1. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 What is intercultural competence?

2. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 In Germany, people... This kind of information depends on... - region - age - gender - subculture - context - own experience

3. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 Finding out the truth... Lists of dos and taboos are not always useful and of limited value when working in multi-national teams

4. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 Observe!

5. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006..........................................  Be aware that the same qualities and characteristics can have both positive and negative interpretations Be aware that the same word can be understood in different ways

6. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 Cultural differences mean that people don`t always understand words and expressions in the same way. For example, how many non- Brits would understand the irony behind the expression “up to a point”, which is used to mean “ not in the slightest”?

7. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 1. Non-native speakers of English usually think “by the way” or “incidentally” means “this is not very important”, but in fact it means ….

8. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 “The main purpose of our discussion is...” 2. The phrase “I'll bear it in mind” means….?

9. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 “ I'll do nothing about it”. 3. “Correct me if I'm wrong” means…..

10. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 “ I'm right, please don`t contradict me.” adapted from: The Economist, 9/2004

11. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed.I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any. Mahatma Gandhi

12. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 So what are the key intercultural competencies? Cultural knowledge Emotional strength Openness Flexibility Perceptiveness

13. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 So what is intercultural competence? Intercultural competence is to a large extent the ability to cope with one`s own cultural background in interaction with others. (Bennecke, J. (2000). Intercultural Competence in Bliesener, U. Training the Trainers, Cologne, Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft Verlag)

14. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 The first person you meet when you go abroad is yourself.

15. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 References www.worldwork.biz www.eustudies.org/Summer2005Review Teaching the EU to Europeans Fuchs & van der Hout

16. Angela Lloyd /Brussels, 8.5.2006 Reading suggestions Are You Experienced? by William Sutcliffe (Viking Penguin, 1999) The Bear Went Over the Mountain by William Kotzwinkle (Owl Books, 1997)