4 April, 2019: Here’s a little bit of geo-historical context to start off this guide on the top ten things to do in Ghana, West Africa: Ghana is the first sub-Saharan country to gain independence from colonial rule. It achieved this sovereignty in 1957, upon which it changed its name from the “Gold Coast” to […]
7 January, 2019: First, a quick geo-historical sketch will set the right tone and context to this ultimate top-10 list of things to do in Accra, Ghana. Ghana is a coastal country bordering the Gulf of Guinea at the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean and comprises 10 distinct and culturally diverse regions. It’s capital city, […]
5 November, 2018: We all operate through a set of implicit and explicit social rules, some of which are quite obvious, such as avoiding offensive behaviours and comments when meeting someone from a different culture than yours. Other rules may be less obvious, such as exactly what type of comments are acceptable to make about […]
1 July, 2018: Happy Canada Day! In Canadian culture, this day celebrates the creation of the Dominion of Canada on 1 July, 1867, when various independent provinces were united together to form a country. (That’s right, Canada is only 151 years young!) In Quebec culture, on the other hand—specifically in Montreal—this day celebrates…the acquisition of […]
30 October, 2017 Welcome to my interview series featuring cultural perspectives from nationals of different countries around the world. This month, I’m happy to introduce you to a native Comasco, who was born and raised in Como, Italy. A little background: Como is both the name of a province and the name of the capital […]
31 May, 2017: You may or may not already realize this, but Italy is a multicultural country and therefore “Italian culture” is very diverse. Italy is a country that has many languages (French, German, and Slovenian are official languages in certain regions, in addition to Italian), region-specific dialects, traditions, and ultimately, cultural differences. Here, I […]
There are many stereotypes about the way in which Italians communicate, so-called Italian communication, and that are attributed to Italian culture. Most of these stereotypes manifest as shouting, excessive gesturing, pinching together the fingers of one hand interrogatively, and using exaggerated singsong cadences when mimicking an Italian accent. Well, I’m here to tell you to […]
Italian innovation is credited for one of the greatest—if not the greatest—communication tool of modern history: the telephone; that little, constantly shrinking, device that has revolutionized the way in which people all over the world get in touch with each other. Until recently, the invention of the telephone has been unfairly attributed to Alexander Graham […]
In Italian culture, April Fool’s Day is marked not by a prank but by a reference to fish. Yes, a fish. Or two fish. Or many fish.* The idea is to say something to someone that will prompt them to ask a clarification question. And if they fall for it, the answer to that clarification […]
The concept of Italian timeliness varies depending on which part of Italy people are from. Generally, the closer you get to Switzerland and Austria, up north, the more aligned people are to the Swiss clock. Just kidding. Not. Link back to Ten Insights into Italian Culture
Most roads in Italy, particularly those in city centres and in the mountains, requiring a certain driving etiquette as they are made for small cars. The logic for this harks back to the pre-automobile era when streets were built for horses, wagons, and carts. Sometimes, the streets are so small that even small cars have […]
Clothing in Italy is world famous for its fine couture, made-in-Italy-clothed supermodels, and top-tier fashion designers. But that’s not what we’ll talk about here. Here, we’ll discuss appropriate and inappropriate attire for everyday life in Italy. Here are the rules: General taboos: All: do not wear sandals with socks Men: do not wear white socks […]
Italian cuisine is very regional and does not begin and end at pasta and pizza. There is a wide variety of regional specialties ranging from the polenta and rabbit stew of Como, to the risotto of Milan, to the arancini of Rome. Other regional dishes include: Risi e bisi from Venice Focaccia from Genova Cacciucco from Livorno Canederli from Bolzano […]
In Italy, you can either have your meal/drink in place (mangio/mangiamo/mangiate qui), in which case there is an addition a cover charge for the table service (however, tipping is not required so it all amounts to the same cost); or you can have your meal/drink to go (da portare da via; or in British English: […]
As in most parts of Europe, when it comes to Italian customer service the customer is never right. You cannot make a fuss, you cannot refuse a bottle of wine that has been opened for you even if for tasting purposes, you cannot send food back if it doesn’t meet your quality standards, you may […]
There is a lot to say about coffee in Italy and the whole Italian coffee culture. The first thing you need to know is that there is no such thing as free coffee in Italy (Americans take note––at your hotel or at events, expect to purchase your own cuppa ol’ Joe). Here are some other […]
Education is a highly valued commodity in Ghana. Talk show hosts expound upon it. Members of the public brag flaunt it, seizing every opportunity to participate in intellectual debates on politics and social issues. (Everyone will throw in their 2 cents on these matters, though you will find general consensus about 2 things––that all politicians […]
In Ghana, hard work is not just something you do, it is something you boast about, something you wear proudly on your sleeve, and something you measure yourself and others by. For example, if asked about a new employee, one might respond that he or she is a hard-worker. Friends asking about so-and-so’s children might […]
In Ghanaian society, respect for elders is very much ingrained into all social interactions. Within families. Among relatives. Between strangers. Anyone older than you is to be treated with deference––the older they are, the more deference that is necessary: you must be the first to greet them (and greet them, you must); you must offer […]
Ah, alas some sad news. Bribery is common in Ghana. A trademark characteristic of corruption, and a consequence of poorly paid and poorly audited professions, bribes are an unspoken business language in the service industry, in which some things will just never get done unless someone is “incentivized” to take action. Bribing bureaucrats, knowing the right […]
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