dispatches from the new world of work

Travel Perk

While I routinely peruse non-U.S. Web sites and read as heavy a dose of international news as the next guy, there is something about one's "foreign" reading—when you're away from home. When I'm away from the U.S. (even 5 minutes after takeoff from, say, Logan), my "head gets into" the life & times of wherever I'm visiting. In particular I begin to deep dive into every article—style or politics or economics—in any non-U.S. newspaper or magazine at hand. (In English, alas.) That psychological immersion in print is as important as the conversations I have with folks when I get to "the other end."

Tom Peters posted this on 10/13/05.

Comments

When I was working in Japan I used to walk three miles several times every week to the nearest train station large enough to carry the Japan Times and Asahi Evening News--English language newspapers largely concerned with Japanese and Asian news. I always felt much more connected to my surroundings by understanding even a little of what was going on outside my own skull.

Posted by Mike at October 14, 2005 10:35 AM

I do not travel globally at this time; but, I am fortunate to work with collegues from around the globe in my current role. I picked up the habit of perusing International newspapers and am able to participate in the virtual water cooler chat. This has helped my productivity because many times I am seen as the one "Yank" who gets it. It also helps that I do not complain about being up-right at 4 AM for these calls!

Posted by Rachel Gulen at October 14, 2005 10:01 PM

I was in Egypt a couple of years or so ago lecturing, and picked up the English language newspaper, only to read a story on how the Egypt Air suicide crash was a purposeful act committed by the Mossad in cahoots with the CIA. Realizing (obviously not for the first time) the strange and unthinkable ways in which my country can be perceived by others (an ally??) is worth its weight in gold X10.

(Of course the lecture went well and I was received as a true colleague and, I think, friend . Go figure ...)

Posted by tom peters at October 16, 2005 6:10 AM