Intercultural Conflict

Israelis Travel Through a Hostile World Israeli culture is one part Arab (basically) one part European Jew (basically). Within the past century Jews from North Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the USA convened together in the biblical lands and Israel was created. A new culture was formed in the process. Hebrew was resurrected from [...]

Economic Development is a Double Edged Sword FINCA TATIN, Guatemala- “If the people there don’t get an education, nothing is going to change,” a European tourist at the Finca Tatin spoke after visiting a nearby indigenous village in the jungle. Immediately prior to making this statement this tourists was talking about how nice, happy, and [...]

RIO DULCE JUNGLE, Guatemala- The type of boat that the Maya fishermen in the jungles of Guatemala use to chase their game is called a cayuco. I must admit that sitting with three men in a cayuco is not an easy task. There is more than enough room in a cayuco for three men, as [...]

Can’t Form an Opinion On Venezuela Dictatorship, I Have Not Yet Traveled To I have stated before that it is a prime folly to speak as if you know anything about a country that you have never been to. I try to follow this rule, but it is difficult: every traveler seems to hold places [...]

Navigating Culture – Are They Rude Or Am I a Wimp? My mother would tell me to remember my manners and to be polite before venturing off to a friend’s home. She did not want my animal side to come out and embarrass her, she did not want me to seem uncultured. Throughout all my [...]

Tourist Attacked by Canoe Pirate in Guatemala Places often seem safe until they are suddenly proven to be dangerous. You could probably walk through the world with your head in the clouds for a couple of years, proclaim it a safe place, call the news media or anybody else that says different naysayers, think yourself [...]

FINCA TATIN, Guatemala- “Your guide is here, guys,” my wife spoke to a group of tourists at the Finca Tatin. We had previously arranged a guide to take them on a hike through the jungle, all the way to Livingston. This is a walk that requires a guide who knows the paths — it is [...]

Leaving Home Makes Criticism of Culture Easy FINCA TATIN, Guatemala- “You would have thought that by now they would have come up with a way to make change,” my friend Bob was lamenting the annoying fact that it is very difficult to get change for even relatively small bills at almost any business in Guatemala. [...]

I saw the red flags of North Korea blazing the stands as Brazil played the Communist nation on the football pitch below. I don’t think I have ever seen this flag before, let alone watching it being displayed prominently on international television. Has North Korea began to open up to the world? Has their first [...]