Trust- a key component in international business

Although I'm no novice to study-abroad language trips, this trip should be different on many levels. I will be the guest of my Spanish tutor who will make sure (hopefully) that I do not have a repeat of Italy! At this point, I have no idea with whom I'm staying but I'm confident that it will be a better experience than I had last summer.

As I've mentioned on several occasions throughout my travels, there is no better way to do international business than to do it with a trusted business partner. Trust, in all relationships, takes time and it is no different in international negotiations. In fact, it takes more time and patience and flexibility. I'm hopeful that this trip will continue to build cross-cultural collaboration opportunities that will benefit not only me but my future students as well.

In addition, as mentioned before, I have already been to this particular city so I know what to expect. I believe that this too is another key for success in international business. Many times people think "one and done" in terms of international trips. Sadly, in most cases, this is a waste of time as most cultures are not open to outsiders and require the extra time to get to know their business partner.