Calling strangers in riding gear in the Western US “cowboys”, refusing food in China, letting out the warm water from the bathtub of my Japanese host family – After having lived and worked in diverse countries from the West (USA) to the East (Japan and Hong Kong) I have put my foot into it many […]
“Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands”, is actually the title of a book that reviews various business practices and forms of greetings in about 60 countries. Needless to say, such general informative books are quickly outdated. But not so much when it comes to greeting practices, which tend to last longer. So what do you do […]
Diversity is on the rise in all fields and intercultural competence is becoming more and more of a buzz word. It is acknowledged widely that intercultural competence, briefly defined as the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in intercultural situations, is an important requisite, even an indispensable key competence in today’s global and interdependent world. But what […]
A few months ago, I got a call from my friend Susan. Susan has been the headmistress of a large school in a popular suburb of Bern for over 15 years. “You deal with all things intercultural – so help me out here,” was her opening statement. The story was about a 14-year-old student from an […]
The ability to adopt an international style of communication and demonstrate deep cultural understanding when participating in cross-cultural business negotiations can make the difference between a successful outcome or one of failure, with resultant effects on reputation and competitive positioning. As companies continue to look east for new business, the lure of the Middle Kingdom’s […]
As the intercultural profession develops and matures by each passing year, the list of resources for intercultural work keeps growing. Books, articles, journals and research on various aspects of the intercultural field are published regularly, making the intercultural literature more and more eclectic. The Intercultural Communication Institute in Portland, Oregon offers a rather exhaustive list […]
1. What was your childhood dream? To work like Albert Schweitzer, a doctor, somewhere in the jungle with and for natives. 2. What is your favorite book? I love books. Oftentimes, I carry one with me J. One book which touched me is “The whale rider” by Witi Ihimaera. Others I liked are “The Catcher […]
Have you ever wondered about what professional backgrounds your colleagues in the intercultural field come from? Or what motivates them to work in the intercultural profession? Did you know that the most common highest degree obtained by interculturalists is a master’s degree? Or that the vast majority of interculturalists have personal experiences of living abroad? […]
Having lived abroad for half my life, I tend to look at life through a bicultural lens, which is a great advantage for properly integrating into European society. However, this can cause gaps in communication when relating to family and news back in Malaysia in the classic difference of high and low context communication if I forget to […]
“For us, nothing ever “goes without saying” in a very literal sense” (Nora, 54, Swiss, married to Martin from Hungary). “It’s always give and take, adapt or resist – life in another country teaches you that” (Rosy, 48, born in Honduras, married to Robert from Switzerland). What are the factors that make bi-national marriages work? […]
