Why do Dutchies act the way they do? In other words, Dutch culture and the traditions related to it. Interested in in some background on behaviour and traditions of the Dutch, including many examples you can relate to? Than this blog is for you. Let's start with a little perspective: the main difference between culture…
A while ago I addressed social inclusion, this blog will continue on that subject by expanding the subject to social and cultural diversity and it's implications in the Netherlands. First off, what is social diversity? Social diversity refers to a variety of individuals when it comes to race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, language, sexual…
Making intercultural communication effective is key when it comes to improving productivity & overall performance in diverse teams. Often enough though, without the intention or even knowing, we sabotage our own effective listening. How do we do this? When you rethink conversations that took place in intercultural settings the level of sabotage can be reduced…
Continue reading ➞ You might sabotage yourself without knowing
In other words, how to create your personal community in the Netherlands? A big question or quest, for all expats arriving in the Netherlands. Although work related passion has let you to this country, most expats don't want hang out solely in the "expat bubble", where to find like minded Duchies though? How to create…
Intercultural competence cannot be reduced to a simple personality trait, or some abstract textbook knowledge. It's for a large part related to language, to the capability of managing conflicts, and to social responsibility. According to Edward Hall we can place these in the categories of context, space and time. These categories can help you interpret…
Looking in the mirror from time to time to evaluate how "things are going" is always a good idea. Taking personality tests online (on a regular basis because when you evolve so does your personality) can give your valuable insights in the way you live your life/want to live your life. Dialogue with the Dutch…
Continue reading ➞ Does your personality influence adaptation?
In these hard times, where the world gets tortured with the Corona virus, intercultural communication in the professional life is a daily situation. There is a lot to learn from other countries in these difficult times. But there are so many different approaches, so where to start? It's a hot topic, intercultural communication in business.…
Continue reading ➞ COVID-19 pandemic and cultural differences
The more we can be our self, the more we can bring to the table. The “feeling we belong” comes from inclusion, and inclusion is a beacon and symbol for our possibilities. A hot topic is social inclusion, which is about improving the terms of participation in society for people who are disadvantaged. Many large…
According to Wikipedia ethnocentrism is the act of judging another culture based on preconceptions that are found in the values and standards of one's own culture. In the field of intercultural communication this is a major subject. Why? Well, because most of us can only respond to what we perceive based on our own frame…
In my last blog I wrote about mental health among international students. In this blog I will continue on the subject by adding aspects of language and identity. The lingua franca of internationalisation in higher education is English. More and more universities wonder if this is the correct approach, being afraid that the national language…
Dialogue with the Dutch 