This past weekend I put my international trade skills to work facilitating medical experts from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan and Bahrain.
For my latest special events gig, I escorted a team of 16 doctors and surgeons visiting from the Near East and Gulf region. This included medical professionals from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan and Bahrain. Our guests stayed at the Toronto Hilton at the southeast corner of Richmond Street and University Avenue.
International trade researcher that I am, my journey started with googling cultural behaviours. For example, in the UAE politeness and respect to the elders are generally expected. For me, that's a good thing. I also learned that respect towards the women is mandatory etiquette.
Above all, I had to control my usually creative side that might be construed as an insult to Muslim customs or beliefs. In the UAE, you can get fined and sent to jail for swearing.
I also learned that our guests from Kuwait frown on impatience, something that I work hard on. Kuwaitis often interrupt their meetings for their religious prayers, while handshaking is the ideal method of greeting in this very religious country. Sure enough, during our Saturday dinner three guests excused themselves to pray on mats in the parking lot outside the restaurant. And the men often shook my hand firmly.
I'm not sure that I scored 100% on a test of Arabic manners. When the head doctor asked me how to pronounce the name of our Italian restaurant (Joe Badali's), I phonetically broke it down to sound like "BAD ALLEYS". To which the doctor nudged me and said that he'd like to visit the "bad alleys" later.
So it looks like there are some similarities in international cultures. At least for the men.
