Culture Smart! Thailand: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

To many outsiders Thailand represents “the East” at its most beguiling and enigmatic. Golden stupas, green jungles, elephants, pristine beaches, a buzzing nightlife, and of course the hot and spicy cuisine.

A trip to Thailand will reveal that their cuisine is much more diverse and sophisticated than what is usually found in Thai restaurants abroad. In the main it is characterized by its use of fresh ingredients and strong, aromatic flavors. While it is quintessentially Southeast Asian in this regard, it has also absorbed a great deal of influence through the ingredients and cooking styles of India, China, and the West.

Indigenous Thai food has four basic categories: “dtom” (boiled), yum (spicy hot salads), “dtum” (salads or pastes pounded in a mortar), and “gaeng” (curries). Fried dishes of Chinese influence are also ubiquitous. Within Thailand there are at least four distinct regional cuisines: Central, Isan, Northern/Lanna, and Southern.

While restaurants in the main centers are used to catering to foreigners, in smaller towns many are not, and the unsuspecting tourist who chooses an interesting-looking dish from the counter may find it alarmingly fiery. There is always the option to ask for it to be served otherwise, if you are aware of this! The famously exquisite manners and hospitality of the Thais means they will be happy to cater to different tastes and cultures.

Thai etiquette is rooted in a worldview that is influenced by the country’s history, culture, and customs, as well as its longstanding interaction with foreigners. Thais put a great deal of effort into social skills in order to maintain harmony in the public realm, and their culture is a rich and sensuous one, where the many rituals of food, festival, music, and dance reveal a great love of fun and enjoyment of each other’s company. As their guest you will no doubt be made to feel at home – all the more reason not to inadvertently behave in a manner they may find offensive!

Book Details:

    • ISBN: 9781787022966
    • Format: Paperback
    • Page count: 200
    • Dimensions: 170 x 110 x 15mm
    • Published at: £9.99 / $14.99 / CAN $19.99

Culture Smart! Ghana: The Essential Guide to Customs and Culture

“You cannot tie a knot without using your thumb” – Ghanaian proverb.

In Ghana, relationships are the most valued of possessions. The idea that you can live next to a neighbor for years without knowing their name, as can happen in the West, is entirely alien to Ghanaians.

Rather, mutual help, collective responsibility, and reciprocal obligations are all regarded as important, and observers of Ghanaian life often remark on the strong sense of community found there.

A babysitter is never needed; people work together on communal farming projects, wealth is shared, and the elderly are never left to become lonely or isolated. So valued are relationships that a man will forego half of his evening meal and even his wife’s place in his bed should he receive an unexpected guest.

These communal values are extended to all, locals and visitors alike, so on your trip be prepared to receive numerous invitations to meals, parties, and even distant hometowns. If you have time to accept the invitation, it is a great opportunity to become more acquainted with Ghanaian culture and, more than likely, will mark the start of a new friendship.

Ghana is highly recommended for those seeking a different kind of vacation; a visit to this country can be both eye-opening and life-changing.

Visitors are warmly welcomed, but Ghanaians require them to be sympathetic to their customs and beliefs, and will have no hesitation in saying, “We don’t do that here,” should a faux-pas be made or a taboo broken.

It’s important for Ghanaians that they, and their guests, observe certain cultural rules and codes of conduct. Culture Smart! Ghana describes these rules, explains where they come from, and offers the reader an opportunity to get under the skin of Ghanaians and enjoy all that this beautiful country has to offer.

Show Ghanaians and their culture respect and you will, without a doubt, be made to feel welcome. Akwaaba!

For more on the culture and customs of Ghana, read our guide.

Book Details:

    • ISBN: 9781787022720
    • Format: Paperback
    • Page count: 200
    • Dimensions: 170 x 110 x 15mm
    • Published at: £9.99 / $12.99 / CAN $17.99

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Culture Smart! Germany: The Essential Guide to Customs and Culture

Ask people what the center of the household is, and you’ll get different answers. For most, it’s the living room, for some the terrace, for many the kitchen. For the Germans it’s around a table, talking. The table, be it in the living room or in the kitchen, is the place where life and communication happen. As in the home so it is outside. Germany is very much a pub culture. People go to drink and socialize in beer gardens and beer halls, where they sit around tables, sometimes as whole families, and drink and talk – and sing. It is a popular and recognized meeting point. “Stammtisch” is a word that you should learn. German pubs and beer halls often have a table that is set aside for regular clients. If you as a stranger sit at it, you may be asked politely to move because you aren’t Stammtisch – a regular at the table. In a German household you’ll know that you are really part of the furniture when, instead of relaxing in the deep, comfortable chairs of the living room, you are huddled around a table in the kitchen or living room on a hard chair, a drink in your hand, arguing about the issues of the day. Don’t be surprised if, when invited to dinner, you find yourself sitting around the table for an hour after dinner is over, happily chatting over coffee and drinks.

Culture Smart! Guides are written for people who want more than just the nuts and bolts of where to stay and what to see. They deal with the richly rewarding human dimension of travel by telling you about the beliefs and attitudes of the people you will meet, and about situations you may encounter. They help you to understand what makes people tick, the values they live by, and the kind of behavior that will be reciprocated with goodwill and hospitality. When we are able to get back out there, let’s make the most of our time abroad and enrich our understanding of the many cultures that make up our beautiful and diverse planet.

Book Details:

    • ISBN: 9781787028845
    • Format: Paperback
    • Page count: 200
    • Dimensions: 170 x 110 x 15mm
    • Published at: £9.99 / $12.99 / CAN $17.99

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