, Denmark’s new Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy in Beijing.

“Even when North America was doing great, I was still aware of the potential the Asian region had.

It became even more apparent with the financial crisis,” he adds.

“During the crisis China was still the driving force, with just 1 to 2 percent downturn, where other countries had about 10 percent downturn.”

Chinas huge potential and the strategy that the central government adopted for its 11th five year plan - where they over performed and the 12th year old plan were they are extremely ambitious according to kamp China is Denmark’s biggest trading partner outside Europe and extremely important for Danish trade.

In fact Denmark has greater trade with China than North America.

“We are over fifty commercial advisors in seven different missions in China. For a fairly small country we are extremely well positioned in China simply because it’s very important to Danish trade,” jesper Kamp.

The SME potential All the major Danish companies like Carlsberg, Bestseller, Ecco and the biggest shipping company in China, Maersk are represented here. But the potential is in the SME’s according to Kamp. One of the challenges of the trade council is to increase the presence of small and medium size enterprises for the next four years.

“We do that individually when the companies come here, with all kinds of consultancy work, public affairs, market research and partner research. We do also have subsidies for small and medium size enterprises.

For certain activities some companies get fifty percent subsidies from the Danish government,” he said.

“The wind sector companies

are an example of medium size enterprises that are well represented and sell directly to Chinese market and manufacturers.”

Kamp explains that the trade council offers companies that have no experience of doing business in China a China strategy session where they educate the companies about business relationships in China. As the next step, the council can assist them establish themselves in China, either through the embassy or lawyers, help them with the legal process, find partners, clients, simply lead them through the whole process about doing business in the middle kingdom.

“We have noticed when we have helped companies all the way that these cases are also where we have experienced the biggest success rate. Often, when we just make a market study for them, the client doesn’t get the full benefit of our service,” he says.

If the trade council cannot do it all, they will refer the company to other consultancies to handle issues like IPR, trademark issues etc. So in the case where a company doesn’t get the success they were expecting, the trade council together with the company can go through the whole process and see what went wrong and where other companies can benefit from their mistakes.

The long run “The most important part is that a company must be here for the long run and have realistic goals. You should not expect to break even the first three years. We have noticed that small-medium size companies face greater challenges since they need to return investment much quicker. Small companies don’t have the financial resource to commit themselves to the long investments compared to the bigger companies,” he says.

According to Kamp, companies that have big success in China are the ones that end up understanding the market and are willing to adapt,

either if it’s business to business or business to consumer.

“I believe that China is a much more demanding market than any other market in the world, the Chinese consumer has different expectations and this is where the challenges exist,” he says.

“There are companies that say “Our products are better, they will last longer!” But maybe their Chinese clients only need these products for a short period of time or do not want all the high end technology, they have put into them. To revise your product by listening and adapting to the market is key.”

Be there To achieve success you also have to be locally present in China.

“A company has to build trust having local staff, showing you are a longtime partner for Chinese companies. To visit the country once a month will not generate business.

That of course is challenging for small sizes companies but if you do it right, the rewards can be tremendous,” he said.

The opportunities for Danish companies are many because some of the special Danish competences are also key areas in China’s 12th five year plan.

“Sectors that deal with energy efficiency, where Denmark is a market leader, environment, food security and agriculture are very high on the agenda in China. We have a high cooperation on a commercial level with Chinese authorities which is very positive,” he said.

Only five months into the job, his work has been better than he expected.

“It was my own choice to apply for this post, my first choice and luckily I got it. The whole process has been over my expectations, both professionally and personally.

For me, my interest in Chinese culture, business and food makes my whole stay a whole new experience,” he says.

October 2011 • ScandAsia.China 11

Preparing to Move T Moving to a different area in the same country can be quite a handful, but moving to a different country to work and serve can be more than just challenging as there would be quite a lot to take care of before leaving and upon settling down.

by Kristene Silva Marie

here are many factors that would instantly appear in a person’s mind once they receive the news of an opportunity to work abroad. To make it easier and more organised, it is certainly better to identify the necessary points to take care of before leaving your home country, or moving back.

The right way to do it is by starting with the very basics which is, making a list. By doing this, all the things that has to be done within the one or two months will be visible thus more organised and easier to carry out.

It is best that preparation begins as soon as you receive news about your coming move. Most of the time, you won’t receive the news at an ideal timing, forcing you to rush into getting everything organised and prepared.

Pre-Move sale Some of the first areas to look into before moving are the things in your

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house. Separate them into what you are most likely to bring with you and what you don’t need.

The trick is to pick out the ones you know you are not going to look for within the next five months. This will help you identify things you don’t need which you could get rid of by selling them in an auction or sale.

While sorting out your things, it is good to start investigating on moving companies to get a feel of the options you would be dealing with. You will most probably be referred to a move consultant, who will provide the preliminary information about destination customs requirements, insurance, packing techniques, timing, etc.

You can then request for a detailed budget proposal which will include the estimated volume or weight of shipment, a total estimated price for the move, time required to complete the job, what is included in the package and so on.

The proposal will give you a better understanding of what you can

Abroad

expect when obtaining the services of the moving company of your choice.

Once you have made comparisons based on the information on the budget proposals you have gotten from the companies and weighed the differences in their services and charge, the decisionmaking process would be easier.

If you have children, it is important that you arrange for your children’s school records to be transferred to a new school or daycare centre.

Some moving companies even provide relocation services like looking for school options for your children around your new destination on top of packing your goods and moving them. So if you have children, this service could come in handy for you. Of course, you could always just look for one yourself if you prefer it that way.

To prepare for your actual packing and avoiding total chaos on the actual day of your moving out, ordering supplies such as boxes, tape, Bubble Wrap, and permanent markers would help. Also look into ordering specialty containers, such as dish barrels or wardrobe boxes.

It is also a good thing to use up all the stored items that cannot be brought with you to your new home such as frozen or perishable food and cleaning supplies.

Packing Up Under a rare incident of being informed very much prior to your move, you could actually start packing around a month before actually moving out.

You could start by packing things that you use less frequently such as a waffle iron and croquet set. Also keep in mind to declare, in writing, any items valued over $100 per item, such as a computer.

It is good to have your containers labeled and numbered clearly with its contents and the room it’s destined for. This will help you to keep an inventory of your belongings. Pack and label “essentials” boxes of items you’ll need right away Around this time, it would be wise to inform certain parties such as banks, brokerage firms, magazines and newspapers you subscribe to, credit card, insurance and utility companies. It is also important to arrange for medical records to be sent to any new health care provider or obtain copies of them yourself.

Banking options should be prearranged. If you already have an account, double-check if it is usable in the country you are going to. Discuss other options with a consultant at the bank and find out whether you are eligible to open a bank account in your host country.

Most often, people forget the simplest of things like reconfirming arrangements with the moving company a couple of weeks before, packing up suitcases with enough things needed for everyone in the family for a few days while the unpacking of the other stuff are done.

Self Preparation There are bound to be mixed feelings about the move, especially ones that involve worry and anxiousness.

It may be because you don’t really know what to expect, what kind of area you will be living in, the services offered in that area and other, not so troubling things like that.

Here is where the benefits of the internet come into full-fledge use. Using the internet, you can browse through the available services nearby your future home and maybe even learn a few words of the local language or dialect.

It would help if you found out some information on how to apply for an appropriate Visa upon reaching your host country. This information is essential and would help relieve a few nerves.

Having taken all these steps you can ensure a smooth and organised move without having to worry about the hassle of last minute issues or miss-outs.

October 2011 • ScandAsia.China 13

Lonely Third Culture Kids ‘Third Culture Kids’ have problems establishing relationships.

Restlessness and isolation seem to follow them wherever they move. And eventually becoming adults doesn’t change a thing.

By Kristene Silva Marie

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hird Culture Kids are children who spend a significant part of their growing years in another culture. By mixing their home country culture with their host country culture they develop a kind of third culture which they share mostly with other third culture kids.

The term is not new. It was first coined in the 1950’s by Ruth Hill Useem.

TCKs, also sometimes called “global nomads”, are experts when it comes to handling being on the move. Traveling for business or holiday poses little or no problems at all for them. But that same carefree attitude doesn’t always apply in their dealing with relationships.

The idea of commitment, overwhelming enough for most nonTCKs, can stir much insecurity and fear in these individuals, who were basically raised around the world.

On one hand, TCKs would step into situations with other TCKs and rapidly form strong bonds with them, usually because they get talk-

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ing about their similar experiences and challenges. But on the other hand global nomads feel comfortable keeping an emotional distance.

Loneliness and isolation A common aspect of a global nomad’s life is saying goodbye countless times, not only to people, but also to schools, homes, cultural identities and aspects of a country they had come to love.

Loneliness and isolation can become two unwelcome shadows when a single move turns into two moves, and then three moves and so forth. Sometimes for TCKs, being sociable seems like too much of a burden. In those times they feel it’s easier and more pleasant to be alone.

It is not surprising that their first reaction when they find out that a friend is leaving in a couple of months, is emotionally detaching themselves thinking letting go now is better so when the moment of true goodbye arrives, it wouldn’t ache quite as much.

Emotional withdrawal is the

main reaction of many TCKs when faced with “goodbyes” to loved ones leaving on, for example, business trips for a few days.

Without realising it, they withdraw with the thinking that the best defense against pain, is to guard their feelings and be prepared to drop a relationship at any moment’s notice.

Not having had a sense of being in a large social support group, it can be difficult to develop and maintain one later. Most people however, don’t realise this because they have friends, family, their church and a sense of community to lean on.

They know that they are isolated only if they choose to be.

But for those who have moved around a lot, a stable community is a new concept which would take time to really understand or even to trust.

Unresolved grief How TCKs handle partings becomes a critical component of their lives. It may take years for them to actually figure out how to respond, when even small goodbyes trigger mudslides of denial and emotion.

Some of the deepest on-going struggles they face are the ones with trusting and creating genuine relationships because this means they are required to be vulnerable time and again.

Vulnerability includes, revealing their true feelings to others, caring deeply about the presence and love of others and being willing to share pain and tears with others.

This struggle with intimacy may create all kinds of learning opportunities in any close relationship a TCK has. For example, those who have grown up in one place will probably have a tough time understanding why their TCK friend or partner seems to have this restlessness and inexplicable desire to move and change.

When you say goodbye as many times as a TCK does you can start building up some pretty intense grief. This is probably the heaviest burden in the backpack of a Third Culture Kid. It takes time for them to shift their paradigm from feeling saying goodbye means “NEVER seeing that friend or loved one again” to just a “goodbye for now”.

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Moving Back Not Easy Reverse culture shock is an emotional and psychological stage of re-adjustment most people experience when they return to their home country. It is often worse than the initial adjustment to living abroad.

By Kristene Silva Marie

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oving back to your home country after living abroad for a while, the country you used to call “home sweet home” suddenly doesn’t exude the warm, tingling feeling you expected, but rather a biting coldness making you take a mental step back. Everything seems

almost right, almost the same, but something has changed. You start to feel left out and estranged. This is what is commonly known as the repatriation depression.

Months or years later, your call in that country ends and you are soon ready to board the plane home but after mere hours of being home, you realise that something is

off and start wondering what had gone missing.

Repatriation depression is similar to the culture shock you may have experienced when you first went abroad, only in reverse. Just as it took time to adjust to a different culture when you arrived there, it may take some time to re-adjust to home.

Many are not aware that living in a different country all those years has exposed them to a new culture and without realising, they have changed their lifestyle to conform to the society around them.

Personal Experience

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Reverse culture shock is an emotional and psychological stage of re-adjustment, similar to your initial adjustment to living abroad.

The chance of experiencing reverse culture shock increases the longer you’re away from your home culture and the easier you adapt to your host culture.

In addition to emotions such as depression, disorientation, and helplessness, symptoms of reverse culture shock include increased irri-

tability with your home culture and a longing to return to your previous host culture.

You may no longer feel at home in the culture into which you were born. Similarly, your new global perspective may cause you to experience insights about your home culture that are not shared by your friends and family.

You may even feel more connected to your previous host culture than your home culture. Although consequences of culture shock include confusion, loss, and anger, preparing for reverse culture shock can help you contend with its weakening effects.

Give it time The same skills that helped you adapt to your host culture, adaptability, flexibility, and knowledge that “this too shall pass”, will help you readjust to your home culture.

Allow yourself to feel confused and give yourself time to transition to your home culture. Have faith in yourself and know that just as you successfully dealt with culture shock, you will also successfully deal with

reverse culture shock. Most importantly, be good to yourself.

There are several challenges you may face upon returning to your home country after being abroad for some time. Taking the process seriously by being realistic and thinking about your possible reactions can make your return both more enjoyable and productive.

The fact that you have to keep in mind is that you have experienced trying to adapt to a new culture and finally conformed to the society there.

Challenges of Reverse Culture Shock Challenges you may face include boredom, where after all the newness and stimulation of your time abroad, returning to old routines and lifestyle (however comforting) can seem very dull.

Another inevitable occurrence you would experience is that as much as you want to share about your memories abroad, those around would not be able to digest everything you have to say.

This is not because they are not interested but because they find it difficult to enter your frame of thought and most probably don’t find what you say as interesting as you do.

What could help is that you include elements of life that they are familiar with such as food, school, shopping, etc.

Just as you have altered some of your ideas and attitudes while abroad, the people at home are likely to have experienced some changes. These changes may be positive or negative, but expecting that no change at all is unrealistic.

The best preparation is flexibility and openness.

Sometimes the reality of being back “home” is not as enjoyable as the place you had in your mental image. When real daily life is less enjoyable or more demanding than you remembered, it is natural to feel some alienation or even become quite critical of everyone and everything for a while.

It was the same as when you first left home. Mental comparisons are fine, but keep them to yourself until you regain your more balanced cultural perspective.

Although not widely grasped, mental preparation before moving home is essential. It not only helps you reconnect with the people around you but helps them reconnect with you. You did it before moving away, didn’t you?

Preparing for repatriation?

1. Realise that you are returning home a different person than when you left, and you’re going to need time to adjust.

2. Be understanding of family and friends who expect you to be the same person you were when you left although you have undoubtedly changed.

Santa Fe Completes Merger Santa Fe has completed its acquisition of Interdean, Europe’s leading relocation company. The group now provides a single source solution across three continents; AsiaPacific, the Middle East and Europe.

T

he Santa Fe Group has completed the acquisition of Interdean, Europe’s leading relocation services company.

Headquartered in London, Interdean offers relocation and move management services from a total of 48 offices with 1,200 employees in 35 countries across Western and Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia.

This transaction follows Santa Fe’s recent acquisition of Wridgways Australia.

Collectively the Santa Fe Group now offers professional relocation, moving and records management services through 120 offices in 50 countries and provides a single source solution to its customers and partners across three continents; AsiaPacific, the Middle East and Europe.

Currently, Santa Fe’s 3,150 dedicated professionals are now servicing approximately 100,000 relocations each year.

Santa Fe and Interdean have

been close partners for a number of years and the merger is a natural fit.

“We expect our organizations and customers alike will experience added value through increased efficiency and an expanded service scope that focuses purely on serving our clients.” says Lars Lykke Iversen, Chief Executive Officer of the Santa Fe Group.

“We are pleased that Interdean’s senior management team is enthusiastic about the merger and remains committed to the company. We have great respect for the entire Interdean organization and what they have accomplished in building Europe’s leading relocation services organization. Their experience and skills are key reasons behind this merger and will benefit our customers and the entire Santa Fe Group, he adds.

To find out more Santa Fe, Interdean aand wridgeways, please visit these websites: www.santaferelo.com www.interdean.com www.wridgways.com.au

3. Find others who have lived abroad with whom you can talk and share your experiences.

4. Create a scrapbook of memories which include photos, theater or museum stubs and other souvenirs from your time abroad. Not only will you gain a lifelong keepsake, you will also have something to be able to look at when you are feeling down or homesick.

5. Keep in touch with your friends abroad by email, phone or traditional snail mail. You may even want to begin considering a trip abroad to see those friends.

6. Write about your experiences abroad. Not just a journal to help you adjust and explore your feelings about returning home, but an article or a series of articles to submit to your local newspaper or magazines.

October 2011 • ScandAsia.China 17

Medium

Finnish Kitchen

T

he Finnish kitchen is a bit controversial. A few years ago, the former French President Chirac claimed that “After Finland, Britain is the country with the worst food” and the Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi is quoted for saying: “I’ve been to Finland and I had to endure the Finnish diet”.

The harsh critiques was answered with a defense for Finnish food by some international food reporters, and in 2008 a Finnish pizza chain won the America´s Plate International pizza contest beating Italy. The Finnish pizza chain named their award winning pizza ”Berlusconi”.

The Finnish kitchen is quite much more than pizza though. Berries, mushrooms, bread, cold water fish and meat from deer and other wild living animals are highly prized ingredients in the kitchen.

One of the most welknowned Finnish dishes is the Porankäristys, sauteed reindeer. Now reindeer seems to be a little difficult to find in SE Asia why ScandAsia will like to challenge our readers and suggests to substitute the reindeer with meat from water buffalo. And we will be very interested to hear about the result from any of our readers brave enough to try.

Evil

The Dish Poronkäristys, sautéed reindeer, is perhaps the best known traditional meal from Lapland, especially in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Usually steak or the back of the reindeer is used. Slice it thinly (easier if frozen rather than only partially thawed), fry in fat, traditionally in reindeer fat, but butter and oil will do, spice with black pepper and salt, and finally some water, cream, or beer is added. The dish is often fried with chanterelles and leeks, and served with mashed potatoes and cow berry preserves or, more traditionally, with raw cow berries mashed with sugar. In Finland it is often served with pickled cucumber, which is not as common in Sweden.

Are you done?

W

hen you have completed the above puzzles, please send your solution by fax to +66 2 943 7169 or scan and email to puzzles@ scandasia.com. We will make a lucky draw among the correct answers. Five lucky winners will receive a ScandAsia polo shirt.

Name:

___________________________________________________

Age: ________________________

Mobile:

___________________

(6 portions) • 800 gr sliced reindeer (poronkäristysliha) • 50 gr butter • 3 dl beer* • 2 small onions • 1 ½ tsp salt • 3 tbs flour • ½ tsp ground black or white pepper *Instead of beer, you can use cream or water to prepare the Sauteed Reindeer Sauce.

Recipe Cooking and Preparation Method

Address:

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Brown the sliced reindeer meat and chopped onions in butter, preferably in a cast iron casserole pot. Season the meat with salt and pepper and add the flour, stir. Add the beer and stir again.

Place the lid on top of the pot and allow to simmer at a low heat for approximately one hour.

Email:

__________________________________________________

Food Serving Suggestion

Deadline for submitting your solution is 15 November 2011 18 ScandAsia.China • October 2011

Serve the Sauteed Reindeer Sauce hot together with mashed potatoes, loganberry jam, pickled beetroots and pickled cucumbers.

Serving the Scandinavian community for over 30 years

• International, Domestic and Local Moving • Document Storage Services • Real Estate Services

• • • •

www.santaferelo.com

Office Relocations Property Management Orientation Programs Visa & Immigration

Shanghai:

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Tel: (86) 21 6233 9700 shanghai@santafe.com.cn

Tel: (86) 10 6947 0688 beijing@santafe.com.cn Hong-Kong:

Tel: (852) 2574 6204 sales@santafe.com.hk

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– en dansk skole med globalt udsyn HERLUFSHOLM er en traditionsrig dansk skole med mange elever, der har danske forældre, som er bosiddende i udlandet.

På Herlufsholm Skole tilbyder vi dit barn et højt fagligt niveau, et internationalt studiemiljø og et omfattende fritidsprogram – alt sammen i skolens enestående historiske og naturskønne rammer.

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HERLUFSHOLM SKOLE OG GODS WWW.HERLUFSHOLM.DK TLF. +45 55 75 35 00

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International Private Banking is a service for clients with high income or wealth, who have chosen to live outside the Nordic countries. You and your family are assigned an Executive Wealth Manager, a financial specialist, who can guide you on your overall private finances.

Your Executive Wealth Manager is available for meetings even outside normal office hours and can draw upon experts within the Danske Bank Group or our network of external specialists on areas such as domiciliation, insurance and audit.

Michael Blom, Executive Wealth Manager at Danske Bank International, will be present in China during fall 2011 and available for a private business meeting at your convenience.

Call +352 46 12 75 434 or send an e-mail to michael.blom@danskebank.lu to set up a meeting and hear what Danske Bank International has to offer you.

For further information, please visit www.danskebank.lu