Americans Abroad - International Understanding 101

Welcome Americans Abroad or those seeking to go abroad to International Understanding 101.

International Understanding:

AnAmericanAbroad.com knows that many of us are international already.
We buy products & services that come from all over world on a daily basis. The foods & drinks we enjoy have international roots. Our thoughts and beliefs that come from books, television, newspapers, the internet, etc all can be connected to international sources & perspectives.

Some of us have mixed cultural families. Some of us live surrounded by international people in cities that are quite diverse. However, there is a significant amount of Americans who lack a worldly overview & understanding of cultures outside of American culture.

It's not always our vault. There are a lot of variables that go into this equation for each and every American. We are not all equally the same. We are all unique and gifted in our own ways.

But there are two major things that are happening in the world today. 1) We are now traveling outside the USA and around the world in record numbers. 2) The world is growing closer to us through new technologies and that it is now even more important to understand the outside world when it is now on our doorstep.

The world already knows a lot about us. Some people have already made up their minds about Americans because they hear about us through their media on a daily basis. This consists of movies, music & TV shows to politics & war & news reports and to talking with the Americans that come their way. This can be both good & bad as it depends on what they hear & see & what they remember.

Alternatively, what do we know about the outside world? Some of us, Yes, know a lot but others don't know much because we do not get a lot of information on all these smaller countries (in size) on a daily basis.

If you want to be international it is important to LISTEN & LEARN & try to UNDERSTAND THEIR PERSPECTIVES. Sometimes even in our deepest of hearts we can look hypocritical, negative, loud, superior in ego when we don't even realize it and want it.

AnAmericanAbroad.com understands that we cannot list every amazing source out there but we wanted to get you going as a starting point.

All suggestions, comments and recommendations are welcome. Please email us today.

Good luck and stay in touch!

Who are they? Why do they act
as they do? And what do they
want & need?

This is the beginning of international understanding and it is:

Taking a look at other cultures, listening, understanding, caring, adapting,
analyzing and identifying areas in
which you can get along for
the growth of your international relationships
and making a plan to develop this into
a mutual gain, understanding & appreciation.

"Culture - The way in which a group of people
solves problems." - Fons Trompenaars

"Culture - the customary beliefs, social forms,
and material traits of a racial, religious, or
social group" - Webster Dictionary

"A mind that has been stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions" - Oliver Wendell Holmes

"The world is huge in terms of valuable information sources out there to help you
grow in your international relationships. I've selected some books here that I think are
great books to get you started in your
international thinking. Of course, learning
more about one's history, geography,
philosophy, religion, language, etc are just as
important as these books."
-Brian, AnAmericanAbroad.com

AnAmericanAbroad.com's Recommended Starter
Program:

"When in Rome or Rio or Riyadh...Cultural Q&A's for
Successful Business Behavior
Around the World"
by Gwyneth Olofsson

"Breaking Through Culture Shock"
by Elisabeth Marx

More to be added soon.

If you know of great sources that should be here, please let us know.

Buying these books or
audio online via AnAmericanAbroad.com

If you buy from Amazon.com via this link or the one in the title name above and make a purchase, we can get some credit for the referral. All proceeds go directly to The AnAmericanAbroad Charity Fund. Thank you.