Culture Smart!

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About Culture Smart!

Culture Smart! guides are written for people who want more than just the nuts and bolts of where to stay, what to see, and how to travel. Short, sharp and humorous, they deal with the richly rewarding human dimension of foreign travel by telling you about the beliefs and attitudes of the people you will meet and about situations you may encounter. They help you to understand what makes people tick, the values they live by, and the kind of behavior that will be reciprocated with goodwill and hospitality.

Each guide includes concise chapters on the local customs, traditions and values of the country's inhabitants, and crucially, the key historical and cultural events that have shaped them. There are sections on social and business etiquette, tips on communication, both verbal and non-verbal, and advice on how to be a good guest.

Our aim is to arm readers with a level of cultural fluency, so that whatever your reason for travelling, each situation may be approached with both confidence and sensitivity.

Brief and thorough, our guides are designed so that they can be dipped into for quick reference as and when needed, or comfortably completed in a few sittings, affording you a comprehensive overview of what you're getting yourself into before you have even taken off!

Written by long-term expats, journalists, professors and diplomats, Culture Smart! guides have been helping travelers be more than just tourists for over 20 years. With over 100 country guides to date, there are new titles and editions published every year.

Marcel Proust once said, The true voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. We hope that Culture Smart! will help you arrive at your destination with your eyes open.

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Titles By Culture Smart!

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Russia - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Oct 1, 2007

by Anna King , Culture Smart!

( 51 )

$10.99

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships. Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include: * customs, values, and traditions * historical, religious, and political background * life at home * leisure, social, and cultural life * eating and drinking * do's, don'ts, and taboos * business practices * communication, spoken and unspoken

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

Spain - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Mar 4, 2021

by Culture Smart! , Bélen Aguado Viguer , Marian Meaney

( 1 )

$12.34

Spain often conjures up a picture of rapacious conquistadores, fiery flamenco dancers, and brilliant artists. How closely does everyday life in modern Spain conform to these dramatic stereotypes? Culture Smart! Spain explores the complex human realities of contemporary Spanish life. It describes how Spain's history and geography have created regional differences, shared values, and attitudes, and reveals what the Spaniards are like at home and in business, how they socialize, and how to build lasting relationships with them.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

Thailand - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Apr 1, 2014

by Roger Jones , Culture Smart!

( 77 )

$8.99

For many outsiders Thailand still conjures up images of the East at its most mysterious and enchanting – a view largely formed by Hollywood films like The King and I. Never conquered by foreigners, this proud and ancient land has been shaped by Buddhism, the monarchy, and the military. Today it is a representative democracy with a populist female prime minister, and is ranked among the tiger economies of Southeast Asia. It is a manufacturing powerhouse, the world's largest rice exporter, and a tourist paradise that welcomes 22 million visitors a year to its beach resorts and its vibrant capital, Bangkok. Yet despite the veneer of Western modernity, the country and its people remain an enigma for many visitors, smiling and inscrutable. It conceals a unique system of personal values and attitudes, developed over centuries. You may find that Thais react to you in surprising and unexpected ways, coming as they do from a culture based on respect, status, self-control, non-confrontation, and harmony. They are also naturally generous and have a great love of fun. Thais put a great deal of effort into social skills in order to maintain social harmony, and one of their most potent weapons is the smile that puts people at ease and helps to defuse a difficult situation. This new, updated edition of Culture Smart! Thailand describes how the Thai people view the world and themselves. It examines the impact of religious beliefs and history on their lives, as well as the continuing importance of the monarchy. It looks at recent social and political developments, including the current tensions in the south. Above all, it helps visitors to become more culturally aware and so better able to interact successfully with the locals. Thailand's charm lies in being different, and visitors who make an effort to understand the differences will find their stay in "The Land of Smiles" a richly rewarding experience.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

Kenya - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Apr 1, 2017

by Jane Barsby

( 97 )

$11.39

Culture Smart! Kenya provides a cultural bridge that will carry you beyond the gloss of the hotels and deep into the warp and weft of everyday life; beyond the game parks and into the intricacies of community and wildlife coexistence; beyond the bounds of tourism and into the freedom of cultural understanding and exchange. A true "insider's take" gleaned over years of living and working in the country, it delivers key insights into the forces, ancient and modern, that have shaped Kenya—and practical guidance on how best to enter into the modern Kenyan business and social environment. Due to its high-action pursuits, cultural treasures, wealth of wildlife, and glorious beach life, it is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, and the unrivaled "safari capital of the world." As to its people, Kenya is a cultural microcosm comprising more than seventy ethnic groups. Each has its own distinctive cultural identity. All extend the warmth of welcome that has proved to be Kenya's most valuable asset to tourism.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

Hong Kong - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Sep 1, 2017

by Vickie Chan , Clare Vickers , Culture Smart!

( 6 )

$10.05

Visitors marvel at Hong Kong's breathtaking location, its amazing architecture, its exciting shopping, and its fine dining. And yet it is a land of opposites—of order juxtaposed with chaos, of ancient etiquette and seemingly abrupt manners, a place where rich and poor live in close proximity. Culturally, Hong Kong is rooted in the traditions of China, but there is more than a patina of Westernization. And despite stiff competition, it remains the principal international financial center in China. Hong Kong has more holidays than anywhere in the world, and most are celebrated in the streets or parks. Culture Smart! Hong Kong introduces the reader to this vibrant, multifaceted society. It provides helpful advice and cultural insights on business practice and social etiquette.

Other Formats: Paperback

Poland - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Jul 1, 2015

by Greg Allen , Culture Smart!

( 37 )

$11.39

The changes in Polish life, culture, economics, and development have been remarkable. And the pace of change shows little sign of abating. Through twenty-five years of post-Communist transformation and ten years as a member of the European Union, some Polish cities, like Warsaw, Kraków, Poznan, and Wroclaw, have experienced an economic renaissance thanks largely to direct foreign investment, EU funds, and an influx of tourists. Much of the countryside, and cities like Lódz and Lublin, however, are shadows of their former selves. The mass emigration of Polish workers following European integration has had as significant an effect on Poland as it has on the destination countries, such as the UK. Despite a crisis of confidence in the country's direction, a swing toward political populism, and the tragic death of the Polish president in the Smolensk disaster of 2010, Poland is the only EU member not to have suffered economic contraction in the years following the 2007–08 global financial crisis. That Poland continues to develop in growth and influence is a testament to the legendary Polish resolve in the face of adversity. This new, updated edition of Culture Smart! Poland provides visitors with an insight into everyday life in today's Poland. From the country's rich and tragic history to the growth of a modern economy, from the rustic rural countryside to the Warsaw hipster scene, the reader will gain an appreciation of Polish culture much deeper than that to be found in conventional travel guides.

Other Formats: Paperback

France - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Mar 4, 2021

by Culture Smart! , Barry Tomalin

( 1 )

$9.99

The French are "different." You'll often hear this in conversations among the "Anglo-Saxons," as the French like to call English-speakers. "Different" means charming, challenging, questioning, stylish, and doing things in their own way and to their own advantage. By looking at the attitudes and values of the French, and explaining how French life and business works, Culture Smart! France shows you how to fit in as a foreigner. It gives practical advice on how to avoid faux pas and how to behave in different contexts. It takes you through French history, festivals, and traditions, and describes the French at home and at work. Above all, it shows you how the French communicate, and how to get the best out of this idiosyncratic and brilliant people.

Other Formats: Paperback

Russia - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Mar 4, 2021

by Culture Smart! , Grace Cuddihy , Anna King

$10.99

The Russian orthodox religion is unique, Russian history is tragic, and the people are unpredictable. Russia's military and political power, as well as the rich contribution of its art and culture, is the result of an inner dynamic not always understood by outsiders. This book explores the connections between Russia's turbulent past and its paradoxical present.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

Norway - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Jan 2, 2019

by Linda March , Margo Meyer , Culture Smart!

( 90 )

$9.99

Culture Smart! Norway steers you through social and professional encounters, enabling visitors to establish real friendships and business partnerships. Tips on meeting and communicating make socializing a pleasant experience, and chapters on customs give a glimpse inside a Norwegian home. The book also describes how the Norwegian commercial world operates—vital information for anyone doing business with one of the world's wealthiest nations. The need to survive on a difficult, isolated terrain and in harsh climates forged a people who are hardworking and self-sufficient. On first meeting, the Norwegians are serious, polite, law-abiding, and hardy. They are also very private, and getting to know them takes time. But when visitors are able to see behind that façade they will meet the friendly, fun-loving, family-oriented people hiding on the other side.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

Egypt - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture May 1, 2013

by Jailan Zayan , Culture Smart!

( 72 )

$9.49

This revised and updated edition of Culture Smart! Egypt reveals a country in the throes of change. The largely secular revolution that started in Cairo's Tahrir Square in January 2011 became the flagship of the Arab Spring revolts. The uprising resulted in a political effervescence, with new parties, movements, and groups all jostling for space in the new political landscape. But the situation remains fluid. Free elections produced a parliament dominated by Islamists and the country's political and social identity has yet to be defined. Egypt's heady spirit of change is both rooted in and challenged by traditional and deeply conservative values. The timeless Egypt that has inspired conquerors, academics, and artists for millennia is home to 82 million people who call it Omm Eddunia, Mother of the World. It is the people who are Egypt's true wealth. They are friendly, cheerful, proud, and renowned for their sense of humor. In bringing the narrative up to date, this new edition of Culture Smart! Egypt explores the codes and paradoxes of Egyptian life. It outlines the country's history and shows the forces that have shaped its sensibility. It explains values and attitudes, and guides you through local customs and traditions. It opens a window into the private lives of Egyptians, how they behave at home, and how they interact with foreign visitors. It offers practical advice, from how to make friends to avoiding faux pas. It sets out to make your encounter as rich as possible by taking you beyond the clichés to the real people.

Other Formats: Paperback

Ethiopia - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Mar 4, 2021

by Culture Smart! , Sarah Howard

( 8 )

$9.99

Set in Africa, but not wholly African, Ethiopia exists simultaneously in different time periods. Culture Smart! Ethiopia unpacks the values, attitudes, and traditions of this culturally rich nation. Etiquette in daily life, socializing, and communicating are all helpfully described, and advice is given to on how make the most of a visit. Above all, it provides the tools to do so in a considerate and sensitive manner.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

Turkey - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture Apr 1, 2014

by Charlotte McPherson , Culture Smart!

( 36 )

$9.45

Standing astride two continents and stretching from Europe to the Middle East, Turkey is both feared by the West and wooed by it. Travelers have always been drawn to its glorious cultural heritage and heroic landscapes, and today, thanks to its burgeoning economy, growing geo-political importance, and young population, it is attracting more foreign visitors than ever. This new, updated edition of Culture Smart! Turkey reveals a nation in transition. Over the last two decades living conditons have improved greatly and Turkey is now classified as a developed country with an emerging market economy. Viewed by many as a model for outward-looking Islam, it is a country with laws to protect against religious paternalism, where restaurants are open during the fast of Ramadan, and where headscarves or no scarves can be worn in universities, schools, and public offices. Turkey continues to seek EU membership, but the road to accession has been full of twists and turns and the outcome is uncertain. The country is rapidly modernizing. The cities are being transformed with skyscrapers and gated communities. Politically, Turkey has changed dramatically over the past decade and today society is polarized between secularists and traditionalists. While Turkey is in many ways Western and modern, Islamic tendencies are strong. The situation can vary widely between, and even within, different parts of society, and, across the board, there are still forms of behaviour that are taboo. One thing is certain. Turkey's culture and social life are changing. Culture Smart! Turkey is an invaluable guide to the intricate ins and outs of a rich and complex society. Whether you are planning a vacation or traveling on business, it is vital to be aware of appropriate behavior in different situations, and if you show a genuine interest in their culture and respect for their values, you will win the lasting friendship of your hosts.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback , Audio CD

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