My dad has stories, and he wants to tell them, but wants to know the listener is interested. I hear it in my dad’s voice, particularly when he is talking to my son. “What do you want to know,” he asks. “Ask me anything.” And then there’s silence, or “I don’t know.” There is that “you…
DetailsI’ve been in an intercultural relationship (US-Brazilian), married for almost three decades, which means a few things—I’m bordering on old as dirt (actually, we eloped really, really young), I’m really lucky (or stubborn), and I’ve made a commitment to really knowing my partner (who in a good marriage wouldn’t say that?) But, and I’m not going…
DetailsWhat makes race humor funny and what makes it offensive, and is this question part of the bigger conversation about cultural agility and owning your own identity? A week late I found on Twitter a conversation started by NPR’s Code Switch tagged #NPRObamaEffect, asking the question “Did Obama Inspire A Big Debate On Identity?” It…
DetailsOh the pressure! It’s bad enough that we have to stay young, look skinny, be trendy and professionally successful. But it’s all supposed to be meaningful and for a “life purpose” too? Who has time to have good hair AND care about other people? The good news is that you can appear to be values-driven to…
DetailsThe best way to avoid being called a racist? Just deny that race exists. How? Be colorblind! It makes people of color feel valued and respected, and it makes you as a white person feel strong, powerful and good—think of it as your community service. If Meryl Streep can do it to solve lack of…
DetailsStill hot on the trail after a busy Tuesday in New Hampshire, in a campaign stop today at United Middle School in Laredo Texas Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz announced that as President he would ban the celebration of Valentine’s Day in public schools, citing its promotion of homosexual activity. “When a constituent tells me how…
DetailsClient Spotlight: Helping the Niagara Foundation turn a dream into reality with a new interfaith diversity curriculum. The Niagara Foundation to launch new course – Building an Inclusive Business to Boost to your Bottom Line: The importance of intercultural and interfaith knowledge and agility. The Niagara Foundation was founded in 2004 with the idea…
DetailsYou know what I mean…Starbucks Baristas are hip and cool, albeit a little snarky. Panera’s team members will stop and ask how you are doing…and actually stay and listen. At Trader Joe’s, you can count on someone saying “follow me” and walking you to the location if you ask where something is. At Walmart…Hello?! Are…
DetailsExpectations for customer service around the globe are different. I can remember walking unacknowledged into a busy restaurant in Greece only to leave because we didn’t get how it worked (and told later by someone from Greece we should have just barged in and found ourselves a table). Not only do practices vary by culture, but even…
DetailsMaybe once you get in the practice of kvelling over your own children it becomes habit. But I find myself having the same reaction sometimes…to things people I know have done and sometimes to things complete strangers have done. What is Kvelling? Kvelling is yiddish for the idea of bursting with pride and joy over the achievements of…
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