We Are All Alone in This Together

                                                   Written By Sayed Emran Kazem

Have you ever travelled thousands of miles to meet new people and discover new cultures, only to find yourself spending time mostly with the same groups you knew before? This is a common experience for many international students.

Picture this: you have just landed in London. It is your first time travelling west of Asia. Even simple tasks like buying a SIM card, using the Tube, or opening a UK bank account feel confusing. You are surrounded by people, but you still feel alone.

Language and communication often seem like barriers when entering a new culture. Yet, as our recent free webinar showed, they can also become powerful tools. We invited Chelsey Chen, a PhD candidate studying how Chinese students adapt in the UK, to share her journey. She spoke honestly about the challenges she faced when she first moved here.

Like many second-language speakers, Chelsey first learned English through American media. When she started university in Britain, the fast British accent was hard to follow, especially in lectures. Socialising with British classmates was also difficult; sometimes she could not keep up, sometimes she felt misunderstood. At first, these issues felt like barriers.

But Chelsey learned to see them differently. She spoke about the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone and building a multicultural network – the kind of network you might have imagined before making your journey. She reminded students that it is okay to ask for help, even if others do not. Communication is powerful. Arrive a week early if you can, use the first days to get used to your surroundings, and speak to people you normally would not. It does not matter if you are slow or think your grammar is bad; speaking itself is the key.

East to West, a London-based consulting firm, regularly provides a platform for individuals like Chelsey to share their first-hand experiences. Our aim is to learn alongside you how best to tackle the issues faced by international students and to teach cultural intelligence to people navigating diverse global environments. Our pilot programme that launches at the end of October also develops leadership skills and helps bridge cultural differences.

The webinar was co-hosted by Thomas Heath, author of The Art of Explaining and founder of the company Art of Explaining. His warm energy set the tone for the event, which runs every month. With more than 20 years of experience in communication, Thomas has helped brands and organisations such as the NHS strengthen the way they connect with audiences.

He stated, “If you can crack your audience, you can crack the code to key communication.” This is why understanding your audience is essential; without it, you miss the main step of communication.

Thomas described the barriers communication can create and how to overcome them. He noted that the hardest people to communicate with are often not strangers but those closest to us. No matter how large the differences seem, whether with a neighbour of ten years or someone you meet online from another continent, you will not bridge those gaps without communication.

He also outlined three key measures for effective communication:

1. Make sure the other person clearly understands the core message you want to share. Use logic and a clear standpoint.

2. Build trust and confidence so the listener feels secure with you.

3. Check whether your audience is engaged and actively listening. Speaking is only one part of communication; the bigger part lies in how the other person receives.

   
   

In summary, ask yourself these questions in every interaction: What does my audience want? What do they want to know? What do they want to do? How do they want it?

Even simple everyday acts can be practiced. Perhaps a new café has opened selling matcha tea. You want to try it but feel nervous about going in. Push yourself to smile and say, “Hi there, I’d like to try your matcha!” Small steps like this build confidence and communication skills.

Check out our Navigating Success programme and stay tuned for future webinars to continue your journey with us.

Sayed Emran Kazem – Graduate of Law at King’s College London, and East to West’s Thought Leadership and Research Expert. He also hosts our monthly webinar series, sharing insights on cultural adaptation and communication.