When my supervisor first invited me to go on an overseas business trip, my mind was very complicated. At first, I was surprised and flattered that my capabilities had been recognized, but soon after, endless anxiety ensued.
I had wanted to go overseas and experience different work cultures and norms, because it would be healthy for me to leave my comfort zone and challenge myself. But at the same time, I had four young children at home, who needed me to run the household. I was not sure if they could cope without me.

When I first got to the overseas office, my colleagues were very friendly. My work efficiency was not compromised in any way, and after work, I was free to roam the city as I pleased.
What I always looked forward to was visiting a nearby mall on my day off and spending every last dime of my per diem!
The hardest thing to get used to was the local food. The flavors were vastly different, and at those times, I found myself missing the buffets in Taiwan.

The business trip overseas allowed me to meet different colleagues and get along with people with different personalities. Over the course of our collaboration, I had the chance to consider my shortcomings at work in terms of communication and coordination. I also thought about how I could improve the way I handled problems so that others might feel more comfortable. This would be helpful for our communication at work in the future.