This may sound depressing, but don't let it get you down.   A living abroad experience, as a whole, can be greatly enjoyed and valued.  The key to this result is handling day-to-day life.  Learning how to keep your head above water, or as I prefer to say to, how to stay AFLOAT, will enable you to make the most of your abroad experience.

Staying AFLOAT refers to five essential principles for foreign living.  We'll take a closer look at each one of these in the following sections.

1. Learn to Adapt
The first principle deals with adjusting to schedules in a different country.  Plan to eat at the same time as others, schedule similar work hours, and go out on the town with the rest of the crowd.  Find out when national holidays are.
By adapting to the surrounding rhythm of life, you are discovering part of the culture on a firsthand basis.

2. Be Flexible
While adapting deals with daily routines and developing a similar lifestyle, flexibility focuses on handling spontaneous situations.  Life in foreign countries can be filled with sudden changes.  If you only get one thing done a day due to numerous surprises, consider it successful anyway.  Often simply "living" in a different place requires more of your time.  Meetings take longer than planned; a quick trip to the grocery store can turn into a hunt all over town for one
ingredient, etc.  ifferent countries operate at different paces.  Be flexible and you'll be surprised how well you get along.

3. Observe
Observe. Observe. Observe.  This is a key element to keeping your head above water.  Cultural books and tourist guides may contain important information on a new culture, but some of the best ways to learn are simply by observing firsthand.  Study how people greet one another and express themselves.  Take into account what is classified as appropriate behaviour and what is considered inappropriate. The same can be said of language.  An acquaintance of mine once greeted his new boss by insulting him because he was unaware of the difference between cordial and casual language!  Take note of these differences and you will save yourself many headaches.

4. Have a Can-do Attitude
Attitude is everything and living abroad is no exception.  The most satisfied, contented expats that I have known credit their happiness to a positive attitude.  This does not mean that you will wake up smiling every day and spend it
jumping up and down with excitement.  What it does mean is keeping the right perspective in each situation.  Look for ways to get involved in what the culture has to offer.  Take advantage of the activities that you can do in your new environment.  Try new foods, take a day to go exploring, or sign up for a cooking class.  By focusing on what you can do in your situation, you will make your stay more enjoyable.

5. Be a Team Player
Finally, work on being a good team player. Most people who move to a different country form part of a group in some way, whether it be work, school, or social  committees.  Look for ways to get involved with the group and consider the members to be your home away from home.  By getting along with others you can form a support system that you can count on.

Remaining content in a foreign place for long periods of time can be a challenge.  The first excitement fades away quickly and the realities of living abroad set in.  The next time that the going gets tough, think about the last five
principles we just discussed. Be adaptable, flexible and observant, have a good attitude and be a team player.  By grouping these concepts together, we come up with the acronym AFLOAT.  So ride out the waves, and you will be able to stay AFLOAT and make the most of your experience.

Happy sailing!
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