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KBSH AudioBook Recording Session

Lauren wrote the new Preface and I wrote the new Introduction to KISS, BOW OR SHAKE HANDS. It will be out later this year - along with a re-release of the big red book. Thank you readers for over 500,000 copies sold!

This may be a tad premature, but I loved being in a recording studio with Lauren Swartz, CEO and President of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia on my first Audiobook!

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Crossword Puzzles: Canada

Oh Canada!  Try your hand at a crossword puzzle about our northern neighbor, and one of the top trade partners with the USA.

Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Drake, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Gordon Lightfoot, Alanis Morissette, Stan Rogers, Shania Twain, k.d. lang, and Bryan Adams are just a few famous Canadian musicians that could have been listed in this crossword. 

If you send TerriMorrison@getcustoms.com the name of another famous Canadian musician, athlete, or author,

you will be entered to win a signed copy of Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands!

(One winner each month)

Subscribe for more Crosswords.

Click here to reveal the puzzle.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

  1. Globe-16The domestic cat known as Sphynx was first bred in Canada. Which of the following is true about the Sphynx?
    A. It is too wild to be a proper housecat.
    B. It is the national pet of Canada.
    C. It appears to be hairless.
    D. All of the above
  2. True or false: The Chartreux, with its brilliant orange eyes and blue nose, is a breed closely associated with France.
  3. Match the following cats with the special characteristics of their breed:
    A. Korat (Thailand) 1. Goes limp when picked up
    B. Ragdoll (USA) 2. Breed traced to wild cats from Kenya
    C. Sokoke (Denmark) 3. Symbolizes good fortune in its homeland
  4. The Scottish Fold breed of housecat dates back to 1961. True or false: This cat acquired its name because it folds its body up to stay warm on cold Scottish nights.
  5. One of the smallest breeds was developed from a type of cat which once roamed the streets of Singapore. Now called the Singapura, it is also known by which of the following names?
    A. Drain cat
    B. Fat cat
    C. Flying cat
  6. The names of breeds do not always reflect their country of origin. For example, the Nebelung (German for "creature of the mist") breed was developed in the USA. True or false: The shorthair Poodle Cat was developed in Germany.
  7. The English are renowned cat fanciers. Which of the following is not a breed of domestic cat developed in the UK?
    A. Abyssinian
    B. Angora
    C. Geoffrey's Cat
  8. Developed in the USA, the Ocicat is a wild-looking feline with spotted fur. True or false: It is illegal to keep the Ocicat as a house pet in most countries.
  9. Another housecat which resembles a feral cat was developed in Australia. Originally called the Spotted Mist, its name was changed when some were born with marbled coats. What is its new name?
    A. Australian Mist
    B. Dingo Cat
    C. Spotted and/or Marbled Mist
  10. The Japanese Bobtail Cat originated over a thousand years ago. True or false: The Japanese Bobtail is the only breed of domestic cat with virtually no tail.
  11. Bonus question:  True or False?  The phrase "I am not a cat" was (st)uttered in dismay by a lawyer in a Texas Zoom court hearing.

Answers

  1. C. The Sphynx does look bald, although it has a thin coat of fine, short fur.
  2. True
  3. A,3; B,1; C,2
  4. False. The name refers to its ears, which are permanently folded down.
  5. A.
  6. True. This new German breed is a cross between the Devon Rex and the Scottish Fold.
  7. C. Geoffrey's Cat is not a housecat; it is a Latin American wild cat named after 19th century naturalist Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire. The Abyssinian (from Africa) and the Angora (from Turkey) were both developed by British breeders.
  8. False. The Ocicat looks like a wild animal, but it is just a housecat bred for its spotted, ocelot-like coat.
  9. A.
  10. False. The English Manx cat and the Canadian Cymric are also tailless.
  11. Bonus Question:  True.  The attorney was confounded by a kitten filter.

Crossword Puzzles: Ireland

 

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th), here’s a wee Cultural Crossword on Ireland.

Remember, the Republic of Ireland (also known as Eíre. The Republic, the Free State, Southern Ireland, and the South) is Not part of the United Kingdom. 

To get you in the mood for this lovely Irish holiday, here are the Gardiner Brothers' Master Class on Irish Dancing.

Gardiner Brothers - Irish Dancing Masterclass | Culture Night Oíche Chultúir 2020 - YouTube

 

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Click here to reveal the puzzle.

Body Language Across Cultures When You Can’t Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands!

This year I’m often asked about Body Language Across Cultures When You Can't Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands.  Now, I'd love to discuss it with you.

Understanding nonverbal communications around the world is critical - particularly behind masks during a pandemic.  From variations in eye contact among ethnicities, religions, and genders in China, the UAE and France - to the impact of gestures like a wave in Greece or Germany – your body is communicating reams of data across computer screens around the world.

And although we are adapting to the new normal, our cultural traditions and customary body language still lie just below the surface.  Sometimes, ingrained gestures and sounds occur on screen during our virtual meetings.  Hands fly, eyes blink, and laughter can erupt at inopportune moments.

Let’s explore the entire topic of non-verbal communication on video across cultures.

Body Language Across Cultures When You Can't Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands will feature solid information about Eye Contact, including:

  • A Matrix of eye contact across cultures
  • Data about pupillometry
  • The “Who Blinks First” negotiating strategy

Fortunately, we will also be supported by a wonderful International Trade Manager - Dorte Heffernan* – who will help with questions and global insights.  We’ll both be looking forward to seeing you!

When?  

September 3rd, 2020 at 1:30pm Eastern Time (USA & Canada).   Please Register in advance for this meeting (limit 100 participants):

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkf-yorTIsHde0QzAagLriwIpPvNanOehf

Many thanks,

Terri Morrison

*Dorte Heffernan is the International Trade Manager with the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, where she leads the international marketing program. dorteh@northwestpa.org

 

Smooth Operator

  1. You are, no doubt, a smooth operator in all climes. See if you can match the tasteless question with the country where it would be offensive.
    A. Where do you live? 1. Qatar
    B. How's your wife? 2. France
    C. What did that cost? 3. England
  2. In Belgium, which has the most complex legislation regarding language in Europe, your Flemish, French, and German skills may be exercised. True or false: Flemish is a variety of Dutch.
  3. You are hosting a meeting in Wisconsin for Chinese executives. Which is not a blunder?
    A. Holding the meeting in room 444
    B. Passing out green caps (perhaps from the Green Bay Packers!)
    C. Staying out late entertaining your guests
    D. Serving Wisconsin cheese at every meal
  4. True or false: Chileans think diamond-studded gold jewelry on men is uncouth.
  5. True or false: It is a social gaffe to arrive on time for a dinner party in Mexico City.
  6. Citizens of which country revel in "cutting down the tall poppy"(their phrase for deflating pompous people)?
    A. Uruguay
    B. Jamaica
    C. Australia
  7. Suffering from a miserable cold, you travel to Japan. True or false: It is appropriate to use a handkerchief as discreetly as possible during your meetings.
  8. Which of the following behaviors are not mal éléve (ill-mannered) in France?
    A. Going to the bathroom during a meeting
    B. Asking whom one voted for in the last election
    C. Feeding your dog from the chair next to you in a restaurant
  9. Translation blunders often occur even among English speakers. True or false: The 1993 Warner Brothers' film Free Willy left many Londoners helpless with laughter.
  10. Your elegant business card, which contains a great deal of red, draws peculiar looks from some international clients. This is because:
    A. Some belief systems (like Buddhists) traditionally write the names of those who are condemned to death, or are dead, in red.
    B. Some Mexicans find a name in red offensive.
    C. Red is the color of mourning in parts of Africa.
    D. All of the above.

Answers

  1. A, 3; B, 1; C, 2 One's home is a personal affair for the English. In Islamic countries, wives are not an appropriate topic for conversation. Discussions of money - but not sex! - can make the French uncomfortable.
  2. True.
  3. C. The number 4 is inauspicious in Chinese (it sounds like death); a green hat means you are a cuckold; cheese was not a traditional food in China, and some Chinese are lactose-intolerant.
  4. True. Chileans interpret a man's ostentatious display of jewelry as proof that he is in business to amass personal wealth, and has the poor taste to show it.
  5. True. Guests commonly arrive an hour late for dinner.
  6. C. Australians value modesty, and may sit in the front seat in taxis to avoid appearing pompous.
  7. False. The Japanese find the custom of preserving mucous in a carefully folded handkerchief to be grotesque. Use disposable tissues.
  8. C. Traditionally, dogs have been welcome in many French establishments.
  9. True. In England, the word willy is slang for penis.
  10. D.

Discounted Access to Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands® Digital for Higher Education

Dear Faculty and Students suddenly going online due to the Coronavirus,

I own the copyright, electronic rights, and trademark to Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands® DIGITAL.

In order to support the thousands of teachers and students who must suddenly switch to online courses, I am lowering the individual student subscription price to Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands® DIGITAL to US $30 per student.  You can see a free demo here www.getcustoms.com/germany

If you teach international law or business, intercultural communications, foreign languages, diplomacy, or diversity – and would like to incorporate Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands® DIGITAL into your syllabus, please email me.  TerriMorrison@getcustoms.com

I will also be happy to do free remote guest lectures to support classes which include Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands® DIGITAL into their coursework.

Thank you for pursuing knowledge and supporting diversity,

Terri Morrison