have you ever lived in a foreign country or moved away from your hometowns and
or moved away from your hometowns and
or moved away from your hometowns and have you ever dealt with known Americans
have you ever dealt with known Americans
have you ever dealt with known Americans most of you live in Los Angeles one of
most of you live in Los Angeles one of
most of you live in Los Angeles one of the most culturally diverse cities in
the most culturally diverse cities in
the most culturally diverse cities in the world
the world
the world so chances are that you have but for
so chances are that you have but for
so chances are that you have but for those of you who haven’t well you’re
those of you who haven’t well you’re
those of you who haven’t well you’re about to because I’m clearly not from
about to because I’m clearly not from
about to because I’m clearly not from here
here
here and while interacting with people from
and while interacting with people from
and while interacting with people from other cultures would you say you felt
other cultures would you say you felt
other cultures would you say you felt excited and energized or challenged and
excited and energized or challenged and
excited and energized or challenged and slightly uncomfortable or maybe all of
slightly uncomfortable or maybe all of
slightly uncomfortable or maybe all of the above what you’ve experienced is
the above what you’ve experienced is
the above what you’ve experienced is pretty usual and totally acceptable and
pretty usual and totally acceptable and
pretty usual and totally acceptable and is commonly known as culture shock
is commonly known as culture shock
is commonly known as culture shock culture shock is the feeling of
culture shock is the feeling of
culture shock is the feeling of disorientation experienced by someone
disorientation experienced by someone
disorientation experienced by someone who is suddenly subjected to an
who is suddenly subjected to an
who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture way of life or set of
unfamiliar culture way of life or set of
unfamiliar culture way of life or set of attitudes it can take many forms and
attitudes it can take many forms and
attitudes it can take many forms and consist of multiple stages but it
consist of multiple stages but it
consist of multiple stages but it usually starts with a honeymoon when
usually starts with a honeymoon when
usually starts with a honeymoon when cultural differences are seen in a
cultural differences are seen in a
cultural differences are seen in a romantic light this is when I first
romantic light this is when I first
romantic light this is when I first moved to Los Angeles and I only saw palm
moved to Los Angeles and I only saw palm
moved to Los Angeles and I only saw palm trees and silhouettes against the cherry
trees and silhouettes against the cherry
trees and silhouettes against the cherry sky or when you think that my Greek
sky or when you think that my Greek
sky or when you think that my Greek accent is kind of cute but like most
accent is kind of cute but like most
accent is kind of cute but like most honeymoon periods this stage eventually
honeymoon periods this stage eventually
honeymoon periods this stage eventually ends and this is when things get serious
ends and this is when things get serious
ends and this is when things get serious excitement gives way to frustration and
excitement gives way to frustration and
excitement gives way to frustration and anger and small discrepancies feel like
anger and small discrepancies feel like
anger and small discrepancies feel like major catastrophes like asking for chips
major catastrophes like asking for chips
major catastrophes like asking for chips and England and getting back french
and England and getting back french
and England and getting back french fries language barriers stereotypes but
fries language barriers stereotypes but
fries language barriers stereotypes but also generation and technology gaps are
also generation and technology gaps are
also generation and technology gaps are only a few of the obstacles hindering
only a few of the obstacles hindering
only a few of the obstacles hindering good communication among people from
good communication among people from
good communication among people from different backgrounds imagine being at
different backgrounds imagine being at
different backgrounds imagine being at your office’s annual Christmas party and
your office’s annual Christmas party and
your office’s annual Christmas party and being sat next to that lonely kind of
being sat next to that lonely kind of
being sat next to that lonely kind of misfit tech guy who you’ve never
misfit tech guy who you’ve never
misfit tech guy who you’ve never exchanged a good morning with before or
exchanged a good morning with before or
exchanged a good morning with before or visiting Los Angeles from Europe
visiting Los Angeles from Europe
visiting Los Angeles from Europe and being on Sunset Boulevard at 1:00
and being on Sunset Boulevard at 1:00
and being on Sunset Boulevard at 1:00 a.m. with your phone dead only to
a.m. with your phone dead only to
a.m. with your phone dead only to realize that raising your hand to stop a
realize that raising your hand to stop a
realize that raising your hand to stop a cab is pointless what do you do you
cab is pointless what do you do you
cab is pointless what do you do you first take a deep breath and then you
first take a deep breath and then you
first take a deep breath and then you adapt now unless you’ve been an
adapt now unless you’ve been an
adapt now unless you’ve been an international student a relocated
international student a relocated
international student a relocated employee or some sort of cultural
employee or some sort of cultural
employee or some sort of cultural sciences expert you’ve probably never
sciences expert you’ve probably never
sciences expert you’ve probably never thought of adapting as something you’re
thought of adapting as something you’re
thought of adapting as something you’re dealing with every day you might have
dealing with every day you might have
dealing with every day you might have considered it a last resort a compromise
considered it a last resort a compromise
considered it a last resort a compromise something we’re forced to do rather than
something we’re forced to do rather than
something we’re forced to do rather than choose to do in Natural Sciences
choose to do in Natural Sciences
choose to do in Natural Sciences adaptation is first and foremost a
adaptation is first and foremost a
adaptation is first and foremost a matter of survival Darwin and his theory
matter of survival Darwin and his theory
matter of survival Darwin and his theory of evolution implies that only the
of evolution implies that only the
of evolution implies that only the organisms that maintain and evolve
organisms that maintain and evolve
organisms that maintain and evolve certain traits in response to the
certain traits in response to the
certain traits in response to the imposed conditions will be the ones able
imposed conditions will be the ones able
imposed conditions will be the ones able to survive and reproduce Bactrian camels
to survive and reproduce Bactrian camels
to survive and reproduce Bactrian camels for instance are a stunning example of
for instance are a stunning example of
for instance are a stunning example of resource conservation in response to the
resource conservation in response to the
resource conservation in response to the imposed conditions there – humps are
imposed conditions there – humps are
imposed conditions there – humps are filled with fat which can be converted
filled with fat which can be converted
filled with fat which can be converted into energy and water and they can
into energy and water and they can
into energy and water and they can forego sweating until their body
forego sweating until their body
forego sweating until their body temperature reaches a hundred Fahrenheit
temperature reaches a hundred Fahrenheit
temperature reaches a hundred Fahrenheit humans in turn face the same adaptive
humans in turn face the same adaptive
humans in turn face the same adaptive challenges as all other organisms
challenges as all other organisms
challenges as all other organisms it was adaptation to climate change that
it was adaptation to climate change that
it was adaptation to climate change that made tropical people tall and lean to
made tropical people tall and lean to
made tropical people tall and lean to lose heat whereas our takin mountain
lose heat whereas our takin mountain
lose heat whereas our takin mountain people short and white to conserve heat
people short and white to conserve heat
people short and white to conserve heat when it comes to biological evolution
when it comes to biological evolution
when it comes to biological evolution therefore there’s no question that
therefore there’s no question that
therefore there’s no question that adaptation is a matter of life and death
adaptation is a matter of life and death
adaptation is a matter of life and death what differentiates us from camels
what differentiates us from camels
what differentiates us from camels however is that we can be conscious
however is that we can be conscious
however is that we can be conscious about our ability to evolve we can
about our ability to evolve we can
about our ability to evolve we can choose to resist change and risk
choose to resist change and risk
choose to resist change and risk becoming obsolete or we can use
becoming obsolete or we can use
becoming obsolete or we can use hereditability to grow even stronger and
hereditability to grow even stronger and
hereditability to grow even stronger and this decision is not an easy one four
this decision is not an easy one four
this decision is not an easy one four years ago I moved from Greece a
years ago I moved from Greece a
years ago I moved from Greece a culturally speaking homogeneous country
culturally speaking homogeneous country
culturally speaking homogeneous country to
to
to than from a master’s degree and I found
than from a master’s degree and I found
than from a master’s degree and I found myself within a class of 38 different
myself within a class of 38 different
myself within a class of 38 different nationalities 38 different cultures
nationalities 38 different cultures
nationalities 38 different cultures among 120 students add this to London’s
among 120 students add this to London’s
among 120 students add this to London’s overall multiculturalism it was
overall multiculturalism it was
overall multiculturalism it was exhilarating but also extremely
exhilarating but also extremely
exhilarating but also extremely stressful demanding discomforting and in
stressful demanding discomforting and in
stressful demanding discomforting and in the end exhausting suddenly
the end exhausting suddenly
the end exhausting suddenly understanding someone was no longer
understanding someone was no longer
understanding someone was no longer effortless speaking out was no longer
effortless speaking out was no longer
effortless speaking out was no longer safe even telling a joke was impossible
safe even telling a joke was impossible
safe even telling a joke was impossible I had to explain it so what was
I had to explain it so what was
I had to explain it so what was happening to me and probably to many
happening to me and probably to many
happening to me and probably to many other students was that I couldn’t
other students was that I couldn’t
other students was that I couldn’t relate to my surroundings the way I did
relate to my surroundings the way I did
relate to my surroundings the way I did back home so I had to either find a way
back home so I had to either find a way
back home so I had to either find a way to cope with his new situation I’ll go
to cope with his new situation I’ll go
to cope with his new situation I’ll go back I decided to stay and this is when
back I decided to stay and this is when
back I decided to stay and this is when something interesting happened I started
something interesting happened I started
something interesting happened I started to listen more intently and to
to listen more intently and to
to listen more intently and to articulate my thoughts more precisely
articulate my thoughts more precisely
articulate my thoughts more precisely and through this two-way process I was
and through this two-way process I was
and through this two-way process I was able to rediscover myself new
able to rediscover myself new
able to rediscover myself new environments demand new adapted
environments demand new adapted
environments demand new adapted responses for instance I quickly started
responses for instance I quickly started
responses for instance I quickly started imitating my surroundings saying cheers
imitating my surroundings saying cheers
imitating my surroundings saying cheers to Londoners and that’s awesome to
to Londoners and that’s awesome to
to Londoners and that’s awesome to Californians but how does this help us
Californians but how does this help us
Californians but how does this help us grow well um in a way that we may not
grow well um in a way that we may not
grow well um in a way that we may not even notice we start seeing things from
even notice we start seeing things from
even notice we start seeing things from different perspectives and that makes us
different perspectives and that makes us
different perspectives and that makes us inevitably straights or horizons because
inevitably straights or horizons because
inevitably straights or horizons because when exposed to different worlds after
when exposed to different worlds after
when exposed to different worlds after this initial phase of imitation we start
this initial phase of imitation we start
this initial phase of imitation we start questioning ourselves we start realizing
questioning ourselves we start realizing
questioning ourselves we start realizing that we don’t know everything and that
that we don’t know everything and that
that we don’t know everything and that consequently there is room for
consequently there is room for
consequently there is room for improvement and this is the key point in
improvement and this is the key point in
improvement and this is the key point in the process that’s when we start to
the process that’s when we start to
the process that’s when we start to really listen and each conversation
really listen and each conversation
really listen and each conversation becomes a stimulus for change we
becomes a stimulus for change we
becomes a stimulus for change we gradually develop new
gradually develop new
gradually develop new teens challenge our existing points of
teens challenge our existing points of
teens challenge our existing points of view and adopt new and unexpected ways
view and adopt new and unexpected ways
view and adopt new and unexpected ways of seeing the world it’s a long and
of seeing the world it’s a long and
of seeing the world it’s a long and laborious process it surely was for me
laborious process it surely was for me
laborious process it surely was for me but resisting change felt far more
but resisting change felt far more
but resisting change felt far more painful and adapting to it turned out to
painful and adapting to it turned out to
painful and adapting to it turned out to be far more favorable and the benefits
be far more favorable and the benefits
be far more favorable and the benefits of adaptation go beyond personal
of adaptation go beyond personal
of adaptation go beyond personal development beyond overcoming the
development beyond overcoming the
development beyond overcoming the discomfort of having a non-american
discomfort of having a non-american
discomfort of having a non-american colleague or learning to use the iPad so
colleague or learning to use the iPad so
colleague or learning to use the iPad so you can feel closer to your grandchild
you can feel closer to your grandchild
you can feel closer to your grandchild adaptation is vital to the advancement
adaptation is vital to the advancement
adaptation is vital to the advancement of an entire community or even a whole
of an entire community or even a whole
of an entire community or even a whole nation in the United States in the early
nation in the United States in the early
nation in the United States in the early nineteen hundreds thousands of people
nineteen hundreds thousands of people
nineteen hundreds thousands of people from around the world came to an
from around the world came to an
from around the world came to an unfamiliar environment with the sole
unfamiliar environment with the sole
unfamiliar environment with the sole hope of making their dreams come true
hope of making their dreams come true
hope of making their dreams come true Italian cooks brother craft to the new
Italian cooks brother craft to the new
Italian cooks brother craft to the new world and suddenly the states became the
world and suddenly the states became the
world and suddenly the states became the number one country in pizza consumption
number one country in pizza consumption
number one country in pizza consumption and of course this is about much more
and of course this is about much more
and of course this is about much more than pizza or sushi or tackles the
than pizza or sushi or tackles the
than pizza or sushi or tackles the identity of an entire country as the
identity of an entire country as the
identity of an entire country as the land of countless possibilities known
land of countless possibilities known
land of countless possibilities known the worldwide as the great melting pot
the worldwide as the great melting pot
the worldwide as the great melting pot is formed on the basis of individual
is formed on the basis of individual
is formed on the basis of individual aspirations being mixed together and
aspirations being mixed together and
aspirations being mixed together and adapted to one another in new previously
adapted to one another in new previously
adapted to one another in new previously unexplored ways adaptation is a process
unexplored ways adaptation is a process
unexplored ways adaptation is a process a process of change by which we become
a process of change by which we become
a process of change by which we become better suited to our environment
better suited to our environment
better suited to our environment camels did humans do it even companies
camels did humans do it even companies
camels did humans do it even companies do it all the time when I was working as
do it all the time when I was working as
do it all the time when I was working as a communications consultant and
a communications consultant and
a communications consultant and researcher in London I saw that the
researcher in London I saw that the
researcher in London I saw that the companies which were able to maintain
companies which were able to maintain
companies which were able to maintain the edge over time were the ones willing
the edge over time were the ones willing
the edge over time were the ones willing to change and this could mean adjusting
to change and this could mean adjusting
to change and this could mean adjusting their products to the needs of different
their products to the needs of different
their products to the needs of different markets or refreshing their visual
markets or refreshing their visual
markets or refreshing their visual identity to look modern or incorporating
identity to look modern or incorporating
identity to look modern or incorporating new technologies to improve their
new technologies to improve their
new technologies to improve their customers experience
customers experience
customers experience but what if instead of waiting for our
but what if instead of waiting for our
but what if instead of waiting for our environment to force us to change we
environment to force us to change we
environment to force us to change we could stimulate our own growth what if
could stimulate our own growth what if
could stimulate our own growth what if next time we go to work we try
next time we go to work we try
next time we go to work we try interacting more with our colleagues
interacting more with our colleagues
interacting more with our colleagues even if making small talk is not our
even if making small talk is not our
even if making small talk is not our greatest strength major Silicon Valley
greatest strength major Silicon Valley
greatest strength major Silicon Valley companies have already adopted unusual
companies have already adopted unusual
companies have already adopted unusual techniques to spark personal interaction
techniques to spark personal interaction
techniques to spark personal interaction and maximize chance encounters in the
and maximize chance encounters in the
and maximize chance encounters in the work space like putting all their
work space like putting all their
work space like putting all their employees into a single my long room as
employees into a single my long room as
employees into a single my long room as Facebook have done in their headquarters
Facebook have done in their headquarters
Facebook have done in their headquarters because they’re convinced that some of
because they’re convinced that some of
because they’re convinced that some of the best ideas and insights come from
the best ideas and insights come from
the best ideas and insights come from hallway in cafeteria discussions where
hallway in cafeteria discussions where
hallway in cafeteria discussions where people from across the company collide
people from across the company collide
people from across the company collide and adapt diversity and adaptation can
and adapt diversity and adaptation can
and adapt diversity and adaptation can be challenging and the times we’ve seen
be challenging and the times we’ve seen
be challenging and the times we’ve seen them bringing out the worst in us they
them bringing out the worst in us they
them bringing out the worst in us they can lead us to be fearful of the other
can lead us to be fearful of the other
can lead us to be fearful of the other angry even hostile toward each other but
angry even hostile toward each other but
angry even hostile toward each other but they may also bring out the best in us
they may also bring out the best in us
they may also bring out the best in us and if we want to really defend
and if we want to really defend
and if we want to really defend diversity and adaptation we need to
diversity and adaptation we need to
diversity and adaptation we need to accept them not just as inevitable
accept them not just as inevitable
accept them not just as inevitable natural processes but also as two very
natural processes but also as two very
natural processes but also as two very conscious paths because it is a choice
conscious paths because it is a choice
conscious paths because it is a choice to be adaptable and open to diversity
to be adaptable and open to diversity
to be adaptable and open to diversity especially here in the United States
especially here in the United States
especially here in the United States especially right now so don’t be afraid
especially right now so don’t be afraid
especially right now so don’t be afraid of change in all the forms it can take
of change in all the forms it can take
of change in all the forms it can take be ready to embrace the hostility of the
be ready to embrace the hostility of the
be ready to embrace the hostility of the buzzing city the exotic quirks of your
buzzing city the exotic quirks of your
buzzing city the exotic quirks of your neighbors the addition of new colleagues
neighbors the addition of new colleagues
neighbors the addition of new colleagues to your team every other month maybe
to your team every other month maybe
to your team every other month maybe even go and sit next to that lonely kind
even go and sit next to that lonely kind
even go and sit next to that lonely kind of misfit a guy who you’ve never
of misfit a guy who you’ve never
of misfit a guy who you’ve never exchanged a good morning with before at
exchanged a good morning with before at
exchanged a good morning with before at your office is next Christmas party do
your office is next Christmas party do
your office is next Christmas party do not be afraid of the changes that happen
not be afraid of the changes that happen
not be afraid of the changes that happen to yourself or to the environment around
to yourself or to the environment around
to yourself or to the environment around you because it is
you because it is
you because it is through this change that you will see
through this change that you will see
through this change that you will see yourself evolve adapting to this all but
yourself evolve adapting to this all but
yourself evolve adapting to this all but static world do that sit back and watch
static world do that sit back and watch
static world do that sit back and watch this world change and its turn after all
this world change and its turn after all
this world change and its turn after all it will be thanks to you okay
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
”
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