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I was getting ready for a business trip to Bangkok when there was a knock at my door. There stood a 6-foot, 9-inch African man I had worked with in Kenya two years before.
"You told me if I was ever in the United States you would buy me some cowboy boots," he joked, a big grin on his beautiful face.
It was true.
Shadrack had been so kind to me when I was visiting his country, taking me to all his favorite tourist spots, restaurants and market shops after work hours. He even bought me a huge ebony bowl his cousin had hand-carved in a village near Nairobi. It is stunningl.
Astounded by his generosity, I told him that if he ever made it over to my country, I would return the favor. That made this nice man smile, admitting he had always wanted to own some real American cowboy boots.
So, when I found Shadrack there at my door I had to be good to my word.
Putting aside my packing chores, I grabbed my keys and we went to the mall. Soon, Shadrack was in boot heaven, eventually choosing a nice pair of size 13 Tony Lamas. Now that is what I call a good foreign exchange.
Indeed, when our international counterparts come stateside, it is our obligation -- and our pleasure -- to treat these colleagues/friends to an American experience. That said, following are some standard tips for business travelers hosting other business travelers from other countries:
* Indulge your visitor in at least one cocktail hour knowing that person will not necessarily know how to order real American cocktail. A Harvey Wallbanger to, say, a Norwegian is about as foreign as it gets, not surprising because the heavy-duty drink was dubbed after a California surfer some time back in the 1960s. Although the martini is an international favorite that originated here, in Italy the martini is a special kind of white vermouth so you might explain to your Roman friend to expect some gin in that cocktail order.
* Practice proper protocol at all times, which often begins with not assuming you are on a first-name basis with your foreign visitor. Indeed, while you may not think twice about calling another American Jim or Sally upon meeting him or her in a work circumstance, your cohort from Great Britain would probably prefer Mr. Smith or Mrs. Jones. To avoid an international incident so early in the game, after you are introduced play it safe and ask how the person with whom you are working would like to be addressed.
* Although I do not always make it a point to bring enough business cards with me at a standard American business gathering, I do make sure I take along a plentiful supply when the contingency I am meeting with is not from the United States. Almost every person from every other nation I can think of would never leave his or her hotel room without enough business cards to go around. It would be rude not to reciprocate.
* If your standard office attire is usually khakis and a comfy shirt, on days when you are entertaining colleagues from other countries you may want to err on the more formal side. For me that usually means dressing up a by putting on a simple black dress. That way, when my foreign counterpart shows up wearing a dark, demure suit, he or she will not feel the least out of place.
* Be as considerate as you can when it comes to helping with travel arrangements, like book hotels. If possible, pre-register your foreign counterpart so he or she does not have to endure the formalities. This is especially helpful if English is not a familiar language. I am fond of this ritual, always leaving a warm note of welcome waiting for my visitor's arrival at the front desk. In it, I include my home and cell number should there be something I can assist with before it is time to get together in an actual working environment.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of ways to be culturally correct when your friends and co-workers from other countries come to visit. Please add other ways below to share with everyone.
Following are some other articles that may pique your interest:
Culturally correct: How to behave like a local in Russia
Culturally correct: How to behave like a local in China
Culturally correct: How to behave like a local in Spain
Culturally correct: How to behave like a local in Iceland
Culturally correct: How to behave like a local in India
Culturally correct: How to behave like a local in Peru
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