Cultural Humility (pt. 1)

IFI works directly with internationals, whether they’re staff or students. We deal with people from different cultures daily, sometimes facing tricky situations we’re unsure of how to handle. These could be related to language barriers, cultural barriers, or even spiritual barriers in regard to sharing our faith. Before moving on to the topic of cultural […]
8 Values of Working On a Multicultural Team

So many cultures exist worldwide– but what happens when you put them to work altogether? ?? Get to know from our wonderful IFI staff the values of being a part of a multicultural team, plus some obstacles to be aware of! And FYI– this isn’t just for people who work in multicultural spaces, as it’s […]
I Think or We Think?: Individualistic vs. Group-Oriented Cultures

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Me or We?: A Closer Look at Private Cultures vs Inclusive Cultures

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Structured VS Spontaneous Hosts: Understanding Hospitality in Different Cultures

Based on Sarah A. Lanier’s book Foreign to Familiar, McDougal Publishing: 2000. “One of the shocks a foreigner encounters the moment he arrives in some direct countries is that he needs money to survive…Many travelers from indirect countries, if they happen to be limited in funds, have saved, sacrificed, and received gifts from family and friends […]
Two Sides of Time: Task-oriented Cultures vs Event-oriented Cultures

Based on: Sarah A. Lanier’s book Foreign to Familiar. McDougal Publishing: 2000. “When living in Europe, I carried a day-timer divided into half-hour blocks from 7 am to 7 pm. There was a page for each day. If a meeting came up, I would check my day-timer. It would tell me whether or not […]
3 Characteristics of an Indirect Communicator

Based on: Sarah A. Lanier’s book Foreign to Familiar. McDougal Publishing: 2000. “I’ve been lonely since moving here (the U.S), and now I know why. When people in the office would ask me if I wanted to go to lunch, I would say ‘no’ to be polite, fully expecting them to ask me again. […]
Indian Friendship Team Loves in Culturally Relevant Ways

IFI seeks to offer cultural activities specific to the students it serves, whether Chinese, African, Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin, or a variety of others. For Indian and Nepalese students in Columbus, IFI has formed the IFI Indian Friendship team. This team is especially important because U.S. universities have seen an influx of Indian students compared […]
7 Tips for Watching Movies with International Friends

Have you been wanting to watch a movie with an international friend, but you’re unsure how to start? Learn from Larissa, a Dayton IFI Staff member, who has great tips about the best ways to watch movies with internationals! What are the benefits of watching movies with International Friends? Movies open up opportunities to talk […]
Perspectives from a Young Volunteer

We recently caught up with Sarah, one of our most active and passionate participants, to learn from her what being a young volunteer with IFI looks like and why it’s important to her. We love her challenge to all volunteers to think rightly about our relationships with international friends and to learn from them as […]