Coronavirus

Get Vaccinated to Protect the King

Would you get the COVID vaccination to protect your king or president?  Apparently, if you are Bhutanese, the answer is “yes.”   High in the Himalayan mountains, 23,000 feet above sea level, the tiny nation of […]

Layers of Culture

When it’s Cool to be Emotional

‘How are you?’ is a common greeting around the world, and one that invites very different responses depending on the cultural context. For example, when an American asked her Thai friend how she was doing, […]

Attitudes

Hiking Meets Culture

Wanna go for a hike? It’s a common question when you live near the Great Smoky Mountains, like I do. I’ve always been a hiker. I grew up hiking the Adirondack mountains of New York, […]

Behavior

Masked Communication

While waiting my turn in line at a convenience store, I heard: “I can take you over here.” Two registers were opening, and I couldn’t tell who was talking because I couldn’t see any lip movement. […]

Behavior

The Close Talker

You know it when someone is in your personal space! Something has happened – you feel invaded. Remember this episode from Seinfeld? Personal Space We laugh at Aaron, the “close talker”. He loves to invade […]

Coronavirus

Designer Face Masks

Are you wearing a protective mask during this pandemic? Donning a face mask when you are sick is normal in many Asian countries. And it is strictly enforced for everyone during an epidemic. This morning, […]