What is a Cross-Cultural Coach and other FAQ

That is a good question. Many of you who have come to this site want answers to a variety of questions about cultural adjustment, cross-cultural relationships and other help with moving abroad or back home after years away. I am here to help you uncover those answers through coaching.

Coaching is kind of like advising, consulting or counseling but different. I am an impartial person that can help you to sort out your concerns, brainstorm solutions and support you on the path that best suits you, your life's goals, values and authentic journey. However, at the same time I am not here to give you the definite answers or tell you what to do. Many people get solicited and unsolicited advice from parents, family, friends and even strangers on the street telling you what they think you should do. I am here to give you the opportunity to decide on what you think you should do.

Isn't that liberating!

I believe you are in charge of your destiny and you have the answers within. However, sometimes it's hard to listen to our little voices inside because of society, because of family or friends that appear to be louder or more authoritative. In all that noise we forget that we have the innate ability to know what's best for us. This is especially true as Americans, Indians or NRIs, when living away from home or coming back home. We want what's familiar- so listening and doing what our family tells us to do has a comforting appeal. But, sometimes in their love and care we forget they cannot understand our situation as well simply because they have not experienced it.

Do you want to connect or reconnect to your innate ability to uncover the answers in your own life and take charge? It's not about directing, but asking the right questions to uncover the hidden treasures inside [of you]! Would you like to participate in cross-cultural coaching?

EXPECTATIONS OF COACH AND COACHEEThese questions are answered in further detail in the coach-client contract; click here to view.

WHAT IS COACHING WITH YOU LIKE?Well, it's pretty straight forward. You tell me about the situations you want to resolve. I ask you questions. We brainstorm solutions and action plans and YOU decide where to go next. We meet in person or by phone over a period of months, whereby I coach and cheer you through success with the plans you create. Yes, there is accountability. I will ask how you are doing and what has been going well, which goals are being achieved, what helped you achieve them and of course what tasks or goals are difficult to achieve. We will review the strengths and challenges and help you to revise your goals so that you realize success!

We also have access to an amazing life purpose self-help series from the Life Purpose Institute. These life-changing worksheets and self-introspective exercises will help you to uncover even more than you realized about yourself. I as a coach help facilitate the worksheets by clarifying particular areas of the exercises with you depending on your unique situation. I ask probing questions related to but beyond those given on the worksheet to challenge you further. To get started with these worksheets today (no obligation) check out the intake packet, the first form clicking on this link.

DO YOU MEET ONE ON ONE OR IN GROUPS?Generally, the work (including American English Accent Reduction Tutoring) is done in one on one settings. This is because this helps me to understand your unique situations, approaches, strengths and challenges best. I can give you my undivided attention.

I can meet you and up to three of your friends in a group session in person (Kochi, Kerala, India) or via internet video, phone or landline phone. This works well for people facing the same kinds of challenges. If you opt for this, for best results it's recommended (but not required) to have an individual session for each group session. The ratio of individual to group sessions is unique to you; some people like to have one individual for each group, others will attend two or three group sessions in between have one individual session. Again, the reason for this is to help to encourage your unique skills, talents, interests, strengths and challenges to be discovered.

HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?
Contact me for current rates at authenticjourneys at gmail dot com.

WHERE DO THE MEETINGS TAKE PLACE?

  1. Phone
  2. In-person (community settings)
  3. E-mail/Chat (only for one-on-one coaching)
  4. Skype (video or voice chat)
  5. More about where meetings are held.

HOW CAN I GET STARTED?Check out the client intake packet by clicking here, then contact me!

Contact me via
Skype: crossculturalcoach
Yahoo: crossculturalmentor
Google: authenticjourneys

When you contact me, let me know what you main interest or concern is that we can work on together. (To see list of topics, click here.)

Related Posts:
Questions and Answers about American English Conversational and Cross-Cultural Coaching


Thank you for reading.


Updated July 2011, November 2012
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Coaching Can Help You Uncover Answers About Your Cross-Cultural Lifestyle

Welcome!! -->
My name is Jennifer Kumar. Thank you for spending your time here today.
Navigating the outer and inner aspects of your authentic cross-cultural journeys helping you live your best life anywhere you are in the world is the aim of Authentic Journeys. For those looking for cross-cultural self-help and encouragement, you are in the right place!
If you have asked yourself about any of the following, coaching can help you uncover the answers you’re looking for!

LIVING IN ANOTHER COUNTRY
“How can I possibly move abroad? How can I move away from everything and everyone I know and love? I need help making this decision!” Do you need help “Preplanning”?

“How can I live in this country? Being a foreigner here is so hard. Coping with daily life is so difficult. Everything is so mysterious and magical, but I feel overwhelmed and don’t know what to do!” Do you need help “Facing Culture Shock”?

“I love this new country and am considering changing my citizenship. Will I lose my identity?” Do you want to explore “Changing Citizenship”?

“I thought if I went back home things would be like they were before. Now everything seems foreign to me. Why don’t I relate to my family and friends like I used to? Why doesn’t “home” feel as comfortable as it used to be?” Do you need help “Reverse Culture Shock”?

AMERICAN ENGLISH AND CULTURE LESSONS
“I studied English for many years before I came to America. I could speak English very well at home. How come people in America don’t understand me? Why can’t I understand Americans? People talk so fast and their accent is different. How come people talk to each other and use words I never learned in English class?” Do you need help with
“American English Reduction Tutoring & American Cultural Adjustment Coaching"? If yes, click here.

MARRYING INTO ANOTHER CULTURE AND/OR RELIGION
“We love each other, but is love enough when our religious and cultural differences seem so difficult… and we’re not even married yet?” Do you want to explore “Pre-marital Coaching”?

“I feel I am giving up too much of my identity in this marriage! My spouse doesn’t understand my native language; my spouse rarely is interested in my cultural or spiritual traditions. What do I do?” Do you need help with “Daily Life in a Cross-Cultural Household”?
“Parenting between cultures and faith traditions is overwhelming. How do we balance important aspects of both of our backgrounds in raising our children”? Do you need help “Intercultural and Interfaith Parenting”?

Updated April 2011
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Authentic Journeys of Jennifer Kumar: A Bio

JENNIFER KUMAR: BIO

Nice to meet you. My name is Jennifer Kumar. I can relate to your experience as an immigrant.
My parents are immigrants. Adjusting to a different culture continues to be a challenge for them, even after being in America over 50 years. My grandmother continues to require help to do daily tasks many of us take for granted, including speaking English, while some of my other relatives only recently asked for help to improve their English skills. This act, in my mind is not out of weakness, but strength. It takes a lot of courage to say, "I have been in America a long time, but I still need help to speak, read and write English well so people can understand me better. And, to do this in mid and late life is even more inspiring. I am at a loss for words, and in fact feel humbled by this.

 I gained empathy for my grandmother’s and entire family's situation when I become an immigrant. I moved to India, where I earned a Master’s in Social Work. In India for two years, I studied, worked, made friends, and lived a life among others that were different than I. I was an outsider, an immigrant, a foreigner; someone who had to learn new ways to communicate, behave and interact with others. I had to redefine ways to create success in a new and different land, among people and in a culture that I was not born or socialized into. Thinking about it, this must have been much like my family's experience when they came to America.
Living a rich life integrating two cultures inspires me. Of course, I love to learn and integrate good aspects of all cultures to have the ‘best of all worlds’. I believe that in exposing myself to different expressions of life and trying them out for myself, I can better relate to a wider variety of people.

Learning, adapting, adjusting and living creatively opens up possibilities, and balancing this can be both rewarding and complicating. Any immigrant moving to America can relate to this, and would want to know how I can help you. What are the credentials and experience I have that can help you facilitate smoother lifestyle and cultural adjustment.

 HOW I CAN RELATE TO YOUR CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

I lived, worked and studied in India for two years. Often people ask me how I made it through two years, as the lifestyle and cultural change is drastic between these two landscapes. Sometimes I wonder about this too, because I had fully immersed myself in an area of India where few foreigners lived and even fewer Americans visited. Because I was the only American in my neighborhood for most of my stay, I had to integrate into the culture (including food and language) and create a support network. So, if I had to contribute my success (completion of my degree) to one thing, I would say having a strong support network of local residents who helped me navigate Indian culture was key. I was very fortunate as I had a large network of people who really cared about me and helped me. My turning point happened 18 months into my stay. It was at this time, I became caught between going home to a ‘comfortable place in US’ or staying in India feeling a constant unease physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually (but, ironically still wanting to be there…). My best friend called my local guardian and shared what she knew. Together they (about 6 people) started scouring the neighborhood for me – and within days, and hours of me purchasing my flight ticket home- found me a new place to live the duration of my stay that would help me become well again. Living in this new, homely environment, I learned new aspects of Indian culture and my house mother became my first cultural mentor. It was through her, I realized that culture shock is controlled not only through having close friends to help you navigate the culture as it happens, but also by having a mentor who would enlighten me on the particular features of the culture. Though my friends until this point had answered my questions about Indian culture, and I was able to learn about etiquette and social rules by watching others and trying out myself, my house mother was the first person to give me cultural lessons, review my day and tell me how to improve, and really enlighten me as to how people perceive me based on how I behaved or did not behave. This mentoring and teaching, which helped me to relate better to an average Indian, was, I now realize, cross-cultural coaching. Her intentions were pure and she really wanted to see me succeed and knew I had the ability and talent to adjust to the situations as was required of me.
Because my house mother was so instrumental in providing emotional support and encouragement in this transition, my stay with her in many ways was the most comfortable time I spent in India. It is through her, and later other friends, and currently my Indian in-laws including my father-in-law and my husband’s sister and her family, that I realize the benefits and comfort found in cross-cultural or cultural adjustment and lifestyle mentoring and coaching.

It is because of my house mother, my friends in India, and my Indian in-laws that I am with you today to be your personal cultural adjustment cheerleader- helping you to adjust with more ease and comfort into your new home in America.


If you're on your path of cross-cultural living and relate to my story, contact me at authenticjourneys@gmail.com


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Contact Jennifer Kumar

Home --> Contact

Contact Us by filling out the form below or by any other the other contact information given on this page.




Jennifer Kumar, CC, MSW
Owner and Program Director
PB NO 3124
Kakkanad, Kochi 682030
INDIA


Phone: 0484 401 9152 (India)
Phone: (607)428-8836 (VOIP Phone)


 View Jennifer Kumar's LinkedIn profile

Skype Me™!
I am available via text / voice chat:
Skype - crossculturalcoach
Gmail - authenticjourneys
If you want to connect with me, tell me about yourself in the friend request. Thanks.

Updated December 2012
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