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November/December 2012
In This Issue
News
Resources
Upcoming International Events
About International Focus
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 "We dont see things as they are, we see them as we are."

 

~Anais Nin~

ceiling flags


Greetings!,

 

I hope you were able to join us at the 27th International Festival of Raleigh last month as we celebrated the Triangle's fascinating diversity and multicultural friendship. We had a wonderful time! See some of the great photos from the festival on the IF website and Facebook page.

 

A big THANK YOU to the fifty-eight ethnic communities who participated this year and shared generously of their talents and traditions. We're so grateful also for our many volunteers and partners, and all who came together to create such an amazing resource for Raleigh and the Triangle!

 

Please enjoy this issue of International Focus News. I'm looking forward to seeing you around town at some of the great international events, and wish you and yours safe, peaceful, and happy holidays.

 

See you in the New Year!  

Very best wishes,

 

Clodagh Bastian

Executive Director

 
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Culture
in
the
News

 

 

Drought Reveals Trove of 400 Year-Old Sunken Treasure at Bottom of Polish River

More than ten tons of ornate marble statues, fountains and palace pillars have appeared on a Polish riverbed thanks to a drought that reduced the river to puddles.

The haul is believed to have been left behind by marauding Swedish invaders in the 17th Century.


Thinking in a Second Language Leads to More Rational Decisions

A series of experiments on more than 300 people form the U.S. and Korea found that thinking in a second language reduced deep-seated, misleading biases that unduly influence how risks and benefits are perceived.

 

Afghans Use Culture Guides to Cut "Insider" Attacks

Afghan Defense Ministry officials, trying to stop the alarming increase in "insider" attacks, have given their troops tips on foreign culture, telling them not to be offended by a hearty pat on the back or an American soldier asking after your wife's health.

 

Home Depot's Big Box Plans for China Lost in Translation

When Home Depot announced a near-complete departure from China, analysts said a failure to superimpose an American-style retail model without taking the taste of Chinese consumers into account was as much to blame as that country's slowdown in the real estate market.

 

Experiments to start in Holland to Heat Cycling Lanes

Tests are about to start with heated cycle lanes in two parts of the Netherlands in an effort to reduce winter accidents.

 


Resources 
 
Explore National Geographic's Faces of the World photo collection.
 
e-Pals is a learning community of teachers students and parents from over 200 countries.
 
Cross Cultural Solutions offers international volunteer experiences to 12 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe or Latin America.
 
Oddcast text-to-speech functionality allows text to be spoken dynamically in real time including emotive cues and expressions. The functionality comes as an alternative or compliment to a real human voices, and is available in 25 languages, including translation from and back to English or other languages.  
 
Travel.State.Gov provides world-wide information on locations of U.S. embassies and consular offices, visa requirements, crime and security information, health and medical conditions, drug penalties, and localized hot spots.
 
colombian dancers  

Upcoming 

International 

Events  

 

Check out the new International Focus Calendar with listings of international events across the Triangle, and search by date and category or submit your own international event. 

 

A Sampling of Calendar Highlights:

 

Festivals/Celebrations

Exhibits

Theatre

Film

  

Dance/Musical Performances

 

Conferences/Participatory/Special Events

 

About International Focus

International Focus, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization with the mission to support North Carolina's international communities and promote American ideals through cross-cultural communication, education, understanding, and the celebration of culture, arts, and cuisine from around the world.

 

International Focus strives to be a resource for international and native North Carolinians through information, outreach, and its annual celebration of multiculturalism, the International Festival of Raleigh.
This newsletter and all content and information contained herein are the property of International Focus, Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher.