Nikolina started the session by asking participants to work in pairs and draw/discuss what culture is. This kind of appraoch made everyone to interact and get to know the person sitting next to them.
Nikolna compared people with trees: if we relocate to a different country, we may lose our roots if not protected. I agree with her. She also suggested that when we live in a different country we become more aware of our own culture. This may be true, but in many cases I think this will depend on who we communicate with when living abroad. If we communicate mostly with people of our own nation, then we will be more aware of our own cultural identity. But if we communicate with people of different nations, we integrate into this multi-culturness.
The next task we had was to identify our culture with a colour. It was quite interesting to see that people identify the same features with different colours. Could this be a cultural notion?
Nikolina's advice was: Be conservative in what you give and liberal in what you receive.
Full session can be viewed here: http://iatefl.britishcouncil.org/2012/sessions/2012-03-20/global-business-etiquette-101
Full session can be viewed here: http://iatefl.britishcouncil.org/2012/sessions/2012-03-20/global-business-etiquette-101
If you are going to another country, it is important to know its customs and rules of etiquette, but it is equally important to know the customs of visitors to your country. You will likely want to show them your culture, but you also must respect theirs. Showing you have made an effort to learn about their country and lifestyle makes a favorable impression.First impressions can set the tone for all business dealings, regardless of the culture. To make a good first impression, be familiar with the way men and women greet each other in their culture.A handshake is the most common international business greeting, even in countries where other greetings, like a bow, are traditional. This is especially true if your associates are accustomed to international business. However, it is important to know the etiquette for the firmness and duration of a handshake.
ReplyDeleteVery good points made, Zareen. I totally agree with you. Thank you for your comment. :)
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