The occidental tourist

On a trip to China with her mother, the author receives a torturous massage from a petite masseuse and has an epiphany: She is an Ugly American. She r ealizes that she has become one of those travelers who is so used to having things a certain way that any deviation is considered inferior, abnormal, and just plain wrong. So, what does all this have to do with training! The message is simple. Be careful what you expect when accepting an assignment in another country. Don't expect your students to know less about business (or anything else) t han you do. Cultural differences may make your training audience less willing to engage in the participant-centered training activities popular in the United Stat es. Success as a global trainer requires the patience to build relationship s before you share your knowledge. Your desire to learn more about another country may have prompted you to ta ke your overseas assignment, but don't forget that your audience will also be investigating you. The best argument for working in another country? You'll learn more about y ourself.