IELTS Intermediate (Levels 5–6)

FOREIGN COUNTRY
Part 2
Describe a place in another country where you would like to work for a short time.
You should say:
• where this place is
• how you know about this place
• what work you would like to do there
and explain why you would like to work in this place for a short time.

Part 3

1 Why working in a foreign country for a short time is beneficial to young people?
2 What skills do people need to have when working in a foreign country?
3 Why do people need to understand the culture of their colleagues in a foreign country?
4 Where can people learn it?
 IELTS Intermediate (Levels 5–6)

Brainstorming your answers

Part 2
1. Think about a specific PLACE in a FOREIGN COUNTRY that you want to WORK for a
SHORT TIME.
2. Organise your talk by thinking about the answers for the following questions:
a. Where is that place?
You can mention a city, a town, or even a village which is located in that country.
Remember to specify the name of both the place and the country.
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b. How you know about this place?
• You came across the information about that place online → fell in love with it
• Your friend showed you the pictures of that place.
• You know about that country through a book.
• You intended to travel abroad → the advertisement came up
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c. What work you would like to do there?
Specify the job you want to work there.
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d. What makes you choose that place?
It can be because that place has:
• high standard of living
• friendly people
• good income
• well-known companies which are famous for the field you want to work in
• picturesque sceneries
or simply you want to:
• change the working environment
• try new working styles
• improve your expertise
• learn about a new culture
 IELTS Intermediate (Levels 5–6)

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e. Do you think it’s easy to work in a foreign country?
Living in a foreign country is not that easy because of
• differences in some core values
• working ethics
• language barrier
• culture differences
• racism
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f. What can you do to prepare for your journey?
• Learn about the place’s traditions and etiquettes
• Master the language
• Equip yourself with necessary skills
• Prepare some money
• Get to know some people who live there through social media
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 IELTS Intermediate (Levels 5–6)

Part 3
1 Why working in a foreign country for a short time is beneficial to young people?
It helps them to

• accelerate personal growth (finance, relationship, self-care, etc.)

• widen their horizon (knowledge, thoughts, perspectives about the world, etc.)
• improve problem-solving skill
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2 What skills do people need to have when working in a foreign country?

• cross-cultural communication skills

• networking abilities
• collaboration
• interpersonal influence
• adaptive thinking
• emotional intelligence
• resilience
Explain and give some examples when you mention those skills.
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3 Why do people need to understand the culture of their colleagues in a foreign
country?

• to prevent unnecessary conflict

• to work and live in harmony with each other
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 IELTS Intermediate (Levels 5–6)

4 Where can people learn it?

• soft skills classes

• the current workplace
• sharing videos on YouTube
• your friends’/colleagues’ experience
Explain why you think these places can give you best lessons.
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 IELTS Intermediate (Levels 5–6)

SAMPLE ANSWERS
Part 2

Actually, if I have a chance to work short-time in another country, I would choose to be an au

pair. I love kids as well as talking with them because their never-ending innocent questions
which are a product of their curiosity and imagination entertain me. Besides, playing with them
makes me feel young and energetic. And as a person who loves to learn languages and
cultures, I believe the job of an au pair is a perfect short-time job to experience all of those. I
would really love to do this in Oslo, the capital city of Norway as this job is more popular there,
which is totally awesome as I’m so into reading Nordic tales. I find their folklore so enchanting
and I believe there’s no way better to learn more of these than staying with a Nordic family and
experiencing their life. Actually, I didn’t know about Oslo that much until a friend of mine who is
living there sent me some photos she took as well as told me her stories. I was completely
mesmerised by the beauty of the nature in that country and I promise myself I should come
there once in a lifetime. In addition, I also want to see the Northern Lights with my own eyes. I’m
quite sure that it would be an unforgettable experience for me. I know living in a foreign country
is not that easy. That is why I would learn about its traditions and etiquettes, as well as spend
some time to learn basic Norwegian phrases to prepare well for my journey there.

Part 3
1 Why working in a foreign country for a short time is beneficial to young people?
Well, I think it would be advantageous for young people to work abroad for a short time.
Firstly, it helps them develop perspectives on different aspects of like such as economy,
culture, politics, lifestyle and many more. Once they get out of their comfort zone, they will
then learn the differences between their motherland and the foreign country where they’re
going to live and that’s an eye-opener for them. Through what they experience, they will
accept and respect people of all races, which can mitigate possible conflicts caused by the
diversity in people’s cultures and mindset. Moreover, working abroad teaches them how to
live independently. By this I mean they have to take care of themselves, learn to spend
money wisely as well as communicate effectively with other people. All of this will accelerate
their personal growth, which is, I think, the most valuable lesson the experience could give
them.
2 What skills do people need to have when working in a foreign country?
I believe that people need to possess certain skills to work effectively in a foreign country.
First and foremost, problem-solving skill seems to be the most important one. Actually, even
when you don’t move abroad, you can encounter problems from every corner of life.
However, you would find it harder to deal with those in an international company or in a
foreign working environment, which can be because of language barrier, or simply the lack
of mutual understanding among colleagues. Therefore, if people want to challenge
themselves by working abroad, they need to sharpen this skill at first, so that they can
survive no matter what happens.
Adaptability is another skill that people should equip themselves with before moving to
another country and join a company there. Well, I believe that culture shock would happen
anyway when you move to a new environment. However, each person would require
different amount of time to get adapted. The sooner they can get over that period, the better
 IELTS Intermediate (Levels 5–6)

their lives become. In addition, if they can blend themselves in the way the team work, they
would find the job much easier for them.
3 Why do people need to understand the culture of their colleagues in a foreign
country?
I guess there are two reasons that people need to learn about the culture of their colleagues
when they work abroad. The first reason is to prevent unnecessary conflict. Actually, conflict
at work is not something new, but when you work in a foreign company, it is likely to happen
more regularly because of the difference in your mindset and theirs. That is why one should
learn about the working culture, as well as how people in that country think in order to reduce
the chances of conflict happening.
Another reason for this situation is to ensure everyone live in harmony with each other.
Understanding the culture of people from different countries is the first step to establish a
relationship with them. I believe only when people accept each other, they can build a strong
connection from which they are willingly help the others not only at work but in other aspects
of life. Believe it or not, working abroad is difficult because at first you aren’t used to the way
people work or how they treat other colleagues. However, if you understand the culture and
treat them the want it should be, working abroad would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
4 Where can people learn it?
Well, I think it would be better if you have a friend or just an acquaintance to share their
stories with you. These would be real-life experience, and as a result, you can have better
vision on what you need to deal with. In case you can’t find anyone to ask for advice, you
can watch some people sharing on YouTube, or simply register for a course on Coursera
or Masterclass. I’m sure you can find what you need on this topic.