A Sojourn Experience in the Land of Fire and Ice: Examining Cultural Competence and Employee Well–being through an Autoethnographic Exploration

This article is an autoethnographic study of my sojourner experiences as a visiting professor in Iceland. In sharing how the Fulbright sojourner–experience has influenced my professional practice and sense of self I hope to provide some insight into existing research of the sojourner experience and help others as they consider living and teaching abroad. Through the examination of my own journal entries, artifacts, and blogs I explore and come to understand how challenges with the Icelandic language affected my professional and personal interactions, my sense of cognitive overload, and struggle in developing relationships, as well as the effect of re–entry to the U.S. on my identity. This research may be of value to HRD and adult education scholars as it contributes a deeper understanding of the need for social supports for sojourners and how sojourner experiences shape cultural identity.