Appendix J — Self-Assessments

The book's recurring self-assessments, collected so you can take them, track them over time, and see your own growth. None has a "pass" mark — they're snapshots, not tests. Note the date each time, and re-take periodically (especially comparing your first scores to later ones — the movement is your adaptation, made visible).

Rate each statement 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), unless noted.

1. Where are you on the adaptation curve? (Ch. 1 / Ch. 40)

  1. I can usually tell when someone's joking, even when they mean the opposite.
  2. I have at least one person here I could call on a hard day.
  3. Daily tasks (shopping, transport, small talk) feel routine, not stressful.
  4. When something confuses me, I get curious rather than upset.
  5. I feel I can be myself here while also fitting in when I need to.

Take this first (Chapter 1) and again after Chapters 20 and 40. Watch the numbers move.

2. Your individualism–collectivism profile (Ch. 2)

  1. My major life decisions should primarily reflect my own wishes.
  2. It's right to prioritize my family's needs over my personal goals when they conflict.
  3. I'm comfortable promoting my own achievements to a manager.
  4. Who I am is defined more by my relationships than by my individual traits.
  5. I can switch comfortably between "group-first" and "self-first" modes by setting.

A high #5 is the bilingual goal.

3. Directness comfort (Ch. 3 / Ch. 15)

  1. Telling a colleague their work has a problem, to their face.
  2. Saying a clear "no" to a request.
  3. Disagreeing with a senior person, respectfully.
  4. Hearing blunt criticism of my work without feeling personally rejected.
  5. Asking directly for something I want (a raise, help, an introduction).

4. Power-distance comfort (Ch. 4)

  1. Calling a much older, senior person by their first name.
  2. Disagreeing with a boss in a meeting, respectfully.
  3. Walking up to a senior leader to ask a question.
  4. Giving my real opinion when a manager asks "what do you think?"
  5. Reading the real power structure beneath the informal surface.

5. Punctuality habits (Ch. 5)

  1. I arrive early for interviews, formal events, and transport.
  2. I use a calendar/reminders for commitments.
  3. I message people in advance when I'll be late.
  4. I know the difference between "dinner at 7" (~7:15) and "meeting at 7" (~6:58).
  5. I can still be fully present and unhurried when the setting allows.

6. Workplace fluency (Ch. 14–20)

  1. I use the open door appropriately and read the real power structure.
  2. I speak up in meetings and disagree respectfully.
  3. I make my contributions visible (results + team), without over-claiming.
  4. I can say a skillful "no" and set after-hours boundaries.
  5. I take my vacation without guilt; I engage some office social life.

7. Social & relational fluency (Ch. 25–29)

  1. I can tell a friendly signal ("we should hang out") from a real invitation.
  2. I deepen friendships by initiative (specific plans), patiently.
  3. I read Western family/relationship norms as a different shape, not coldness.
  4. I'm clear on consent norms (the non-negotiable one).
  5. I can recognize sarcasm and respond with a smile; I use self-deprecation.

8. Identity & cultural bilingualism (Ch. 39 / Ch. 40)

  1. I aim for integration (keep my culture + add Western fluencies), not assimilation.
  2. I code-switch by choice, without feeling fake.
  3. I keep my culture's practices, community, and roots alive.
  4. I see my third-culture, between-worlds identity as a strength.
  5. I feel I belong here — as myself.

How to use these

  • Take #1, #2, #3 early (Part I) for a baseline.
  • Re-take periodically — every few months, or after each Part.
  • Compare over time — the movement matters more than any single score. Watch yourself grow from anxious foreigner toward confident cultural bilingual.
  • Low scores aren't failures — they're a map of where to focus (and, often, just the U-curve, which is temporary).
  • Record dates and scores in your Cultural Navigation Journal (Appendix H).

There is no pass mark anywhere here. These are mirrors, not exams — and over time, they'll show you a person who has come a very long way.