Even after being in Korea for almost two months, I found that the biggest challenge in the workplace is the language barrier. Unfortunately, I have only learned a few words of Korean, and definitely not enough to use in any work related context. I have been reliant on my english speaking coworkers and Google translate to communicate in the office. During company meetings or when documents are sent to me, I use translators so I can have an understanding of what the different teams of the company are working towards. Even though being reliant on translators or others to communicate, it has pushed me to become more thoughtful of how I present myself and my work to others. 

Compared to America, Korea typically has a much higher context style of communication where it is important to read in between the lines and pick up on small changes in body language, or tone of voice. In Korea, it is usually frowned upon to question the practices of the company or make suggestions to company leaders, while in America, small suggestions or recommendations are usually more welcome. Personally, most of my communication between me and my superiors takes place either on Microsoft Teams, or when I am presenting my work to them. I found that in the written messages, where I often get assigned my work, the communication style is very similar to that of the United States. There is always a clear task that I am supposed to complete, a few references and resources to look into, and vague directions of how it should be compiled and presented. Similarly, in the discussions that I have with my supervisor after I present, they often give feedback very similarly to how I am used to in the US. The feedback I receive is given in a constructive manner and very specific with clear changes or improvements that they would like to see in an updated document. 

From what I have seen, the difference in communication styles is most clear when it comes to body language. In earlier blog posts I wrote about how important it is to show respect to your superiors by supporting your arm when shaking hands, or holding onto things with two hands. There are so many social norms when it comes to being respectful to company higher ups. For interns or newer employees, it is a clear way of showing respect and willingness to cooperate with the long-tenured or higher level staff. Another major difference in communication styles is seen on powerpoint presentations. In the US it is often best practice to find balance between the amount of information on the slide and not overwhelming the viewer. However, from my experience in Korea, it seems to be common to put as much information as possible on the slide. The slides often contain paragraphs worth of information, along with charts and tables, completely different to how it is compared to in America. 

So far, in the office, I have been able to avoid any miscommunications by asking for clarity and taking my time to talk slowly and listen as carefully as possible. I try to avoid using highly technical terms on slides and messages, along with always accompanying major statistical information with charts or graphics to prevent misunderstandings. When talking I practice similar habits, and often offer to type out a message with a summary after as well. As for the differing body language, I am starting to get used to it but my colleagues and managers understand that standards are different in America, so they do not judge me for messing up on etiquette. 

In my future work with health care policy, I believe that my increased awareness of body language and ability to read the room will best help me research the personal and community level impacts of policies that I am researching. Also, having experience adapting to a new standard of communication will make it easier for me to learn more about other cultures I find myself in, because I will have more experiences to compare and contrast from. These additional experiences will also help me when I am collaborating with organizations and businesses, so I could best understand their wants and needs. This could help me avoid difficult and delicate conversions that others may not be willing to have, making everyone involved more comfortable. Lastly, this experience understanding a different communication style will allow me to better tailor messages to different communities and stakeholders more effectively, increasing my productivity in the workplace.