Tag Archives: Thought for the day

Business dinner in Europe

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As I told you before, dining culture is extremely important, if you wish to progress in your career in Europe. Unlike casual lunches with colleagues, described in the previous article, dinners might be more of a problem.

In France, the main problem for me was that all the waiters wanted to speak only French, even though they were perfectly able to speak English. Just because they love their native language. One might look strange, showing with his hands that he would like to have a dish with a swimming fish during a business dinner.

In Spain and Italy, I had difficulties to hear my colleagues, because many good restaurants are very loud.

In Netherlands, I had to go for some business breakfast to a cafe next to the trade fair building. Honestly saying, I was ready to cry while paying for my simple “bio” croissant with ham and a small cup of coffee. It was the most precious croissant in my life..

In Germany, you can eat well for a small price or eat so-so for a very high price. It depends. In Hamburg, for instance, one can find 11 Michelin restaurants, and some more, which had a Michelin star before and still have a good kitchen (but much lower prices). As in Germany, some professions require having dinners and lunches with your clients, many companies pay the bills back to their employees if they invited an important client to a dinner – therefore, feel free to accept an invitation from your German business partners.

If you are looking for a very special place to eat with your clients or partners, I would opt for this website:

https://www.viamichelin.de/web/Suchen_Restaurants/

Is will not only show you the Michelin restaurants with a very special kitchen (a good place for a very special date, a proposal, a crucial contract-related business meeting), but also very good restaurants with the approximate price ranges for a meal.

As food is a brilliant opportunity to unite with people and progress in business, I wish you to find just the right place for your occasion.

Kindly yours,

Russianladyabroad

 

 

Thought for the day

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In addition to the most smart phrase about free internet resources like Gmail, free apps, Tweeter and Instagram etc., ““If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product“, I have one more idea to share today.

People, who are posting their travel destinations, flights and pictures and other things clearly showing that you are not at home and then wonder, why somebody broke into your house, are you kidding?!!!

Kind regards,

Russianladyabroad

Thought for the day: just a joke – certifications for dummies

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PMP: If you still don’t get what a deadline is and that your clients sometimes want something from you, this is the time to get a professional certification.

Agile: If you want to pay us to understand that expectations of your clients change from time to time, deadlines may be moved and colleagues may not deliver on time, let’s get another certificate!

Scrum: If you work in IT, don’t like programming and want to become a Big Boss one day, here is an extra paper to give it a go!

Design Thinking: If you are not Picasso, we may at least teach you how to paint. The same way you will do innovations. Creativity through logics – for the most untalented.

CAE: If you still think that a good English is not a must have, you may spend some money on our certification!

If you know other expensive certificates, write your jokes in the comments 😉

Your Russianladyabroad

Thought for the day

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People should be worth more than machines. That’s, probably, why the expectations from what a person CAN jumped to a very different level in past 15 years. It’s not enough anymore to be able to use a computer – it’s essential. Your English should be very good if you want to see any positive changes in your career; your ability to overcome work overloads should be impressive; your intercultural understanding should be very progressive; your creativity should jump up to the sky even if you’re a logical type; you should speak at least 2 foreign languages fluently; you must be a good team player at any time.

I am currently helping a friend to become creative. Yes, I am not joking. He is a very talented Senior Manager in a famous consulting company, who works at least 10 hours a day (this is Germany, my dear, just 10 years ago people would count every 15 minutes of the extra workload!) and analyses every issue logically, going into the depth of it until he finds a solution. As I am something in-between hard logics and creativity, I went to look for information on how to open one’s creativity. Guys, there are COURSES and even CERTIFICATES on creativity out there! People with absolutely different talents are expected to cover all the important personal traits available! Logics for creative people, creativity for mathematicians, language courses for engineers..

HR departments tell us that they are looking at the “individual strengths” of the candidates. Yes, they do – in order to push us with the additional courses to opposite directions, which creates an “all inclusive” employee.

The truth is, we will never be there. We will work extra hours, visit all the “complementary” courses in order to shift from our real talents to universal soldiers who can just a little bit of everything, burn in the gym in the evening to correspond to the beauty standards and take Arabic courses on the weekend. This will not change a thing.

Relax, we will never be there. As a person, who can a little bit of everything and speaks several languages fluently, I confirm I rely on you THAT damn much. Because we need people, who are experts in their fields and know the subject into the depth. So, just gain yourself a day off, take a deep breath, get a cup of good green tea and remember: you are talented in what you ARE talented – don not try to be somebody else and everybody at the same time.

Sincerely yours,

Russianladyabroad

Thought for the day

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Cities are what people create – cities are what people inside are. Some cities, just like we all, take, some give, some offer you people in exchange for a small fee of experience. While Barcelona always GIVES, Frankfurt immediately takes away. Most people come here for work, but never make their home here – therefore, you meet this very special “office city” without any expectations.

I paid for this visit with my time – a month, which disappeared right before my eyes. It’s time to get back to work!

Coming soon, starting tomorrow:

  • Why confident talented Russians get fired in Europe
  • 10 reasons why your education and work experience have no value abroad – and what to do with it
  • Shopping time: which things people from CIS-countries do not value at home?

etc.

Kindly yours,

Russianladyabroad

Thought for the day

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Every person who lives abroad sometimes has a question, if the life in the home country would be better, easier, and closer to your heart.

This might be a week or two when I am sick and tired and start looking for a one-way ticket to Russia. In order to support me, my mom sends me pictures, which became my very own “meanwhile in Russia” journal.

I was always very much impressed, how little Russians cared about the environment since 90s came into the play. However, that is one thing to leave the shit behind – and this is another thing to leave in the very shit you collect every day.

This is an example of mentality I could never understand.

Behind the car: “Vika, Happy Birthday”! and “Gulia, please forgive me!”

A very special sense of life’s humour.

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Kindly yours,

Russianladyabroad

Thought for the day

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Since I discovered that the “Russian chocolate” in Europe is a hot chocolate with vodka (I am only wondering, where did they taste it in Russia..), I understood that the food from other countries and the way people transform it in order to make more attractive to the local market can tell a lot not only about the taste and food preferences, but also about the business culture of the country.

By comparing the transformation of simple native things like sushi, pelmeni, burger etc., we can learn more about the expectations of the nation we are dealing with.

Here you go: an exciting video about what Japanese think about American sushi!

 

Thanks to the Asian Boss for the video!

Kindly yours,

Russianladyabroad

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