Issue link: http://ihouse.uberflip.com/i/311748
4 International House Times Center for Intercultural Leadership is spring marks the third time I-House has offered the Intercultural Leadership Initiative to its residents and student staff. Some alumni from former semesters are still with us at IH and others are working all over the globe. One particular alumna from Germany— after finishing ILI and leaving I-House—got a job with a Japanese company first working in its London office and recently relocating to Berlin to support the German market entry. I-House residents share their thoughts on the ILI program below. In Italy, where I come from, hospitality is a big thing. This is what inspires me in managing the Host Family program and hospitality definitely starts by saying "ciao." Greeting each other in my country comes with a precise, articulated code of behavior that we learn as children. You enter a room, you greet the people in the room. The younger people greet the older ones. You leave a party early, you go around and say bye to the guests who are staying. You see someone you know, you wave your hand or simply show it wide open. This comes from the very old times when you needed to let people know you were not carrying weapons. The importance of salutation is well represented in our language by different sayings and expressions. Remember that, according to some Italian sayings, "Deny salutation" is an act of disrespect and "Even your worst enemy deserves to be greeted." Greeting is basically acknowledging someone's presence in your space...and everyone likes to be noticed, right? Working at the Front Desk, I always have the chance to put into practice this "lesson" from back home. I particularly enjoy welcoming I-House residents, staff and visitors and observe the way people engage in the greeting rite according to cultural background and to temperament. Some people look forward to any welcoming sign and enjoy eye contact, others add a "ciao" or stop for a little chat. Some relax when they see a smile and are ready to ask their questions. Some people are shy and timidly raise eyes, some others just ignore me and the other students or colleagues, absorbed in their own thoughts. They just pass by. I always feel I can learn a lot about the people I work for and with by observing this small detail. Greetings say a lot about us and about the way we see other people. Looks like greeting each other maybe the secret key to any good start. Say "Ciao!" to Liliana most weekdays at the IH Front Desk, 10:30 am-7 pm. In January Liliana joined IH in a new staff role with broader community liaison duties including coordination of our Host family program. By Liliana Cardile, Front Desk Operations Manager A View From The Front Desk "ILI helped me recognize my preconceived notions, and not be afraid to challenge them. Global leadership perspectives are increasingly important and highly demanded in multicultural organizations today." Jasmine Hui (Singapore), ILI participant Spring 2014 "At an interview for a prestigious multinational corporation in Japan the HR Manager asked: 'What do you think is the benefit of diversity in a workplace?' anks to ILI, I was able to put my cross-cultural experiences into words; I got the job! I hope to make the most of my experience and become a future 'intercultural leader' in this company." Kaori Abe (Japan), ILI participant Spring 2012 Meet the Team! ILI is a program of e Center for Intercultural Leadership, now staffed by Jess Delegencia (left) who joined us in February as CIL Outreach Officer. He collaborates with Breidi Truscott Roberts, Training Officer, under the leadership of Jason Patent (see page 2). Visit ihouse.berkeley.edu/cil for team bios and details on CIL's evolving menu of offerings. n "I am now more tolerant and respectful of cultures different from my own. I have cultivated a heart of patience and understanding with people learning new languages who can be slow to communicate. I hope to encounter the cultural sensitivity and appreciation I have gained here at I-House as I also learn new languages and travel the world." Rosalia Omungo (Kenya), ILI participant Spring 2014 "Global leaders must be able to shift strategies and personal styles to fit different cultural environments. ILI taught me that we need to appreciate the similarities humans from all over the world have with each other. But, I also learned we definitely should not underestimate our cultural differences." Kevin Laprocino, (U.S.A.), ILI participant Spring 2014