What If the Problem Is the Question Itself...? We like to sort societies into neat boxes. It’s comforting. It gives us the sense that if we understand the type  of culture we’re dealing with, we’ll know how to behave, how to work, how to communicate. So we draw a line. Here, people are individualistic. Over there, they’re communitarian. End of story. Except it rarely is. This opposition, convenient as it may be, rests on a quiet assumption: that these words have a clear, stab

You can have precisely the same CV, the same years of study, the same sleepless nights… and then discover, after moving to another country, that you’ve gone from “outstanding profile” to… “perfectly adequate profile”. Apparently, the value of the work travels a bit faster than the people who produce it. (And honestly, what does “perfectly adequate” even mean?) We often talk about “elitism” as a dirty word and “mediocrity” as a final verdict on a person. In practice, these ar

...and the Mother-in-Law Joins the Conversation In many professional settings, decision-making is imagined as a rational process confined to the workplace. Yet in many parts of the world, important choices take shape elsewhere, in the family living room, around a meal, or during a quiet exchange between relatives. From the Middle East to West Africa and South Asia, family involvement is often central to the way people commit, invest, or negotiate. In Canada, Northern Europe,

Speaking about oneself is never simple. Depending on the culture, the same words can sound confident or arrogant, humble or uncertain. Behind each way of speaking lies a different vision of the self, the group, and what it means to succeed. Saying “I” doesn’t carry the same meaning in Montreal, Dakar, Tokyo, or Beirut. Yet in an increasingly connected world, the ability to talk about one’s experiences, to share one’s story, or to express feelings has become a vital skill. In

Colonialism is not just a matter of dates and history books. It lingers in bodies, in languages, in institutions, sometimes visible,...

At first glance, lunch breaks might seem like a universal ritual: you sit down, you eat, you get back to work or class. But in reality,...

There’s that misunderstood smile. That muffled laugh that makes people cringe. That glance that drifts away at the worst moment. Or...

Have you ever noticed that some people tend to stand just a little closer… or a little farther away? This small, often unconscious...

We often hear that love knows no borders. But in reality, love is not always free to go where it pleases. In many societies, it’s...

There’s no single way to view a foreigner. Instead, there are countless filters — shaped by history, language, geography, and social...