Foreign to Familiar by Sarah Lanier
Foreign to Familiar by Sarah Lanier is a fabulous little fast read which paints broad-stroke pictures of cultures around the world. Lanier theorizes that much of a culture is determined by its climate. For example, hot-climate cultures tend to be less time-oriented and more laid-back than cold climate cultures.
Using this model, Foreign to Familiar examines seven different scales for evaluating a culture, such as relationship vs. task orientation or inclusion vs. privacy. Then it predicts where a culture will land on that scale based on its climate.
Along the way, Lanier offers examples from her many experiences overseas and makes suggestions of how to apply the information in your own travels or with those of a different culture who live nearby.
It’s the best resource I’ve found for explaining all the world’s cultures at once!
Review by April Jurgensen
Founder/Executive Director