I’ve seen “Blood Diamond.” I’ve seen the “Migrations: History in Transition” photography exhibit by Brazilian photojournalist Sabastião Salgado. I’ve walked through the “Doctors without Borders” traveling “model” refugee camp. I’ve even cried looking at the static images of suffering of those poor, poor people displaced and ravaged in far away lands by war and…
DetailsBug Buffet, source foodista.com Sorry, I know it’s sophomoric, but when I wanted an image to communicate Culture Shock (from a United States/Western European perspective) I couldn’t resist the photo of basically a ‘bug buffet.” I know I’ve heard they are full of protein, even tasy, but from my own cultural perspective, I don’t…
DetailsI was at a dinner party the other night, and I found myself leaning in when the gentlemen with whom I was speaking said he did “communications infrastructure” for a living. It’s one of those terms that you kind of know what it means, but not really. You know it’s really important and helps the…
DetailsLast year I shared this survey on Language and Identity conducted by Sarah Bunin Benor and Steven M. Cohen from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, so it’s only fitting that I share the just released results. While I wasn’t surprised to see Yiddish use increase by age, I was surprised to see Hebrew use…
DetailsAs an international ‘travel purist,’ I have to admit I fall into that category that looks with disdain at those eating at McDonald’s when in another country. “How could they possible travel this far and then eat at…McDonald’s?” I would think with a certain air of superiority. Well, the joke’s on me! Especially as a…
DetailsLet me clarify two things upfront, before explaining my most recent revelation of unconscious bias: 1) Self-revelation of an unconscious bias is the best way to address it and overcome it. It’s like the old AA adage. You have to acknowledge there’s a problem first. 2) I was about to defend my use…
DetailsDoesn’t everyone have that one friend who doesn’t dress up for Halloween, but likes to come up with ways to describe his/her costume anyway, as in “I’m dressed as a pedestrian.” At first I declared I was dressed Brazilian, after deciding not to change my shirt in response to my 8 year old’s announcement that “I…
DetailsI went to a going away party for a long time colleague last night, and ran into a young man I had worked with on art installations at Chicago’s airports more than 10 years ago. I was happy to see that his business was still thriving (I was possibly even patronizing, since I am older and he had to…
DetailsI’ve been following Cindy King both on the internet and on Twitter. She’s an International Sales Expert, but also an amazing connector of all things interntional and intercultural. In the past I’ve referenced websites like culturecrossing.net, which aim to provide a quick “How To” guide to cross-cultural etiquette and understanding. I have said I find the sites…
DetailsThe short version of this post is a summary of the workshop I presented today at the C-E-O conference for collegiate entrepreneurs in Chicago. One person who arrived at the end had asked if there was anywhere to capture the information in the 50 minute workshop. So, here is the “objective” short version: We covered the “Why”…
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