Religion is a very private matter yet the practice of it usually takes a public form. Whether you need to find a synagogue, a church or a temple, expats must overcome unusual obstacles to attend services or practice their religion. Language, local laws and availability are just a few of the barriers we face as we adjust our own traditions to new cultures.
Few of us arrive in-country speaking the local language fluently. You may attend a religious service once or twice, but the novelty soon wears off if you can't understand what's being said. That's why so many expats flock to special English-speaking services. It's not an exclusive measure meant to keep locals out, but an inclusive measure meant to unite expats worshipping in a common language.
"Many expatriates report that they don't really feel settled abroad until they find a way to practice their religion. English-speaking churches and other expatriate religious communities are common in many large international cities. Alternatively, if your religion is practiced in your host country, it can be very rewarding to attend services with the local people" say Melissa Brayer Hess and Patricia Linderman, authors of The Expert Expatriate. But what if you are a Christian expat in China?
Practicing your religion in a host country that is diametrically opposed to your beliefs can be daunting. According to www.expatsinchina.com, "The Chinese government is not exactly pro-Christianity. However, it doesn't seem to be completely anti-Christianity either. Under the Chinese constitution, freedom of religion is guaranteed. However-you know there has to be a 'but' in there somewhere-it also states that 'religious bodies and religious affairs not be subject to any foreign domination.' This means that Christianity is put under government control. This is perhaps hardest on the Catholic people of China; if they are 'not to be subject to any foreign domination,' they are not to be dominated by the Pope-officially they must disown the Pope as leader."
"If your religion is not represented in your host country, you may have to be creative in following your traditions," say Hess and Linderman. They suggest considering coordination of in-home services, listening to services on audiotape or finding info on the internet.
Re-establishing your religious routines is just as important as re-establishing your work and school routines in a new country.
"For me, going to mass as an expat has been important," says Diane Benham. In her view, the expat experience can be surreal, living an elevated lifestyle sometimes disconnected from what she would experience in her home country. Her religion keeps her grounded. "My religion reminds me that this is real life too. It's an integral part of my identity and maintaining that helps me adjust no matter where I live."
It also helps her stay connected to her family back home in America. Because the Catholic mass has a standard format worldwide, she knows that her family is hearing the same readings even if they are separated by time zones. "When I was in Kiev, I attended an English service at 6pm and it was a great comfort to know my family was worshipping at that very same moment during their morning mass."
There is one more benefit to overcoming the obstacles involved with transporting your religion according to Benham, "it is a social outlet as well. I meet other expats through my church who I would never encounter otherwise." So finding a synagogue, a church or a temple may help you practice your religion publicly, but it also might be your first step to truly adjusting in a new culture.
Few of us arrive in-country speaking the local language fluently. You may attend a religious service once or twice, but the novelty soon wears off if you can't understand what's being said. That's why so many expats flock to special English-speaking services. It's not an exclusive measure meant to keep locals out, but an inclusive measure meant to unite expats worshipping in a common language.
"Many expatriates report that they don't really feel settled abroad until they find a way to practice their religion. English-speaking churches and other expatriate religious communities are common in many large international cities. Alternatively, if your religion is practiced in your host country, it can be very rewarding to attend services with the local people" say Melissa Brayer Hess and Patricia Linderman, authors of The Expert Expatriate. But what if you are a Christian expat in China?
Practicing your religion in a host country that is diametrically opposed to your beliefs can be daunting. According to www.expatsinchina.com, "The Chinese government is not exactly pro-Christianity. However, it doesn't seem to be completely anti-Christianity either. Under the Chinese constitution, freedom of religion is guaranteed. However-you know there has to be a 'but' in there somewhere-it also states that 'religious bodies and religious affairs not be subject to any foreign domination.' This means that Christianity is put under government control. This is perhaps hardest on the Catholic people of China; if they are 'not to be subject to any foreign domination,' they are not to be dominated by the Pope-officially they must disown the Pope as leader."
"If your religion is not represented in your host country, you may have to be creative in following your traditions," say Hess and Linderman. They suggest considering coordination of in-home services, listening to services on audiotape or finding info on the internet.
Re-establishing your religious routines is just as important as re-establishing your work and school routines in a new country.
"For me, going to mass as an expat has been important," says Diane Benham. In her view, the expat experience can be surreal, living an elevated lifestyle sometimes disconnected from what she would experience in her home country. Her religion keeps her grounded. "My religion reminds me that this is real life too. It's an integral part of my identity and maintaining that helps me adjust no matter where I live."
It also helps her stay connected to her family back home in America. Because the Catholic mass has a standard format worldwide, she knows that her family is hearing the same readings even if they are separated by time zones. "When I was in Kiev, I attended an English service at 6pm and it was a great comfort to know my family was worshipping at that very same moment during their morning mass."
There is one more benefit to overcoming the obstacles involved with transporting your religion according to Benham, "it is a social outlet as well. I meet other expats through my church who I would never encounter otherwise." So finding a synagogue, a church or a temple may help you practice your religion publicly, but it also might be your first step to truly adjusting in a new culture.
