Moving tales: acculturation experiences of migrant women staff entering a New Zealand polytechnic

Abstract

The complex acculturation experiences of migrant staff entering the tertiary sector of their host country are seldom voiced. This paper presents some of the ways in which migrant women staff have responded to the demands of living and working in a culture different from their own. It shows how they have developed a ‘double vision’, or an ability to see both their home culture and that of their host country more critically. Their resultant ability to mediate between cultures has become a positive factor in their work in an increasingly multicultural sector. This paper calls for the use of structured interventions in the induction of new migrant staff that affirms and validates their cultural knowledge and experience, while introducing existing institutional practices and approaches. It argues that the ensuing development of intercultural exchange is an essential ingredient of a culturally inclusive sector.