news october 2012

Mai.Da.I. News

Welcome to Ma.Da.I NEWS first edition!
What we want to achieve, is to offer you every month something interesting about the usage of language or a special cultural item to get you thinking and that for different languages and countries.
Because we believe that making the most of living abroad involves immersing yourself in the culture we start with the way to everyone’s soul…the stomach (Part II)!
Please let us know whether we are doing the right thing and you can also let us know if you’d like to see something different…at Mai.Da.I we know “the customer is King (or Queen!)!”
Restaurants: Taking your newly found acquaintances for a meal is in every country and culture a great way to break the ice. Inviting people to your place for a meal might be not the right way (you need to make sure the invitees would be happy to invite you back to their home!)…and there we are - the Indian giver!
The idea behind the term “Indian giver” is simple: you receive a present and the giver expects something in return. Let’s be honest; that’s nothing unusual. However, if this is part of the cultural heritage then it is formalized. Thus, when the European immigrants arrived in what is now the United States in the 17th century and were not well equipped, they received blankets and food from the local Indians. Unfortunately, they didn’t understand the customs and disagreement with horrendous consequences resulted. It is not necessary to weigh the value of the return gift, it is the principle. The object of preparing oneself to live in another country (culture) is to avoid, as much as possible, misunderstanding and to make sure you have as much advantage from your time abroad as your company has profit! That’s what we’re here for.
A proud Englishman (And most Englishmen are proud to be just that! Remember, in a GB passport it states: “Her Britannic majesty’s secretary of state requests and requires all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary.”) is not happy when the usual comments about English food are mentioned…just try our recommendation