On-arrival to the country of service

Arriving in a new place often brings a lot of new impressions and a mix of emotions all at once. During these first days, it can be helpful to slow down and pay attention to how you’re settling in. This stage is about noticing your early reactions: how you feel in your new surroundings, what feels easy or difficult, and what stands out as new or unexpected. It’s also a chance to explore how you’re beginning to connect - with others, with the local culture, and with your new role in the project.

Use the guiding questions below to begin. They’re here to help you pay attention to your first experiences and the reactions they bring up.

Guiding questions:

• What emotions am I experiencing right now? How do I feel in this environment? 
• What is helping me stay grounded in this new environment?
• How connected do I feel here? What helps me feel connected?
• What are my first impressions of myself in this new role?
• What surprised or challenged me culturally in the first week? How do I know it’s cultural?
• How am I with others so far?
• Which competences have I already used, and which ones do I think I will need here?
• What do I see myself contributing to in this project?

Answer these questions in your own preferred way. If a question feels especially meaningful or you want to explore a specific experience more deeply, you can choose one of the suggested reflection methods below. These methods don’t replace your own inquiry - they simply offer structure, creativity, or extra depth as you explore what you’re noticing.

Ask yourself “What do I need right now?” and choose a method if you want to explore deeper:

Purpose	Method	You will need:
To make sense of my first impressions	Snapshot Moments	or or
To understand my emotions in the first days	Color & Emotion Log	or or
To check my feeling of belonging	Cultural Encounters	or
To clarify what I want to give and receive in this project	Give and Receive	or