The experience took place during my flight to Frankfurt several years ago. Suddenly, upon waking up on a Qatar Airways flight, I discovered a business card on my desk. I recognized it as coming from a Caucasian gentleman seated next to me. In response, I reciprocated by offering him my business card. This exchange led to a conversation, and we got to know each other.
As is customary when initiating a conversation with a stranger, I engaged in the usual dialogue, asking about his origin and destination. The “Bule” (a term often used to refer to Caucasians in Indonesian slang) next to me, named Kirk, showed interest in the book I was reading, “Grand Design” by Stephen Hawking. However, Mr. Kirk recommended an even more remarkable book, namely “The Fabric of The Cosmos” by Brian Green.
According to Mr. Kirk, “The Fabric of The Cosmos” is highly regarded in America. On the other hand, Stephen Hawking’s “Grand Design” challenges old thoughts that are refuted by the fabric of the cosmos. The book suggests that, so far, humanity’s discoveries about the cosmos remain unanswered.
Our conversation then transitioned to political issues in Indonesia, covering various government periods from the era of Bung Karno to SBY. While I dominated the discussion on most issues, Mr. Kirk had his own story to share, based on his friend’s observations. He mentioned that former President Megawati enjoyed watching children’s programs on TV after waking up.
Pondering for a moment, my mind drifted to past events involving this mother. I eventually speculated that perhaps, on August 17th, during state events, she preferred not to attend. It’s no wonder she never wanted to shake hands with SBY or appeared furious when campaigning.
In my capacity as the chairman of foreign affairs at the West Java Chamber of Commerce, I’ve been fortunate to travel to many developed countries, promoting investment in West Java Province. Since 2010, I have been conducting cross-cultural training programs, introducing Indonesian culture to international communities, especially in Japan, through lectures, homestays, and outing camps both in Indonesia (Summer Camp – Lembur Pancawati) and Japan (Snow Camp – Iiyama-Shi, Nagano Prefecture).
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, my programs came to a halt. However, I am optimistic that starting next February 2023, I will resume my activities in Japan with an Indonesian group, conducting mutual cross-cultural programs. As scheduled every August and December, groups from Japan will reciprocate with similar programs in Indonesia.
In the business world, cross-culture refers to a company’s efforts to ensure effective interaction among people of different nationalities, backgrounds, and ethnicities. With globalization, cross-cultural education has become critical for businesses. Individuals working abroad need to understand subtle differences in style and substance to be effective.
The key thought behind the importance of cross-culture is recognizing and bridging the differences among business people of different nations and backgrounds, fostering effective communication and collaboration.
