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How to Know Before You Go Onsite

Posted On: June 2, 2016

Everyone who works with U.S. clients in distributed teams wants at least one chance to go to the U.S.

Though this seems like a strange question, do you know that if you go onsite, you will have to talk to Americans? Companies spend big bucks to sponsor visas, travel, housing, food and living expenses for Indians and other nationalities to work in the U.S. Why?

You have an important job!

To build a relationship with the client. Yup, that means talking to them! Talking about work… and making small talk!

While many are comfortable talking about work-related conversations, many freeze like a block of ice when even the thought of small talk comes up. Is this you? It doesn’t have to be! Small talk is not an exam or a viva! You don’t need to be perfect.

 

BUT, there IS A WAY to KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Onsite!

Now a days, we can listen to live streaming radio online. We can look up through websites like Streema, I Heart Radio (you will need a IP masking service to listen to I heart radio stations online outside of the U.S.), Tunein, or by going directly to the station’s website.
How can you find the right station to listen to?

1. Go to Google. 
2. Type in the name of the city you are going to and either “AM Radio Station” or “FM Radio Station” or “News Talk CITY NAME.”
3. Listen during the morning hours of that particular time zone for the morning show, or look up their program schedule for talk shows. If it is a news talk radio, then you will have almost 24 hour talk shows or interview programs.
4. Listen to these shows for current events, traffic conditions, weather, news, and other related small talk topics. 

To hear more about what I have to say about this, listen to this video below. Scroll below the video for radio stations I have hand-picked for your listening pleasure.

 

Examples of Talk Radio Stations in America Based on Time Zones 
All links will open in a new window. 

Eastern Time Zone

WKOV News 104.5 FM, Jacksonville, Florida
Listen from their website
Play from Streema

Central Time Zone

WBAP News Talk 820 AM, Fort Worth, Texas
Listen from their website
Play from Streema
On-air Schedule
Some shows to consider streaming:
12:00 a.m. – 5:00 a.m. – Eric Harley and Gary McNamara
5:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Hal Jay and Brian Estridge
News Talk stations also play popular political talk shows like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

 

Mountain Time Zone
KKNT Phoenix, Arizona
Listen Streema
Listen from their website
Program Guide with links to Podcast/RSS

Colorado Public Radio (CPR), Denver, Colorado 
Listen on Tunein.com
Colorado Public Radio offers a podcast called Colorado Matters. Listen and/or download here.

NPR Podcasts

Note: NPR stands for National Public Radio. Most large and many small cities and towns have an affiliate station. Learn more about TV channel call letters or acronyms.

Pacific Time Zone
KLIV 1590 Silicon Valley News

Listen on Tunein

Note: Authentic Journeys is not being paid to promote any radio station, nor is it responsible for their content. All radio stations are chosen for examples only.

We work with your India or offshore development teams to build context to US culture and work habits from offshore as well as helping your team to prepare for onsite expat assignments. Let’s work together!