Archive for June, 2006
The Chinese and the Americans
The Chinese are busy with preparations for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Apparently, they are planning for every contingency in an effort to make an impression on the world. According to this article in the International Herald Tribune, the government is even involved in a campaign to improve the manners of the Chinese people in [...]
Patriotism in Germany, Sleepy monks in Thailand
There have been some good stories this week with World Cup connections that have nothing to do with the actual games…
One of the more interesting is the widely reported rise in German pride and patriotism during this World Cup. The Germans have been notoriously cautious about showing any sort of nationalism since the end of World [...]
Partying in Ghana
Yes, it’s sad that the U.S. was eliminated from the World Cup. Yes, a bad call at the end of the first half changed the complexion of the game and contributed to the loss. But you have to admit, the win probably meant a lot more to Ghanaians than the loss meant to most Americans.
If you want proof, [...]
Romance across cultures
It’s not a surprise that the rituals of dating and romance differ by culture. Now, an article in the summer issue of Glimpse Quarterly examines some of these rituals, as well as the challenges and benefits of cross-cultural dating. In the article:
Students relate a wide range of experiences. Many women who spent time in France, Spain, Italy and [...]
How the world cools off
How do you cool off on a hot summer day? What refreshing drink do you reach for? According to this entertaining story in the NY Times, your drink of choice may very well depend on “who you are and where you’re from.”
“What quenches your thirst depends on who you are,” said Dr. Barbara Rolls of Pennsylvania State [...]
Autonomy for Catalonia
More news on the burgeoning movements for autonomy or independence among unique cultural regions. Voters in Catalonia approved a referendum that gives considerable autonomy to their region of northeastern Spain.
The provisions, which give the Catalan government more tax powers and greater authority over judicial and immigration matters, will go into effect within days. New laws also make [...]
Learning directness in India
Some cross-cultural trainers in India are being asked to teach employees to be more direct in their communication style. This goes against the Indians’ traditional approach of being indirect, but it’s an effort to accommodate the Western business style and to continue growing the country’s outsourcing industry.
Junk the fake accent, young workers in India’s booming outsourcing industry are being told, [...]
What is good travel writing?
In his ongoing collection of web interviews with travel writers, Rolf Potts this month features Tom Haines, a travel writer with the Boston Globe and the 2005 winner of the Travel Journalist of the Year award. In the interview, Haines offers some opinions on what constitutes good travel writing:
I believe good travel writing, as opposed [...]
Mexican candidates have to be truthful
Interesting story out of Mexico, in the run-up to that country’s upcoming presidential election. Mexico’s Federal Election Institute has ruled that some of the candidates’ advertisements ”are too false to be on the air.”
The institute twice voted to cancel advertisements calling the leftist candidate – Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the former Mexico City mayor – “a [...]
Appreciating geography
I had an op-ed piece published today in the Arizona Daily Star newspaper. It concerns the importance of geography to a good education and the ways in which travel can help us to appreciate our place in a global community. You can read the opinion piece here.
Vacation culture
American workers and employers are beginning to recognize the benefits of having and using vacation time. Part of this trend is driven by younger workers who value quality of life issues and a balance between work and personal time, according to an article in the Christian Science Monitor. Even so, the U.S. work culture is quite a [...]
America within the Americas
There was an interesting column recently in the Los Angeles Times by Richard Rodriguez in which he discussed what he saw as the birth of a Latin American consciousness in the United States. He suggested that in the future the U.S. was more likely to see itself as an integral part of the Americas. Here is an [...]
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Bob Riel is a writer and a traveler. Go here to read more about Bob, his work and the Travels in the Riel World blog.
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