Blog

Study abroad: Learning to live for the details

wacaustin
Blog, Recent
adventure, Betsy McKinney, Costa Rica, culture, discovery, exchange, host family, intern, international, internship, student, study abroad, undergraduate

This summer I learned that there is a beautiful reason why clichés prevail. In Heredia, Costa Rica, a substantial town tucked between San Jose and the Poas Volcano, I lived and breathed gallo pinto (beans and rice) and hunted for hidden coves in brilliant green and muggy understory. My Spanish proficiency

10Aug

Cultural Competence as a Paradigm for Peace

WAC Austin
Blog, CGT, News, Recent

There is a general tendency amongst people of good will to believe that we as human beings are more similar than different and that despite some superficial differences in the form of customs and behaviors, deep down we are all the same – human beings with the same core needs, values and desires. We find […]

22Jul

Linking Texas to Life Sciences Industry Opportunities in the UK

WAC Austin
Blog, CGT, News, Recent

Last month, a delegation from Britain, including members of the Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FOC), and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), visited Austin. The trip was a part of an 18-month program to build a relationship with the Texas healthcare system

28Jun

How to “pre-adapt” your future and power more success

Nature has much to teach us—even about business. Did you know, for example, that when bacteria are grown alongside an antibiotic, they not only become resistant to it but also different antibiotics to which they’ve yet to be exposed? Biologists call this “pre-adaptation,” and in today’s volatile, uncertain,

14Jun

‘Tis the Ramadan Season

WAC Austin
Blog, News, Recent
culture, Islam, Muslim, Ramadan, religion

Muslims in the greater Austin community began the holy month of Ramadan on Monday, June 6. They joined billions of other Muslims worldwide to observe a month of spirituality and devotion. For the next thirty days, they will fast from dawn to dusk. In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking throughout the

10Jun

3 Cross-Cultural Tips for Doing Business during the Holy Month of Ramadan

Suzanne Krause
Blog, News, Recent
business, culture, employees, employer, international business, Islam, Muslim, Ramadan, religion

For most government organizations and government linked companies, time for Muslim prayer will have a bearing on meeting time. In addition, during the fasting month of Ramadan, they tend to dislike a meeting in the afternoon. ~Executive, Malaysian Airlines Do you think your business calendar and

31May

JETRO: Your Business Partner for Japan

WAC Austin
Blog, CGT, News, Recent
access, business support, economic development, government, international business, investment, Japan, Japanese, JETRO, opportunities

Is your company looking to stake a claim in the world’s third largest economy? Japan enjoys political and economic stability, provides strong IP protection, and has well-developed transportation and communications infrastructures. Japanese consumers are sophisticated, demand high-quality goods, and have a per

12Apr

The irony of “green card soldiers”

wacaustin
Blog, Recent
education, foreign policy, green card, green card soldier, immigrant, immigration, Latin America, soldier, Spanish, veteran, war

There are thousands of non-United States citizens—immigrants and asylum-seekers—serving in our military. They are called “green card soldiers,” and there are currently 37,401 on active duty. Please follow and like us:

28Mar

Carrie Vanston puts the focus on corporate cultures

The World Affairs Council always holds a soft spot in my heart because it takes connecting to a whole other level – internationally! Its most recent endeavor, the Global Business Luncheon Series, continues its Please follow and like us:

28Feb

An immigration paradox

wacaustin
Blog, Recent, Uncategorized
Economics, immigration, intern, internship, labor

“You can hardly go through a day, much less observe a holiday, without the fruit of their labor in your life” —David K. Shipler, The Working Poor The topic of undocumented immigration is in need of some truth-telling: We fear the dispossession of American jobs, the economic hurricane that is sure to drown our