Storti, Craig :

Craig Storti, Peace Corps veteran and trainer, directs Craig Storti and Associates, a cross-cultural training firm. He specializes in the design and delivery of seminars in cross-cultural adjustment, repatriation and diversity. He is available as a trainer/consultant in the subjects covered in this book. He can be reached at [email protected]

According to Craig Storti, so much culture lurks in common conversation that many of our most common, seemingly innocent exchanges in social and work settings are cultural minefields waiting to explode. These explosions�cultural misunderstandings�can cause confusion, irritation, even alienation. They also undermine communication; threaten important relationships; cost a great deal of time and money; and strain, even endanger, personal relationships.

Cross-Cultural Dialogues is a collection of brief conversations between an American and someone from another country and culture. Each dialogue contains at least one breach of cultural norms, which the reader is challenged to figure out. And a challenge it is: the exchanges are so brief and innocuous that even the wariest among us is caught off guard by the dialogue�s hidden subtleties.

Ten cultures are represented by the non-Americans in the dialogues: Arab/Middle Eastern, British, Chinese, French, German, Hispanic, Indian, Japanese, Mediterranean/European and Russian.