Expatriate Interview
Introduction 100
This interview is talked about an China migrant worker’s experiences in Singapore. Through recording the cultural shock faced by the interviewee, the purpose of the report is to analyze cross-cultural problems between foreign workers and Singapore. In the first part, the content of the report is related to the interview. For the second part, the report presents the author’s personal reflective opinions which related to the aspects of Cross cultural problems. The report also examined the China migrant worker’s cultural perceptions.

2. A brief background of interviewee
Yue Shaofeng, a 32 year old man from China, is sitting in front of me. He worked in Singapore since 2008. His home is located in a village in Shandong province of China. In 2008, Mr Yue was introduced through an intermediary company to Singapore to work. Mr Yue is an unskilled worker before he came to Singapore. Mr yue had married before he went abroad. During the period of living in Singapore, he changed several jobs. At present, he works in a Sheng Siong Supermarket which located at 19 Serangoon North Avenue 5. Mr Yue's task is to handle raw fish before the fish product is delivered to the customers.

3. Cultural Shock
In the process of the interview, I asked Mr Yue a question about culture shock. He told me what he experienced. As Mr Yue said, “When we take the bus we often speak loudly. By contrast, locals always keep quiet.” It is common to see that mainland Chinese often speak loudly in public place, such as MRT Station, bus etc.. Since the locals often keep quiet in public place, Mr Yue feels astonished. Singapore has been always regarded as one of the overseas employment destinations by mainland Chinese workers. They think they can get high wages and achieve career development in Singapore. However, most of them may confused when they enter a new culture. Since the tradition customs in China have been destroyed, mainland Chinese worker, such as Mr Yue, cannot realize his behaviour which is not suitable in Singapore. In the words of Mr Yue, “Why do people often discriminate against me”. From Mr Yue’s perspective, he think his behaviour is normal in any occasion.

In Mr Yue’s opinion, SIngapore is very different from China. As he said. “Do everything in Singapore must be based on obeying strict rules unless you want be punished”. Singaporeans doing everything in sequence, such as queue up for tickets, which is not a small impact to the Mr Yue. Because in China, people often do not line up, do something to grab. On one occasion, Mr Yue, and friends do not line up to buy food, the locals accused them of wrongdoing. On another occasion, Mr Yue in the room to smoke, such acts are illegal in Singapore. The result is that police fined Mr Yue S $ 200. Mr Yue think Singapore Tobacco and alcohol prices are too high, the price is several times the price of China.

Mr Yue feel shock about communication way of Singaporean. In his words, “local Chinese can speak both Chinese and English, I appreciate them”. Mr Yue found that local Chinese sometimes speak English or sometimes speak Chinese. In Singapore, almost everyone would say that at least two languages, and some people even say three to four kinds of languages. Most children brought up in a bilingual environment to grow, when they grow up, they learn other languages. Most educated Singaporeans are bilingual, and English and Chinese for everyday life the two most common languages. English is the main language of instruction in schools, in order to ensure that the language and cultural heritage, the children will learn their mother tongue. Mr Yue when working in the supermarket, often encounter local Chinese customers. They sometimes talk to him in English, but when they found Mr Yue is Chinese, they would say Chinese to him. When faced with the Indians or Malays to buy fish, Mr Yue becomes very embarrassing, because Mr Yue cannot speak English. This time, Mr Yue’s colleague, a native, will substitute Mr Yue to serve customers.

Adjustment
Any person who migrate from one country to another, will have a certain degree of confusion in the period of time, a loss and mood swings phenomenon, which is called culture shock. Many Chinese workers have the quality of hard-working, they go through a period of adaptation gradually integrated into the social environment among Singapore. As Mr Yue said, “I feel very tough in the first month since I don't know how to get along with foreigners. I became homesick during the first few months”.

Low-end services salary is not high, many Singaporeans prefer to unemployment, they are reluctant to engage in such work, many local companies can not hire enough local workers. However, due to the presence of exchange rate differences, the same salary for people in other countries more attractive. There are an estimated 200,000 Chinese migrant workers in Singapore (Webmaster, 2011). Currently, the number of Chinese labor input Singapore after Japan. However, whether these workers can achieve the desired objectives, then to a large extent depends on their luck, depending on whether they can actually get in the employment contract which states the jobs and wages. The number of mainland Chinese workers working in Singapore is about 20 million. All of them have to pay huge fees in order to obtain legal employment status and work visas. Many mainland Chinese workers signed employment contracts are included harsh working conditions and terms of violation of the law. It is these provisions, so they had to suffer at the mercy of employers. Although Singapore's labor laws provide protection for workers, but the Singapore government also claimed that these laws apply equally to local workers and foreign workers. However, Singapore's local social widespread public discrimination against foreign workers. Reports about foreign workers often appear to be infringing on the Singapore newspaper. Newspapers published job advertisements often require the conditions of employment, which workers cannot receive overtime pay.

In the words of Mr Yue, “I must be very careful. If I was fired in the first year, I cannot earn my commissions I paid”. The first period of time for foreign workers is tough and uncertain. When talking about how he adapt to a new environment, Mr Yue said “I am too tired to do other thing in the first few days, then I gradually adjust to the conditions and hot weather”. For Chinese workers, they initially difficult to integrate into the community in Singapore. Their work environment is generally very difficult. Some locals are generally refused to work in these places. In addition, foreign workers have little chance to understand local people's lifestyle, culture and customs and so on. In addition, when faced with a new environment, many uncertain factors also affect foreign judgment for local cultural values. When Chinese workers encountered a bad employer, they might think the locals are liars sided, do not trust and regret come here to work.

Reflection
5.1 Personal Reaction Level
I think each foreigner would experience culture shock when he or she go abroad. Compared with mainland China culture, Singapore culture is diverse. I always saw fat Indian women dressed traditionally in Little Indian. Sometimes I saw a long queue of Indians who were waiting for withdrawing money from ATM on Sunday, which shock me. In my opinion, why they waste time to withdraw money from the same place, why they don’t want to choose another ATM. In the same way, I always saw locals queuing to eat food in the same restaurant on holiday. For this, I asked a local friend. He told me that people would like to queue since they like the taste. Apart from this, SIngapore culture focus on families. On holiday, people like to spend with their families, even queue for a long time. During these time they can communicate with each other no matter for what.

Since I am international student studying in Kaplan, I hold many mainland Chinese cultural values. In China, the student learning experience is often teacher-centred, whereas in host systems outside China, such as Singapore, the student is expected to be more independent and individually resourceful (Ong Soon Leong and Dimmock, 2010: 27). Apart from observing local student, I sometimes observe locals who have worked. Locals are very polite, and behave very good, I think, which shock me. A man in front of me opens the door and keep the door open til I pass through it, which I cannot imagine that situation happen in China since it is not possible. Singaporeans do not spitting, defecating and urinating, nor throw garbage anywhere. Compared with Chinese, I was shocked. When I live in Singapore in the first period of time, I always speak loudly. Gradually I aware of the problem. Now I found speak loudly in public place is not good in Singapore.

Once upon a time, my friends and I went to dinner. I use English to communicate with a waitress, but she did not understand what I say. I had to say Chinese to her, she did not patience, so she became a little impatient attitude. My local classmates told me that this time I should complain her. My local friend told me that a common complaint is Singaporeans' habit, so if I encounter bad service, public transportation delays, prices, or my favorite hawkers closed, I can boldly express dissatisfaction . But I best express my dissatisfaction on the Internet, if I want to perform street speech, it must get permission in advance. Therefore, online forums and comments are the most real people publish thoughts and concerns of the local.

5.2 Analytical Level
The interview demonstrates that the greater the differences between two nation's culture is, the more intensively the culture shock presents. Expatriates just come to a new environment, especially which is considered to be a good place to make money, often suppose that Singapore will be able to easily make money. One of the challenges faced by expatriates going abroad for the first time is the peril of being not adequately informed of the host country’s culture (Rajasekar and Renand, 2013: 144). For China migrant workers, everything is so curious and fresh; even if there is a big difference in some things, it does not feel disgusted, but find it interesting. If expatriates are lucky to encounter a good employer, for this stage of expatriates, that was very lucky. This time expatriates are in good condition. After a period of time, the initial freshness passed. The sense of loss at this stage for newcomers began to emerge. They began to feel depress. If the first two phases of cultural differences is not yet clear, then, to the new environment at this time for all the cultural differences appear. These factors bring people uncomfortable feeling. Newcomers returned to real life from tourists illusion. Facing all sorts of difficulties and setbacks, the newcomers even more concentrate on past such as their family, friends, and living environment etc.. Faced with the reality and the ideal of a strong contrast, many people even sprouted the idea of home. This phase is the worst situation for newcomers, namely emotion worst period. After half a year of transition, the early volatility plain. Newcomers began to adapt to local cultural differences, and many negative attitudes are gradually fading. Cross-cultural adaptation is a process of acclimatizing to the demand of a new cultural environment, which means both changing perspectives and reconciling beliefs to the host culture (Shi and Wang, 2014: 24). Most of the newcomers are able to face reality and convince themselves to adapt to local culture. This phase newcomers mood gradually returning to normal.

Once, it was said that Singapore is pursued and respected Asian values and Confucian culture. In fact, this is purely an unknown stranger who can only see the surface phenomenon. Singapore perform outstanding in dealing with the Asian financial crisis. The reason is not because of Asian values, but because the value of the British colony, especially economic transparency and the rule of law. From mainland Chinese perspective, all sorts of habits which was formed in the planned economy country are not easy to change over in a short period. Previously familiar bureaucratic culture and social culture have changed when mainland Chinese come to Singapore. Faced with almost harsh legal system and social norms, though not cold but definitely businesslike government officials, many mainland Chinese have more or less a sense of conflict and exclusion.

Faced with cultural differences, expatriates should uphold positive, positive attitude. They might look at different cultures from the perspective of appreciation. Expatriates should serve experiencing cultural differences as a rare cross-cultural experience. On the other hand, Expatriate should adapt to the culture of local firms and learn to get along with co-workers of all nationalities in the company. Expatriate should work hard, rather than talk about politics, or right and wrong. Expatriate should learn the local dedication, loyalty and norms of corporate culture. Expatriate should respect for their culture, customs and beliefs. Expatriate should try to participate in social activities. The adaptation of cultural difference is not a short period for expatriate.

Conclusion
In summary, expatriate cannot avoid culture shock when they first live in a foreign country, so he or she need to adapt to a new culture.