How is it like to work in an MNC?

My company is a good example of a totally multinational company. It has offices all over the world, and the employees in all the offices are really a mixture of multi nationalities. In my current office, for example, among my managers are from Brazil, Libya, Kamerun, Norway, Indonesia, Iran, Canada; my colleagues were once from Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Venezuella. And, of course, not forgetting to mention the local employees.

Well, it's somewhat interesting to meet people from different nationalities. I like the experience. The first thing I can notice about the difference is the accent. Although all speak the same English, yet different accent is noticeable. Arabian English tends to be bubbling, Japanese English tends to be having strokes/hard tones and short, etc.

In addition, a generalization could be drawn about the relationship between nationalities and character/ work ethic. Japanese is hard worker, Arabian tends to be tough, and good in controlling people, and Indian is generally very strong in argumentation. Well, not always true though; it depends on the individual.

Well, yeah, so far it's just fine to work and live in diversity. To me, the difficult part is to be persistent against the external influences and cultures that not all are good. Once, one of my managers said, "In this company, if you are not strong with what you believe, you will get drown easily (in bad influences)." Yes, I agree. Party and drinking (alcohol) are always in one package of several company functions. And, not to mention about the working load that can turn non smoker into smoker.

May be for those who have never been exposed to these kind of environment would say 'what's difficult to avoid drinking?'. Yes, that's what I used to think. In the country where I am from, I seldom see people are drinking; especially around me. And, I seldom see female drinks, or never. Actually, out there, alcohol is a drink just for everybody, male or female, wherever, whenever. And, that's the kind of environment where I am now. Almost everybody around me drinks, and I often go to party with them.

Thankfully, up to now, I never drank. I did not drink. Sometimes, the temptation to try drinking existed; yet I managed to decline. Can you imagine? When you are in a function, all people around you drink and you are offered to try a drink by a close friend of yours? And, it did not only happen once, but for several times? May be it's easier for me to avoid that because I am female. But for guys, I believe it's gonna be difficult.

That's an example of big things, drinking habit influence. There are also a lot of 'small' things, which are actually not small. For instance, being persistent in doing fasting while people around you are not doing, doing prayer while time and place do not permit. I can tell you, it's not easy.

Anyway, it's good time for me to test how strong I am with what I believe. If I can't pass it, so I am not strong enough....