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Josh Cohen

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Business in Italy: Learn a Few Choice Phrases

November 4, 2014

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Business in Italy: Learn a Few Choice Phrases

The ethos of Italian business is family-focused. Management structures are usually hierarchical, and most decisions are made at levels above middle management. Take time to find out at an early stage in your business relationship where the real decisions will be made. This is easier to accomplish if you can understand and utilize a few Italian phrases, spoken in their tongue.

Business Dealings in Italy

Traveling to foreign countries to conduct business is often daunting. This is especially true when you don’t speak the language. Italians are warm and accommodating, and they welcome foreigners (stranieri) openly. They will welcome your attempts to speak to them in their native tongue, and business will be conducted more easily if you understand and use a few business phrases in Italian.

Business in Italy – Phrases to Know:

Scusi, un informazione, per favore.

Excuse me; I need some information, please.

In any language, business negotiations must be fully understood by all the parties involved. If you don’t have sufficient information with which to make a decision, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for more.

If you do not have all the facts you need before making a decision, you may end up making an unwise business decision. This would not bode well for your future dealings with your employer.

siete aperti a qualche tipo di contrattazione?

Are you open to negotiation?

This may be used early or later in a negotiation. Sometimes, Italians like to throw a virtual curve ball at the last minute, to test your commitment. It is important to find out ahead of time how open your Italian colleagues are to negotiation.

Può l’ufficio commerciale occuparsi della pubblicità?

Can we have marketing create the ad?

This is a straightforward request, but it will mean more if you speak it in the language of your host.

Ottimo! Salute allora, al nostro nuovo progetto!

Excellent! Cheers then, to our new project!

This is used after the negotiations are complete, and the project is a “go” from both sides. Practice it a bit, so it will sound natural when you use it.

Using the Right Gestures and Language

For Business in Italy, using the proper gestures and language in communication is quite important.

Do not move away from advances; they may consider you unfriendly. Trust is important to establish a good working relationship.

Deals are made slowly, so avoid showing a sense of urgency. This is seen as a weakness in Italy. If your hosts are making small talk, then allow that. Make small talk with them, covering topics like art, food, sports or fashion. Do not introduce Italian politics or religion into the conversations.

Communicating Face to Face

Eye contact is important in Italy. It shows frankness, interest and openness. Looking away should be avoided, since it sends negative signals to your hosts.

English is used most commonly in business, along with Italian and some French and German.

Business in Italy: Meeting Agendas

Agendas in business meetings are quite flexible in Italy. All meeting members may take an active role and interrupt the flow of conversation. There are frequent side conversations, as well. During a meeting, it is not unusual for some delegates to leave while new ones arrive to join into the conversations with gusto. Use the Italian phrases you know well and for other comments, stick to English.

And for the language? Well, this was a big problem for me, and who knows, maybe it is a problem for you? I know I wanted my best to try to solve it and that is when I found this amazing software, and they even have a free trial! I’d check it out if you have time. Italian is such a beautiful language, steeped in the history of Italy.

I remember once I had to travel to Milan to meet a business partner, someone whom I consider a close friend. We were working on a large printout for a brand we both work with. We were sitting in a beautiful cafe outside of the Duomo having an espresso and a croissant, really just chatting about families.

Then someone started walking over, impeccable suit, like cut out of a magazine, and totally embraced my friend like they’ve been friends for 30 years! They started talking in rapid Italian, no way I could catch a single word. It felt like minutes before I was even acknowdlged (which made them feel very bad).

Turns out that this “new” person to our snack was just a friend who happened to be in Milan and had just decided to go out for a walk! But having just a little understanding of Italian customs goes a long way.

Business in Italy can be a lot of fun too and it definitely helps knowing some important phrases!

Enjoy!

South Korean Heritage – Five Grand Sites

November 3, 2014

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South Korean Heritage – Five Grand Sites

Can you think of a tiny country with only fifty million inhabitants, encapsulating within its depths civilized history dating back 3000 years. Well South Korea it is. The little country has so much to tempt tourists that you wouldn’t have even thought of it.

Beyond its sophisticated and ultra modern airports, the country possesses a whopping 10 UNESCO world heritage sites. Such a small country yet it has so much of historical treasures to boast of.

South Korea’s prized heritage can be explored by going to the huge National Museum of Korea or visiting a myriad of palaces and temples, and by enjoying the delicacies that its varied cuisine has to offer.

The first time I visited South Korea was only in transit on my way back to Hong Kong from visiting New York. To say that I was impressed and disappointed wouldn’t be enough. I was impressed by how gorgeous the airport was! And depressed that I wasn’t getting the opportunity that trip to actually visit the country! It wouldn’t be for a little time later that I’d get the chance and I was completely taken back by the country.

The people, the sites, the food, the heritage, the culture, the skiing, the list goes on! And as mentioned above, it’s not a big country, but a proud country, with a people that feel at a loss for their brethren in the north.

South Korean Heritage sites are certainly to see these unbelievably amazing places and definitely worth seeing.

Please help to share these wonderful experiences with me.

Here is a glimpse at five of the ten magnificent heritage sites.

1. Suwon Hwaseong Fortress

Western Gate in Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon, South Korea

Acquiring its status as a world heritage site in 1997, this is a fortress wall, a bit low-key in structure yet preserved in pristine condition. The wall is around 5 km in circumference and you can spend your entire day here.

The wall is lighted up at night, making the late night views the best of all. Near the north east gate, there is an archery range as well which is quite amazing. At the center of the fortress there is small palace, with fantastic tile art, and a really huge Golden Buddha.

2. Changdeokgung Palace

This South Korean Heritage site is one of the five prime palaces in Seoul, and is known to be Joseon Dynasty’s longest lasting palace. It is undoubtedly one of South Korea’s best historical gems. The palace’s throne hall is just splendid with gold sculptures on its ceiling and its incredible architecture. Once you enter the palace, you will feel like you have taken a step back in time, so glorious it is.

3. Ganghwa, Gochang and Hwasun Dolmen Sites

South Korea is believed to have 40% of all the world’s dolmen sites. Dolmen sites are stone-era tombs, and present proofs of organized ancient humanity.These dolmens are symbolic of the Megalithic culture; the stones of the tombs are prized because they mark tombs of the ruling elite of that time period.

4. Jongmyo Shrine

You will be surprised to find out that as claimed by UNESCO, the Jongmyo Shrine has intrinsically maintained its tradition as beautifully, as no other culture has been able to do.

The Jongmyo Shrine, built to honor the spirits of its fallen kings, has honored fallen kings for around six hundred years. The tablets preserved in the shrine, and displayed once every year, document the achievements of every King of the Joseon Dynasty. This truly makes it one of the South Korean Heritage sites to see!

5. Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes

Also known as “Hawaii of Korea’ due to its majestic beauty, this is the only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site in Korea. Jeju Volcanic Island, last erupted around a thousand years ago, and its main attraction, is the dead Hallasan Mountain. What makes the island so scenic is the astounding set of lava tubes lying at the place where real lava used to fuel the volcano. People climb up the Hallasan Mountain in almost five hours to witness a stunning crater lake where deer drink water from.

The UN site has amazing information on this incredible place!

All the South Korean heritage sites are truly amazing and will embrace you in their awe. If you go to South Korea, you can’t miss out on these. Each one is worth at least a day to see so when you go, take your time and take it all in!

Enjoy!

Cherry Blossoms – Hanami Festival

November 3, 2014

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Cherry Blossoms – Hanami Festival

Ever heard about the celebration of budding cherry blossom trees? Hanami is the thousand year old Japanese traditional custom of rejoicing at the bloom of ‘sakura’ or cherry blossom trees and their beautiful flowers; it’s an annual spring celebration that is celebrated with great pleasure and jubilance and taken very seriously. Amazingly, it is one of Japan’s top ten cultural events.

Sakura start blooming in February and wrap the whole country in their charm until early May. The opening of the Sakura buds is tracked quite carefully, and the blooming forecast is made each year by the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The Hanami festival is awaited so much that the blossoming of the buds is shown on the daily news, but the Japanese set out to celebrate Hanami in its full fervor only after official opening of the season has been announced with respect to the cherry blossom trees at Yasukuni shrine.

Getting this news at its earliest is considered quite important for party planning as the seasons lasts for only a week or two.

Hanami literally means “flower viewing”, and people celebrate it by picnicking amidst the cherry blossoms, and these picnic parties that last way into the night are quite a big gathering. This festival is one way that Japanese have found to unplug from their stressful lives and tune back into nature.

Japanese like to celebrate Hanami in its complete splendor, and hence plan extensively. Some of them actually claim picnicking spots beforehand, while others casually stroll around a venue and spend time walking around sakura trees.

In essence, it is all about enjoying the budding of cherry blossom flowers, which in itself turns out to be quite a refreshing experience., however the party crowd, especially goes out to picnic for the food and drinks.

Rivers, gardens, and parks are known as the popular Hanami celebration spots, but some places are really famous for their much talked about cherry blossom festivals.

Another prime spot is the Ueno Park in Tokyo. Its 1200 cherry blossom trees create a stunning sight for their beholders when they flourish in all their glory.

The blossom viewing tunnel at Japan Mint, Osaka is another eminent spot, known for its 100 cherry blossom varieties on display, that are greatly admired by the public. The Yoshino-yama Mountain in the Nara Prefectur that boasts home to a 30000 sakura trees, has one of the most spectacular and mesmerizing views, and attracts thousands of people to its festival as well. One has to be careful about the festival celebrating dates of each location to not miss the glamour of Hanami that they have to offer.

Food and drink stalls or ‘yakai’ can be found at various spots, selling delectable food varieties like okonomiyaki (savory vegetable and meat pancake), yakisoba (fried noodles) and takoyaki (octopus dumpling), and you can’t just avoid them if you are a foodie.

Did you ever think that cherry blossom flowers could be a part of any meal? Well you’re in for surprise: Japanese not only like to see them, they like to eat them too. The pink flower is usually salted before it is added to a dish, and is consumed in tea too!

People seeking out a refreshing and serene holiday in spring, should definitely visit Japan’s Hanami festivals and they would be spellbound by the natural beauty and charm of the cherry blossom trees in Japan. And if you’re interesting in learning more about this beautiful event, The Cherry Blossom Festival: Sakura Celebration book was amazing.

Enjoy!

England Adventures – For Thrill Seekers

November 2, 2014

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England Adventures – For Thrill Seekers

While I guess the typical definition of vacation is to rest and take it easy but then there are some who indulge in extreme activities for recreation. When I went to England, I got to see some of the most amazing landscapes and coastline and these places couldn’t even be accessed through pedestrian means.

There are so many types of England adventures to take it’s impossible to list them all here. But here are a few directed towards those particular breed of men and women who seek those adrenaline-inducing, breathtaking moments when you feel like you are at the top of the world.

Skydiving – Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

For the biggest and most intense of England adventures to have, this would be it!

A few friends and I went skydiving from Yarmouth, the western part of the Isle of Wight. Jumping from the plane is an experience I can never forget. With my heart pumping a thousand beats an hour and the air slapping my face, I could not even open my eyes for the first few seconds of the fall.

When I finally opened my eyes, a sense of calm took over and I was finally able to enjoy the view and the experience. I must say one thing, when you look down at an island from a few thousand feet up in the sky, you truly wish to explore and admire the amazing and wondrous gifts that mother earth has to offer. Plus, that isle looks mighty small 10,000 ft up!

While coming down, the Western Yar was emanating a warm sensation as the sun reflected on the surface of the water. The village of Freshwater and the expansive coastline, I simply absorbed it all.

Check these guys out if you’re in for an incredible experience!

Kayaking in the River Dart – Tuckenhay, Devon

River Dart is located on the Dartmoor, and offers one of the best kayaking and canoeing experiences in the region. The location is perfect for those seeking a watery thrill on the ancient river. I tumbled down on the river from the Dartmoor Moors through the woodland river and eventually to the sea.

I was quite pleased when I found out that the upper Dart was for the advanced kayakers, but don’t worry if you are new, Tuckenhay has the perfect river for all levels of kayakers.

Rock Climbing – Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

I wondered what could be more amazing than rock climbing at the picturesque Wye Valley, though I didn’t hope to find an answer, I fell in love with the place. Wye Valley Cliffs offer an extreme sports playground and is the largest participation sports in the country.

The place had over 800 different rock climbs of different difficulty and heights. It’s the perfect place for an adventure seeker as well as a family. By the time I was leaving the place, I knew what the famous summit mountaineer Sven Hassall meant when he said, “There are two types of people in the world, rock climbers and who aren’t yet rock climbers”.

Of all my England Adventures, I perhaps did most of my contemplating about life here. That is something fascinating about this place that can help bring out inner thoughts.

Caving at Cheddar Gorge – Bristol

This is me saying that all of you who considered a caving experience to be just looking at stalagtites and stalagmites are everything but right. I found the Cheddar Gorge to be filled with numerous opportunities for adrenaline pumping experiences. I climbed almost 270 steps to get to the upper side of the Cheddar Gorge and once you get to the lookout tower, it’s completely worth all those burnt calories.

I was thrilled to be caving in England’s biggest gorge, which I was dreaming about for a very long time. The caving expedition deep within the Mendip Hills, and the crawling and squeezing along with the climbs, was a fun, dirty and challenging adventure.

There are many more places I ventured out to for unbelievable England adventures, hoping for a thrilling experience, and I am sure I will definitely tell about those as well. But for now this is it folks, I sincerely hope I inspired a few to visits these places, good adventures to all. And if you’re looking for some amazing landscapes to visit, check these out.

Enjoy!

China Customs – Passing The Stranger on The Street

November 1, 2014

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China Customs – Passing The Stranger on The Street

There is so much to learn about Chinese culture that I feel I’ll be writing about it a lot. It varies so much from ours that it’s very interesting to learn about and try to understand. Having lived in China for over 7 years, and having had the opportunity to visit many more, I have noticed the cultural variations; every country has its own flavor.

China customs, unlike any other country, also has its own set of norms, language, cultures and traditions. What is considered impolite or rude by you might not be viewed the same by a Chinese. This is because it is an entirely different country and has its separate culture. If you are planning to visit the country, it is imperative for you to have some basic understanding of its culture and behavioral patterns, so you don’t feel strange on encountering the Chinese people.

I have found many people comment that the Chinese are impolite, but in my opinion this is not entirely true as their values and beliefs are different from yours.

The behavior of the Chinese people is quite dissimilar to what is practiced in the West. For instance, in the West, we often greet a passerby on the street and return a smile to them if offered one by a stranger.

However, you won’t experience the same behavior when you are in China. One of the most surprising things that I noticed about Chinese customs was that they seldom greet or smile on seeing strangers.

The reason behind this behavior is how the Chinese view the world.

The Chinese people live by a theory known as the ‘In’ and ‘Out’ theory, in which the close friends and family are the part of the ‘In’ group, whereas the remainder of the world is included in the ‘Out’ group.

This is why they do not adopt what we consider a polite behavior on encountering anyone from that world. They don’t feel obliged to host a welcoming behavior towards the foreigners visiting their country. So, while you are visiting and learning about China customs, you won’t experience many courteous smiles from bus drivers, taxi drivers, salespersons or passersby on their road. At first I found this very rude but I slowly understood that this is how they live.

The Chinese have a very strong bond with their family and treat them with a lot of love and care, and are of the opinion that strangers should not be treated like family, which is why they don’t bother being courteous to the strangers.

The Chinese also view people traveling by themselves with pity and curiosity and may ignore them completely. I initially found this different. In the West, if we ever saw a stranger passing strange looks at us we may feel insulted. However it makes sense when you understand the reason for their behavior.

I learned that Chinese people find it quite unsettling to travel alone, which is why they would behave differently with solo travelers. They always need their close people aka their support group with them while traveling outside their native home homes. Chinese people are very tied to their home towns as it represents the base of there culture, history, language, foods, and communal bonding.

However, China customs are changing in different parts of the mainland. I have noticed this change over the last few years. If you are ever planning a trip to China, I suggest you try passing smiles to the people you meet on the street, in the markets, hotels and elsewhere as this will, and who knows you might get a lovely smile in return.

Oh, and after living in China for so long, I really needed to learn the language. While it helped tremendously being there, my wife being Chinese, I started my adventure of learning the language with this software. It was a big problem for me then not knowing it, and if you’d like to learn too, I’d check it out for sure. Having even the most basic understanding of the language gives great insight into China customs.

Enjoy!

Via Dolorosa – A Walk Through History

November 1, 2014

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Via Dolorosa – A Walk Through History

It was about 645am and I found myself not sleeping well that night. I was in my bed in the hotel I was staying in, in French Hill, Jerusalem. I had moved to there only the week before from China. I received a text message from my friend Mark that said, “Can’t sleep, lets go out.”

So, I got up, dressed, and walked outside the hotel and down the block to meet Mark, he was staying at the Student Dorms. We were both studying at The Hebrew University. As it was still early in the morning, and we were really new to the land, we decided to take the safe route down to the Old City, which was Sderot Hayim Barlev. The road runs straight North and South, right into the old city.

We didn’t talk much on the way down, just walked, enjoyed the crisp cool air, and still realizing we were in Jerusalem!

We reached the New Gate when I turned to Mark and I could see in his face a need to explore something important to him, as though he was searching for something but wasn’t sure what. He asked if we could walk the Way of Grief – Via Dolorosa, where Jesus is said to have walked his last steps carrying the cross.

Whether you believe in anything religious or do, the walk itself is remarkable. So of course we did.

It was eerily silent at that hour – the only sound I heard was my own footsteps on the cobbled streets, and then the loud peal of church bells. We then realized we had lost our way searching for the Via Dolorosa, because we couldn’t see the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and there weren’t too many people we could ask. So, we backtracked decided to do the walk again.

By this time it was later, people were out, shops were opening, the sun higher in the sky.

The walk on the Via Dolorosa begins at the Muslim Quarter and goes past 14 stations, a number of which have chapels for meditation and silent prayer.

It ends in the Christian Quarter at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christ was crucified and laid in a tomb.

Along the way, the streets were alive, unlike the previous night. As I walked past the heady aroma of spices, I heard the merchants’ calls to sell “antiques” and the playful antics of children. I wondered if it was a similar day when Christ walked on his tortured journey.

We cave to a man’s forceful hawking and stop for a cup of coffee. He is chatty, and says that every year, especially during Easter, hundreds of pilgrims descend on the Via Dolorosa, and walk ‘the walk’, praying at every station, often crying at their Savior’s agony. The 14 stations are now marked by churches, some small, some large, some ancient and some not-so-ancient. And some of them have bronze light fixtures with the number written in Roman numerals on them. Catholics pause before the stations, saying a prayer and then move on to the next one.

via dolorosa, jerusalem, israel 5th station

I ask the man if the stone footpath is actually the one that Jesus walked on, and he smiles. Some of the paving stones have an incident etched on them (I would later learn that some of the stones are from the First Temple period, dating back 3000 years ago) – from when the Roman soldiers mocked Jesus as king. Hundreds of pilgrims find peace in walking over those stones, who was I to be skeptical? But yes, I was right. The paving stones came almost a century after the crucifixion – when Roman emperor Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem.

8th station - via dolorosa — 8th station – via dolorosa

I continued my journey over those paving stones and reached the steps to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Inside, the ancient church was lit by flickering candles, and had ornate altars and gilded iconography. The church has a number of shrines, each built to mark a time in the last hours of Christ’s life, and leading up to the sepulchre, from which you go on to the ancient, if plain, tomb.

Not every stone at the Via Dolorosa may go back 2000 years, but the atmosphere sure does.

Even in the gift shop outside where the crown of thorns comes in different hat sizes and at $2 apiece. And as w walked away, I realized how calm my friend felt and saw that he enjoyed this walk on a very deep level.

Dome on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Israel

The road is astounding, unfortunately some newer buildings black the straight path Jesus took so you need to make some turns, but overall it is the same path now called Via Dolorosa. I will be writing about each of the stations and experiences of watching people walk the path, the meanings behind each station, and the ascent to The Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

I loved living in Israel and I can’t wait to tell more!

Enjoy!

Tipping in China – To Tip or Not to Tip?

October 31, 2014

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Tipping in China – To Tip or Not to Tip?

It was just after I arrived in China for the first time back in 2000. I was part of a team coming from New York to meet with suppliers in China about our ongoing and future projects. I remember we had a great lunch in China, me thinking “real Chinese food from China!” and when we paid I realized no one left a tip on the table.

I was curious and cautiously asked my host why he didn’t tip, as I didn’t want to offend him after such a good meal (but as mentioned before Chinese are very open about discussing etiquette), and being my first time in China.

He said that tipping in China was not common practice, the server was simply doing his job.

Tipping customs and habits are different not only in different countries of the world, but in different restaurants of the same city as well. This is why you can never really be too careful when it comes to respectfully tipping the server or the staff for giving you a proper service.

During my visit to China, I noticed a considerable difference between the Chinese culture, traditions and customs and the American culture, traditions and customs. Chinese do not necessarily appreciate the tipping custom as we Americans do. Therefore, I think, it is important that you understand if you should tip at all.

In American cities, it is customary to give a generous tip. Each city and State has a general rule, some tip 10%, some double the tax, but tips are normal and considering that the server worked hard for you to get your meal. The tip is a healthy amount of money to express and pay for the gratitude that you feel towards the server.

However, when tipping in China, in most restaurants, the servers in restaurants never really get the tip you give them. Yes, it is true! In fact, the tip that you award the server for his good performance goes right into the pocket of the owner who had nothing to do with serving you the food you ate that night.

This is one of the reasons as to why tipping in China is considered a token gesture instead of anything else. In some restaurants, the tip that the servers get is divided equally among the staff of the restaurant to promote financial equality and goodwill. This means that there is no competitiveness and that the servers work with one another in harmony.

In some local restaurants that only cater to the citizens of China, there is absolutely no tipping policy at all! The restaurant owners do not promote tipping as they believe it is not a healthy practice. However, restaurants that get many foreign customers do bend the rules a little when it comes to tipping the servers because the foreigners are playing by the rules of their own country and would find it hard to understand why they should not tip the server who catered to their needs.

Nevertheless, in the view of many Chinese restaurant owners and locals alike, tipping is perceived to be a very common yet not always understood why a foreigner may just “give away money.”

Tipping is generally considered an unnecessary practice. Therefore, whenever you hire a car or get a bellhop to take your things up to your hotel room, you do not have to particularly worry about this practice as it can make you feel unwelcome in certain circles. Always judge the atmosphere you are in and observe if the people around you are following the practice or not. In other words, if you’re traveling and you’re staying in a known worldwide hotel, the staff and probably most of the customers are used to tipping. If you’re staying in a more local establishment, more so not.

If you feel comfortable, you can even ask your server if tipping is the norm here or not.

Even though tipping servers in restaurants might be a custom that the Chinese have adopted in restaurants that cater to foreign individuals, the habit of tipping bellhops and taxi drivers is still something foreign to them. However, if you want to show your gratitude, do it in a respectful way and tell them that you enjoyed the service they provided you with.

In the end though, with so many westerners visiting and traveling, tipping in China is being accepted, so if you feel like go ahead, nothing bad will come from it.

Thanks!

Italian Business Meals – What to Expect

October 31, 2014

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Italian Business Meals – What to Expect

Ah! Magnificent! What a great experience this can be, Italian Business Meals! After your successful business meeting, it is very common to go out for a meal. A little forewarning though, it can last a long time, be full on the stomach, but completely enjoyable!

If you are traveling for business to Italy, you may well make a friend for your career life, or just life in general. Cultivating friendships is an important part of business etiquette in Italy. Be patient and genuine, and learn a bit of Italian, so that you will appear gracious. Oh, thins one was a problem for me as I had been wanting to learn Italian for so long. I can’t say that I’m very good, but it was a problem for me, and maybe it’s a problem or desire for you, too? This solution worked really well for me and I’d totally recommend checking it out: learn Italian.

Italians prize education, intelligence, imagination and inventiveness. They maintain personal relations scrupulously, with an especially high value placed on loyalty. This is especially true in families. The most important affiliation for Italians is the family.

Meeting and Greeting

When you are introduced for Italian business meals, shake hands with everyone, including children.

You will also shake hands before you leave. Ladies extend their hands to men, first. Friends may be greeted with kisses on both cheeks.

Use business associates’ last names and proper titles until your host or the colleagues themselves invite you to use their first names.

Maintain strict eye contact when you are speaking with potential business associates. Otherwise, your hosts may feel that you are trying to hide something from them. Italians use body language a great deal, probably more than most other Europeans.

Italian Business Meals – The Discussions

Business conversation is avoided at breakfast, but brought up at lunch, in Italy. Guests should not pour wine – this is for the hosts to do. Dinners are opportunities for social networking. If you invite your Italian business counterparts for lunch or dinner, be expected to pay.

The beginning of the meal is reserved for chit chat and catch up. Business talk is reserved until later.

Early dinner conversation consists of small talk, about sports, culture, wine and food. Business entertainment usually takes place in a restaurant, at dinner or lunch. Dinner entertainment is usually more social than business-related. But, be prepared, dinners can start early and end very late, with course after course of food being served.

Cocktails are not often seen in Italy. Eating almost always accompanies drinking. It is not normal nor appreciated to drink heavily. Even a mild case of intoxication is considered to be ill mannered.

Dressing for Success

Conservative business suits work exceptionally well in Italy. Choose sedate colors for your suits, ties or dresses. Even casual dress should be well fitting and sharp. As you enter a building, remove your head coverings.

Old-Fashioned Niceties

In Italy, it’s common to practice niceties that Americans would consider old-fashioned. Stand up for elders and avoid asking questions that are personal. Be prepared for gifts by bringing something for your hosts. Corporate gifts, music and wine are acceptable gifts.

Large lunches or dinner parties begin often with an aperitif (campari, vermouth, cinzano, etc.). They will end with the hosts’ after dinner drinks, like sambuca or grappa (prepare for an intense rush from that!).

As mentioned above business meal in Italy may start early and end late!

But that’s because of all the courses, great food, and conversation. There generally is an order that’s followed and normally goes like this:

Antipasto – This includes appetizers, such as pates and fruit or prosciutto.
Antipasta – Tomaten Mozzarella
Soup
Minestrone, italian vegetable soup with pasta
Pasta
Carbonara Spaghetti
The Main Dish
Salad
Cheese
Dessert
Cannoli
Fruit
After-dinner drinks and espresso.
cafè espresso

Etiquette for Business during Dining

Much depends on how developed a relationship you have with your Italian colleagues. As a rule, business decisions are not made during meals. Take your cues from the Italians at the table.

Corporate Culture

English is a commonly used language in business in Italy, but always be sure whether you will need an interpreter or not. It is polite to interject Italian phrases when you are speaking with your hosts, as long as your pronunciation is acceptable. However, the meals are also supposed to be “fun,” a time away from the office. Don’t be shy in trying out a few Italian words and never fear in asking for help. Italians love to help when it comes to there language and if they laugh, it’s because they’re enjoying the moment.

Italians love to show off their homes, so if an invitation is extended during a business meal, oblige them by visiting their home.

Without question Italian business meals is a social event, used to get out of the office, get away from the scene and an opportunity to build that relationship. Take the lead from your host, they’ll be open about asking you what is appropriate or not to discuss at the table. Family is important to Italians so they may want to ask how your family is.

While American’s tend to keep personal and work topics separate, sometimes the lines are blurred. And when the meal is wrapping up and you’ve downed your grappa, make sure to have an espresso, it’ll help make sure you get back to your room that night.

Enjoy!

Crossing the Street in China Safely

October 30, 2014

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Crossing the Street in China Safely

Even after 7 years, crossing the street in China sometimes felt like I was tempting fate. That’s not to say that it isn’t safe, but upon first arrival it can feel like an ordeal just crossing the roads. I remember seeing people just walk across without looking, or cars making turns from the right lane over 4 lanes of traffic at the last moment to make a left!

Eventually I got used to crossing the street in China and just accepted that was the way of life. But it made for some great stories.

The Chinese traffic poses a great risk to your safety and can even result in your death as well if you try meddling with it too much.

The roads in the country are almost always jam-packed with traffic (once took me 4hrs to travel 60 miles). Cars, trucks, cycles, bikes, rickshaw and taxi- you name the vehicle and you will see it on the road. Apart from the heavy traffic, another factor that makes walking on the roads extremely difficult is the lack of driving experience of the drivers.

The country had about 10 million vehicles during 2000. This number increased to 70 million in 2010, with more being bought each year. Most of the drivers on the roads of China are first-generation drivers. Most of them do not know the basics of driving. The country only has about 3 percent of the world’s drivers, but most of them are unaware of road systems.

Unfortunately, due to a lot of inexperiences, many drivers with fake licenses, not enough time on the road, has lead China to having one of the highest death rate in the world by car accident, something to keep in the back of your while while crossing the street in China.

To make sure that you don’t become a victim of these serious accidents, you need to be very careful while crossing the streets in China.

If you are a pedestrian, then you need to follow the rules set by the vehicles on the road. Follow these simple rules to ensure that you are able to cross the streets safely.

Never Expect Cars to Stop: Yes, you must NEVER expect a single car to stop while you are attempting to cross a street. Drivers in China often run red lights, even several seconds after the red traffic light begins shining. Hence, you must always wait for all cars to pass before beginning to cross the road.
Walk Slowly: Make sure to walk slowly while crossing the road. While crossing in a hurry, you can get hit by a fast paced car (or bicycle), so don’t hurry while crossing the road and be cautious.
Look at Both the Sides of the Road: While stepping on the road, make sure to look at both sides to ensure that no vehicle is passing by. Once you are sure of this, you can start crossing the road.
Use the Right Side of the Street: Though the law states that the vehicles should use the right side of the streets and roads, the right side is seldom seen packed with traffic. This is because the middle lane is quite safe to travel and slow-moving cars and pedestrians normally use the right side, so you should try using this side often.
Let a Vehicle Overtake: If you hear a vehicle honking loudly, give it space to overtake you by moving to the right side.
Beware of a Vehicle Turning Corners: According to the law, vehicles are allowed to take a right turn even when the red light is showing on the traffic signal (in many cities not all). So, if you see a turn, lookout for any vehicles waiting to use it and use it carefully.
Be Extra Careful on the Roundabout: The roundabout is a very scary place to walk around. You’ll find the traffic cluttered around a roundabout on roads in the country. Hence, you need to be super careful while crossing the streets near a roundabout.

While I wouldn’t call it an art form crossing the street in China safely… it does take some time getting used too. In the major cities, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, you’ll see many more vehicles stopping at lights and obeying the laws. Many of these drives are professional trained by taxi companies and are fined if the customer complaints (if taking a taxi, always ask for a receipt. It has the correct total on it and the number to call if there was a problem).

You’ll see plenty of westerners crossing the streets as well and most get used to it after a while. While it sure is an experience, enjoy your trip, too!

Cruising along Lake Ashi

October 30, 2014

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Cruising along Lake Ashi

Hakone Lake, also known as Lake Ashi, is the hottest tourist destination in Japan. It is a scenic lake that lies in the Hakone area, in the Honshu province. And without question, it was one of the most relaxing, serene, peaceful, places I had ever visited.

I was in Tokyo on business for a few days, intense meetings with some ink suppliers for a job we were about to print in China, and after the meetings were complete, I felt drained and exhausted. A friend of mine who was living there at the said that when he needed to get away from it all, he went to Lake Ashi.

I promise to write about my experience first hand but I wanted to open up about the place first with some amazing sites to see and how to get around. Tourists flock to the lake not only for its scenic beauty, but also because of its numerous hot springs that are scattered throughout the lake and for catching a glimpse of the famous Mount Fuji which is the highest mountain in Japan.

The Hakone Sightseeing Cruise

A number of boats and ferries especially for sightseeing purposes cruise the entirety of the lake and provide breath-taking views for tourists and passengers. Some of the boats that are used in this tourist excursion are exact replicas of famous sailing warships in history, such as the:

The Royal II: Which is a design based on the Royal Louis, a first-class French warship that was constructed in the 18^th century. The Victory: A cruise ship, which was inspired by the design of the 18^th century British warship the HMS Victory. The Vasa: The cruise ship is also known as ‘king of the figureheads’ due to the impressive figurehead that is fixed at the prow. The original warship which was built in the 17^th century goes by the same name.

Warship Replica's in Lake Ashi — Warship Replica’s in Lake Ashi

All the cruise boats are lavishly decorated and fully equipped with the latest comforts and features, and offer un-paralleled views of the majestic lake.

An Amazing Means Of Public Transport

The cruise takes routes that connect to three different ports, with each port having different attractions. Passengers who are not tourists can also use this as an effective means of public transportation, going about their daily business while appreciating the beautiful views. Each port has many unique sights and the scenery that you will come across the routes doesn’t always remain the same.

There is a different scene and view for every season, which is one reason why Lake Ashi is such a popular destination with tourists coming in every season.

The Hokane Ropeway Service

Hokane is one of the most attractive destination points that are found in Japan. The natural environment, paired with the surrounding hot springs is however not the only attraction this area offers. The Hakone ropeway is an aerial lift service that operates from the Sounzan station at a one-minute interval.

It is a beautiful half an hour ride to Togendai station, which is situated on the shore of Lake Ashi. The ropeway consists of two other checkpoints, or stops where tourists can take pictures and enjoy the breathtaking views of the majestic snow-capped Mount Fuji, the rising volcanic fumes of Owakudani, and the dazzling blue waters of Lake Ashi.

Kuro-Tamago

Another attraction that can be accessed through the Hakone Ropeway is the Great Boiling Valley which is home to some of the hottest springs, due to the volcanic activity nearby. Tourists flock to this spot, and bathe in the spa that nature has provided and nibble on Kura-tamago or eggs that are hard-boiled in the hot springs.

Lake Ashi is breathtaking.

I remember like it was yesterday the awesome site of seeing the lake and then Mt. Fuji in the distance from the tour bus. One of the great thing about arriving here was that it is only a 4-5 hour drive from Tokyo.

Yes.. I know.. I said only… but it is well worth the visit and you’ll definitely be spending more than a day there as there is so much to see, do and wonder at. From amazing boat tours, gondola rides, “hell on earth” and amazing tea cafe’s along the wrong creates a serene and peaceful setting to enjoy and relax.

Have a wonderful time! And read about my awesome experience visiting the town of Hakone, which is right on the water of Lake Ashi.

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