The swiss unit of french engineering giant alstom builds infrastructure projects, especially power stations, all over the world. As is typical for engineering and construction firms, alstom sends its engineers out , often on short- term expatriate assignment for a few months. These construction projects are typically in remote locations far away from major. Cities, and the engineering have to become accustomed to working with a local workforce and living in the local community. They thus have to learn to adapt-quickly.
Cultural differences often become most evident when people enjoy social events ranging from lunch meetings to parties. A Swiss Alstom engineer recalls his experience when partying with colleagues in saudi arabia:
One there was a farewell for someone from the building site. On this occasion, there was a little celebration. We were told, at midday, that there would be a party after work. We waited and were wondering what would happen, where they would do it, and if they would bring something. There were neither chairs nor tables. Around 2 PM, they came with huge aluminum tablets,the size of a wagon wheel, filled up with rice, and in the middle a huge piece of mutton,grilled mutton. Finally, three or four of these tablets were on the floor of the workshop. They just put them on the floor! Of course we had cleaned up before. They came dresses, and we expected some sort of cerymony. But they just sat down on the floor in the white gowns,around the tablets, and started eating.
The colleague who was with me was a vegetarian. He said, i won't squat on the floor like that, and i won' t eat anything either. Everyone had a piece of mutton in his hand-it was incredible. One would hold the mutton, and an other pulled out a chunk and passed it to me: here, mutton, that is good, you must eat! We had no plates, nothing. Everyone grabbed from the party bowl,and scooped out a handful of rice. And now, my mate said: I won't squat on the floor like that. I said, come on, let is just sit down. You don't have to eat mutton, but you can least do as if you are.