Some Hints
General
Audiovisual archives and broadcasters do not exist in a vacuum. To work effectively with colleagues in another society, it is important to have some basic knowledge of their country and its history. Politics, standard of living, linguistic situation, climate, infrastructure, economy and social system, crime, health, availability of mail, internet, email, computers, software - all these are points that may affect what can be reasonably be accomplished, and may influence the scope of work you plan. Although some may seem to be far removed from, say, digitization of U-matics, consider how things can be related in everyday life: economic aspects translate into wages of staff, motivation, career prospects; infrastructure translates into time to travel to work, possibilities to maintain contacts, efficiency of mail and telephone systems, access to internet. These things in their turn affect the working environment, the possibilities, and the resources available in your project.
It shows respect for your partner to have taken the time to find out a little about their country. People are usually pleasantly surprised if a foreigner apparently takes an interest (and is open to learning more from them). Learning a few words of the local language is also a good idea.
Pay some attention to how things work in this society and how to behave. It is not a matter of trying to get everything exactly right, but rather of being careful not to offend others unintentionally. Small things that cost nothing can make all the difference. Courtesy can make communication effective, and understanding conventions may save you from dilemmas that divert your attention from work. And if you have no clue of political sensitivities and of topics to avoid, you may also run into awkward situations.
In particular you will need to know a little about the code of conduct in a work environment: how hierarchical is it, how competitive, how are decisions made? Is everything formalized, in written documents, or are things arranged informally? Can you ask for information, can you request that something is done? What does it mean when someone says ‘yes’? Is it a firm promise? Or rather to be polite and not to seem uncooperative? Or a way out, to avoid embarrassing questions or having to ask or for clarifications?
Try to figure out how you yourself will be perceived: as a guest, a foreign expert, a colleague, an outsider, a co- worker, an intruder? This will affect your relationships and communication with others: will they take what you say for granted, how direct and open can your communication be?
Check the internet, read a book, take a course on intercultural cooperation, take a language course, and talk to people who have firsthand knowledge. Try to find a contact in the country, through an embassy, cultural institute or some network, who speaks the language and whom you can ask for advice during your stay.
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Archives and media
Although all countries have archives, and many have audiovisual archives, the archival environment varies a lot. It is not difficult to see that archives as agencies that document the activities of the government will have different positions in different political systems. Archives may be associated with power, and in countries with a history of colonization this may extend to association with oppression by the former colonial power that created the archival system. Archives may be strictly organized and closely tied to a strong bureaucracy. Conversely, they can be quite weak if literacy is not widespread and/or cultural traditions are largely oral. There may also be differences in that some cultures value (the documentation of) the past more highly than others.
As audiovisual archives are associated with broadcasting, the position of the media determines their position as well. Are media free, independent, state-owned, controlled? Are media regarded as serving information needs, education, democracy, or primarily as entertainment?
A basic understanding of the archive and media landscape will help to grasp the possibilities and obstacles in your project. How is the sector funded and organized, are there related organizations, and who does what? What kind of professional training is available, for archivists or media professionals? Are there active professional organizations? How is the profession valued and are jobs well paid?
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Project and partner
For projects in unfamiliar situations, it is often recommended to make a ‘stakeholders analysis’. You may be building up a relationship with one or two colleagues in your project, but do you know what (or who) makes the project move? Who are the stakeholders in the project, how important are they for its success, and what are their goals? Remember that the goals of the guys at the top may be different from what the (wo)man on the floor is trying to achieve: while the latter is hoping to get part of the catalogue in order, the former is trying to forge strong ties with a partner institution abroad. How influential the stakeholders are, which agenda they have, who decides - all this may impact on your project. Talk to the stakeholders if possible. Provide them with your assessment of the situation and how it can be improved, and seek their input.
You also need to know where the partner archive stands: is it recognized, is there a supporting environment? Do other organizations or departments understand what its role is, and does the archive have authority or legal responsibilities?
Whether you regard this as stakeholders’ analysis or a description of the structure of the organization, either way it will help you appreciate the restrictions and obstacles your colleagues have to deal with. It will give you a clearer idea of which things are in their power to change and which aren’t. And it may give you clues as to key persons in other parts of the organization whose support is indispensable to keep things moving.
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Sharing knowledge and experience
You are partners in a project to discuss and compare your experiences and learn from this. The knowledge and insights of partners are always complementary: visiting consultants may be the greatest specialists but always know less than their hosts about the collections, the history and the organization of the archive. Abstract knowledge dissociated from its context will in itself not lead to success. Success comes when knowledge can be applied in a given situation and practical experience builds routines that make the work run smoothly.
If goals remain in the distance, moving away from you like the horizon, it is easy to get discouraged. It is more motivating to break up the work in small, manageable tasks that can be completed within a reasonable amount of time. Then the project can also show others what has been achieved. Keep your focus firmly on what can be done, rather than wasting energy on things that cannot be changed (or becoming overwhelmed by all that still needs to be taken care of).
Don’t expect everything to happen in the same time frame that it would at home. The level of staff training, availability of equipment and materials, and cultural norms of work (how many hours in a day people actually work, regardless of how much time they spend at the workplace) all can affect what can be accomplished in a given time frame, or change the timeline of a project.
Make sure you are communicating, and be aware that the way you express yourself and the way you behave may affect communication more than your actual words and meaning. If you find yourself in a position in which you are training others, try to figure out how they prefer to learn. Consider that communication in a foreign language is not always effective. Perhaps you can use visualization, instructional film or video, or demonstration. Also ask yourself how you can get group members to ask questions and respond: student-teachers relations may make certain exchanges difficult, or students may not like to speak in front of a group especially in a foreign language.
Most important: be flexible, use your creativity, and enjoy the experience.
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