text: what does integration mean when you live in a foreign country? western societies usually expect foreigners who want to live in that country to integrate themselves into that culture. what exactly does that mean? does it mean learning the language? does it mean giving up their own culture? does it mean trying to become like the natives of the host country? my parents came to america from cuba, and i myself lived overseas (japan) for six years.     for my parents, they wanted to be american.  and america is one of those countries where people can "integrate" while still keeping their own cultural identity.    for my parents, that meant learning the language (english), among other things.  which they were happy to do.  as for me living in japan, it's different there because it's not a multicultural, immigrant society like the us is.     i knew a few westerners over there who'd been living there for 10, 20, or more years -- they spoke perfect japanese and everything, but were still considered just as much a foreigner as i was.