Free resources for cross-cultural workers

I ran across this web site (thanks Mark Vanderhoven) and wanted to share it with those of you who are involved in either sending or going. Compiled and written by Dr. Ron & Bonnie Koteskey, it contains good advice for those working cross-culturally. Here’s a list of some of the articles:

• Aging Parents: Caring for aging
  parents is difficult when you live at “home,” but it is even worse when
  living out of the country. Here are some suggestions.
• Anger: Is anger sinful? What do we do with
  anger? This article gives some guidelines for managing this troubling
  emotion.
• Anxiety:  Everyone becomes anxious at
  times. This article explores what causes anxiety, what the Bible says about
  it, and what you can do about it.
• Books: This annotated bibliography evaluates
  a dozen or so reasonably-priced books useful to people living and working
  cross-culturally.
• Burnout: Anyone can burn out, but the stress
  of living in another culture may make it even more likely. This article
  gives tips on avoiding this cause of leaving.
• Children’s Adjustment: Many
  times Cross Cultural Workers need to remind themselves of the special needs
  of their children as they make adjustments to living in a different culture.
  This article gives suggestions and ideas for helping understand our
  children’s needs.
• Conflict: Since everyone working with
  others experiences conflict, this article looks at ways of avoiding and
  resolving such conflict.
• Coping with Change: Life is
  rarely totally predictable. Change happens, and how we respond to it can
  make a huge difference in our lives. This article examines the dynamics of
  change and gives some tips for coping in a healthy way.
• Counseling: Talking with a counselor
  does not mean you are mentally ill, only that you want to be a better
  person. Here are some tips about finding a counselor.
• Culture Stress: Culture shock is
  widely discussed, but what about the constant stress that remains when the
  shock is over. Here are some suggestions for action.
• Debriefing: People returning “home”
  benefit from debriefing even if nothing traumatic happened. This article
  gives some ways to go about your debrief.
• Depression: Everyone feels sad at times,
  but what if the sadness does not go away? This article answers questions
  about depression and what you can do.
• Each Other: Generational differences
  cause difficulties when people work together. This article considers
  differences and offers suggestions for harmony.
• Expectations: Living in another
  culture is not what you thought it would be. This article looks at the
  effects of expectations and how to set realistic ones.
• Forgiveness: Why is it so hard to ask
  (or give) forgiveness? What if you can’t forget-or still don’t like the
  other person? Here are some answers.
• Grief: You may think of grief as what occurs
  when a loved one dies. However, people working in other cultures constantly
  grieve losses with each transition.
• Guilt: This article discusses the differences
  between being guilty and feeling guilty as well as how to deal with each.
• Happiness, Comparison and Envy: The
  cycle of comparing ourselves with others and feeling unhappy because of
  that comparison is as old as humanity. This article looks at this issue and
  offers some ideas to help deal with it positively.
• Healing of Memories: Life often
  brings very painful experiences, and the memories of those experiences often
  hinder us. This article looks at the topic of “The Healing of Memories” and
  examines some of the steps that can lead to the experience of that healing.
• Leadership: Nehemiah was one of the
  greatest leaders of all time. Here is the “who, what, when, why, and how” of
  his leadership.
• Loneliness:  Loneliness can be a
  great challenge for the people working cross culturally. This article
  examines some of the reasons for this, and offers some ideas on handing it
  in a healthy way.
• Member Care: This article gives
  suggestions for getting help from your organization and from other people
  while working cross-culturally.
• Managing Money:  Few things can
  cause as much conflict on a team is differences in approach to money
  management. This article examines the issue and suggests some ways to
  discuss and manage personal and organizational funds.
• Mental Health: To maintain health
  don’t prioritize your schedule, schedule your priorities. Here are top
  priorities in life for mental and physical health.
• Nepotism:  When relatives seem to be
  given favored positions, it can be a source of real conflict on teams!
  This article explores the issue and suggests ways to minimize the problem.
• Premature Departure:
  Leaving the field early can be a traumatic experience.  Whether it is
  due to poltical turmoil, interpersonal conflict, or other issues, it can be
  difficult to process.  here are some important factors to consider.
• Psych Testing: Organizations often
  require psychological tests before sending people to other cultures. This
  article discusses some tests and consequences.
• Reconciliation: Forgiveness and
  reconciliation are not the same. Here are some steps you can take toward
  restoring relationships.
• Reentry: Returning “home” can be more
  difficult than leaving. This article presents ways to finish well when you
  leave and enter well back home.
• Relationships: One of the primary
  reasons people leave early is the problem of getting along with others. Here
  are some suggestions for lasting friendships.
• Retirement: While working
  cross-culturally people may not think about what it will be like to retire.
  This article raises issues that need to be considered.
• Rumors: Rumors have plagued cross-cultural
  workers for centuries, so here is some information about how they start,
  what they do, what to do when you hear one, and what to do if you are the
  victim of one.
• Saying Bye: People working in another
  culture say many goodbyes as they travel back and forth. Here are some
  suggestions for such interrupted relationships.
• Separation: Couples living overseas
  often find themselves separated. This article looks at common reactions to
  this and suggests ways to cope.
• Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse happens at
  home, at school, and with others in the organization. Here are some signs of
  such abuse and suggested actions to take.
• Sexual Purity: People living in other
  cultures may experience greater sexual temptation, so here are some
  suggestions for maintaining purity.
• Sexual Stress: Living in other
  cultures puts an added strain on marriage relationships. This article looks
  at these strains and gives suggestions for coping.
• Suffering:  An all-to-common part of
  human life is suffering.  And, dealing with it is often difficult. This
  article examines suffering and offers some helpful ideas on perspective as
  well as practical steps for those who are suffering.
• Suicide: We may have friends that say that
  they are considering taking their own lives, or perhaps you have considered
  it. This article looks at the difficult topic of suicide, examines some
  common myths, and offers some guidance on helping others and yourself.
• TCK Books: This annotated bibliography
  evaluates a dozen or so reasonably priced books for and about children and
  teenagers growing up cross-culturally.
• Thankfulness:  It may sound
  simplistic, but “developing an attitude of gratitude” has proven mental
  health benefits, especially for cross cultural workers.
• Trauma: As the world becomes increasingly
  violent more cross-cultural workers may find themselves in traumatic
  situations. Here are debriefing suggestions.
• Uncompleted Transitions:
  Since the transition from one culture to another takes months, often a year
  or more, cross-cultural workers often find themselves “leaving” before they
  are finished “entering.”