90% of all misunderstandings are not due to what was said, but due to tone. How much more when it comes to misunderstandings between people of two different cultures speaking two different languages? What should you look out for when traveling or doing business abroad? There are several stumbling blocks and mistakes we make without even realising it, but it is easy to avoid them if you know what to look out for! Read on! 1. Don’t Expect Everyone to Understand and Speak your L

Is it your first time to meet Japanese business clients? How should you greet them or exchange business cards? Have you ever wondered how to conduct yourself in a Japanese business meeting? Japan is a country rich in traditions and culture and manners are highly regarded in this land of the rising sun. To start off on the right foot, learn some basic etiquette about Japan. Stay on top of your game and impress your Japanese clients by showing you made the effort to learn the e

Have you ever dreamed of going to China to teach? Are you a teacher by profession and looking for a change? Or do you simply want to go on an adventure and experience how rewarding it can be to work in a foreign country? Teaching and training in China was definitely one of the best times of my life. I got to do what I loved most: teaching and traveling! Before I applied for my first job in China, I didn't realise how many schools are actually in desperate need of English (ESL

I was very surprised and maybe somewhat shocked recently when I was told I should not be offended by something that was said to my husband when I shared to a friend something I had observed. Why was I surprised? Well, I was not offended in any kind of way. Why did the person think I was offended? Because the person thought I had been implying my discontent when I had merely stated what I had observed. What happened here? This is a simple but typical example of communication p

Did you know that there are over 300 kinds of bread in Germany? That there is a barbie doll modelled on Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel? That the famous Oktoberfest in Munich actually starts in September or that if a German says "halb zwei" (lit. "half two"), he/she actually means half past one (1:30) in English? Are you ready for your travels to Germany? Whether it is for business or for leisure, it is always important to know a bit about the country you are travelling to