Archive for the ‘Cross-Cultural’ Category
The humor of badly translated signs
If you’ve traveled, then you’ve likely stumbled across a badly translated sign that caused you to do a double take or even to burst out laughing. Lonely Planet recently had a Lost in Translation photo contest about these signs and the results are hilarious.
Obama and democracy in Asia
If you go behind the headlines of President Obama’s current trip to Asia, you can see that much of the agenda has been devoted to engaging with other democratic nations and promoting shared values. Here is a snapshot of the trip from that perspective.
Does language shape culture?
Does language shape culture? It’s an interesting question. Even more interesting, though, is the answer. Yes. Apparently, language not only expresses our views, but also helps to shape our very thoughts.
How geography can become destiny
How much influence does geography have on a nation’s culture? Quite a bit, actually, and not only for the reasons you might initially consider…While pivoting off the current Greek debt crisis, he suggests that Greece’s geography has, in many ways, determined its destiny.
How Twitter (and technology) can change a culture
There is no doubt that Twitter has its fans and its detractors. There is also no doubt that this social networking phenomenon is affecting the way that millions of people interact online, as well as the means by which information is distributed. But can Twitter also be having an impact on a culture’s communication styles? [...]
Bringing stand-up comedy to the Arab world
Do Arabs appreciate stand-up comedy? They do. At least, that seems to be the consensus of some North American comedians who recently appeared in Jordan. Interestingly, stand-up comedy is not common to all cultures. How can it be, when such comedy often involves insulting groups of people, and in particular governments and politicians? Such freedom of speech is [...]
Cultural differences in the Chinese and American workplaces
Much has been written about the differences between the cultures of the United States and China, but what in practical terms do these differences mean? Hannah Seligson just wrote a business article for the NY Times about the growing trend of young Americans taking jobs in China, and about the cultural challenges that arise when people from two [...]
The innovation challenge in India
India has made tremendous economic strides in recent years on the strength of its outsourcing businesses, but many Indians fret that the nation will not be able to take the next step forward until the culture develops a more innovative nature. The NY Times just ran an interesting business feature on this topic. Even as the [...]
Understanding the whirling dervishes
Whirling dervishes. The term is a familiar one to many people, but what exactly is a whirling dervish? That is, beyond some exotic Middle Eastern man who twirls round and round while dressed in a white robe and tall hat? Not many people know that the dance of a whirling dervish is actually a spiritual [...]
The (slowly) changing role of women in Saudi Arabia
National culture changes very slowly, but there is no doubt that it is something that constantly evolves. Sometimes in small ways over centuries, and sometimes in bigger ways over shorter periods of time. One example of this is the role of women in the Middle East, and particularly in the conservative nation of Saudi Arabia. [...]
Health treatments and philosophies in 10 countries
Perhaps it’s the interest sparked by the ongoing debate in Washington, but I’ve been stumbling across a number of health care-related articles these days and several of them delve into the intersection of policy and national culture. There was a recent story in the NY Times about T.R. Reid’s new book, The Healing of America, in which [...]
From doctors to shamans
It’s no secret that culture plays a role in health care, from our systems of medicine to our personal decisions. When a person receives health care in his or her home country, there are unlikely to be many clashes over culture because it’s a medical system that he or she knows and understand well. The United States is not a [...]
Stay current with the Riel World
Follow me on Twitter
Join me on Facebook 
Subscribe by EmailMeet Bob Riel
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.
Great American Road Trips
Two Laps Around the World
My travel memoir - Two Laps Around the World: Tales and Insights from a Life Sabbatical - is about two round-the-world journeys with my wife.
Visit Travel Blog Exchange
