China Quote by Michael Emerson
“If you move here from somewhere else, I often think if I move to Germany, for example, or if I move China and I go worship there I will understand and I'll be willing to give up a lot of my culture because I'm in somebody else's homeland. So I'm going to have to act German or Chinese, whatever that might mean.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Cultural Adaptation, 2016
Moving abroad may require adopting the host culture to feel belonging.
In simple terms: Adapting to new culture may require changing identity.
Key Takeaway
Embrace cultural immersion for integration.
Themes
identity
culture
adaptation
Mood
reflective
curious
Type
cultural
personal
When to use this quote
- expatriate life
- immigration
- cultural exchange
Key Concepts
cultural assimilation
personal identity
global mobility
Questions to Reflect On
- How much of your culture are you willing to change?
- What defines authentic adaptation?
A Different Perspective
Loss of original culture can cause inner conflict.
![“We do not have an American culture. We have a white American culture and a black American culture. So when those two groups try to get together, [it's] very difficult because they each feel like they have the right to their culture.” quote by Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/df1/michael-emerson-4622_american-culture_we-do-not-have-an-american-culture-we-ha_147976.jpg)
![“[The Dalai Lama] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could, and still things get worse in Tibet." If you look at it from one point of view, as he himself says, his monastic position of forbearance and nonviolence hasn't reaped any…” quote by Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9fe/pico-iyer-1252_benefits_the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i_678.jpg)
