Sitting in a Dubai hotel lobby, I was enjoying the hospitality, sipping Arabic coffee and eating dates, when I was alarmed by a non-Arab business traveller’s adamant rejection of the cup of Arabic coffee being offered by his host.
I couldn’t help but think how this rejection of hospitality might have been avoided. Very often, because of gaps in their knowledge of the local culture, non-Arab nationals unintentionally appear discourteous, such as when they reject the coffee and dates that are routinely offered during a business meeting. They are not naturally sensitive to the culture and its tradition that says [...] Read More
