Rule 1: Leave the Fanny Pack
What makes an Ugly American ugly? Is it the timbre of our voices? Or the way we travel in herds? Or is it (as we suspect) our love of sweatpants, baseball caps, and yes, fanny packs, no matter the occasion or place? While it can sometimes seem that the world has fallen victim to a sort of sartorial globalization, where jeans are welcome anytime, anywhere, the truth is-of course-more nuanced. What works in surprisingly laid-back Singapore will be greeted with looks of horror on the streets (or in the boardrooms) of Paris. And ladies, while you can (and should) pile on the gold and jewels in Greece, quirky and stripped-down is the way to go in Germany. So here
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The exchange of gifts is a key part of many cultures, but what you give is as important as how and when you give it. (So much for it being the thought that counts.)
Here, a detailed guide to choosing the perfect present to bring to friends and colleagues overseas.
Plus: How best to receive—and refuse—a gift. I found this guide while reading Condé Nast Traveler Articles : November 2010. Enjoy
The giving of gifts is a language of symbols, and there are those who speak it like poetry. They see balance in pairs, endings in clocks, doom in the most innocent of flowers. Then there are the rest of us. We are the ones who had to ask ourselves why President Obama's gift to Prime Minister ...Continue Reading >
