Comments on: Want to Avoid Culture Shock? Try Training http://www.myglobalcareer.com/2008/02/06/want-to-avoid-culture-shock-try-training/ Advancing your career in the global economy. Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:06:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Sales Training Company http://www.myglobalcareer.com/2008/02/06/want-to-avoid-culture-shock-try-training/comment-page-1/#comment-15441 Sales Training Company Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:30:28 +0000 http://www.myglobalcareer.com/archives/2007/04/05/want-to-avoid-culture-shock-try-training/#comment-15441 Here are a few stories/circumstances that have occured to people in my organization. I guess with a little pre-trip training, things may have gone a little different. In Germany last year we ate at the hotel the night we arrived. It was a wonderful meal and the service was excellent. When it came to pay the bill we talked about the tip and I said I thought in Europe you only tipped 10%. However, because the service was so good we tipped 20%. The server seemed extremely thrilled with our tip!! The next morning at breakfast we started a conversation with the server (the same server we had every morning). She talked about how they went to school for two years to have this position and it is considered a very good job and they get paid very well. We learned that she didn't expect a tip!! When I went to china I was picked up at the airport by one man and two women. They drove me to the hotel and helped me get my luggage to my room. What shocked me, was that they all went into the room with me. They stayed for several minutes and even asked if they could help me unpack. I graciously declined the offer and asked if they wanted to go somewhere with me or go out for a drink. They said, "Do you?" I said, "No, I'm good - I'm very tired and would like to rest... alone." They were very nice and soon left. It was awkward for me... it didn't seem odd at all for them. A few more: My first time in Asia (Tokyo) I sat down in a little restaurant and ordered something to eat. What I got was a soup-like meal with meat in it. I looked around and everyone was holding the bowl up to their faces and using the chopsticks to shovel and slurp the food in. It seemed a bit odd and perhaps rude, but when in Rome....so I started slurping, even though I felt totally self conscious about it. Another time in Luxembourg I ordered a Bloody Mary. In Europe, they serve mixed drinks "Unmixed". You get a shot glass with the alcohol and another glass with the mix (no ice). This is to ensure accuracy of the amount of alcohol. With the Bloody Mary, they also gave me tobasco and a little plate with celery, lime etc. I looked at the guy like "What the hell is this?". One final cultural thing in most other countries is how you count with your finger. In many countries, to hold up your index finger is similar to "flipping the bird" here. So when counting, one normally starts with their thumb. Cheers Here are a few stories/circumstances that have occured to people in my organization. I guess with a little pre-trip training, things may have gone a little different.

In Germany last year we ate at the hotel the night we arrived. It was a wonderful meal and the service was excellent. When it came to pay the bill we talked about the tip and I said I thought in Europe you only tipped 10%. However, because the service was so good we tipped 20%. The server seemed extremely thrilled with our tip!! The next morning at breakfast we started a conversation with the server (the same server we had every morning). She talked about how they went to school for two years to have this position and it is considered a very good job and they get paid very well. We learned that she didn’t expect a tip!!

When I went to china I was picked up at the airport by one man and two women. They drove me to the hotel and helped me get my luggage to my room. What shocked me, was that they all went into the room with me. They stayed for several minutes and even asked if they could help me unpack. I graciously declined the offer and asked if they wanted to go somewhere with me or go out for a drink. They said, “Do you?” I said, “No, I’m good – I’m very tired and would like to rest… alone.” They were very nice and soon left. It was awkward for me… it didn’t seem odd at all for them.

A few more:

My first time in Asia (Tokyo) I sat down in a little restaurant and ordered something to eat. What I got was a soup-like meal with meat in it. I looked around and everyone was holding the bowl up to their faces and using the chopsticks to shovel and slurp the food in. It seemed a bit odd and perhaps rude, but when in Rome….so I started slurping, even though I felt totally self conscious about it.

Another time in Luxembourg I ordered a Bloody Mary. In Europe, they serve mixed drinks “Unmixed”. You get a shot glass with the alcohol and another glass with the mix (no ice). This is to ensure accuracy of the amount of alcohol. With the Bloody Mary, they also gave me tobasco and a little plate with celery, lime etc. I looked at the guy like “What the hell is this?”.

One final cultural thing in most other countries is how you count with your finger. In many countries, to hold up your index finger is similar to “flipping the bird” here. So when counting, one normally starts with their thumb.

Cheers

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