Zaytoon- Iranian cuisine

Persian cuisine - a selection of delicious kebabs served with fresh bread baked daily in a clay oven. open seven days a week from 12 noon to 4am. By day Zaytoon is full ofTemple Bar Tourists but by night it's packed to the gills with midnight revellers jostling to get one of their famous kebabs! 

14/15 Parliament Street,
Temple Bar,
Dublin 2.
Tel:+ 353 (1) 677 3595

Source: zaytoon.ie

Cedar Tree Restaurant

Right in the heart of the main shopping district, near the Tourist Information Office at St Andrew's Church, this basement restaurant does not have an eye-catching exterior (perhaps the way the regulars like it - a hidden oasis) but is easy to find, and it's Dublin's longest established Lebanese restaurant.

This Dublin restaurants cosy and atmospheric, it's a popular spot and many of the regular customers are well known to the management, giving the restaurant a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

The menu is extensive and should appeal to anyone with a taste for aromatic, mildly spiced minced lamb, beef and chicken dishes, and vegetable dishes with plenty of gentle spicy flavour.

A huge choice of starters (about 25, all at about €6) ranges from grilled quail to pitta breads with simple dips or hummus, and there's a similar choice of main courses at about €18, including several vegetarian options and some combination/mixed offerings for the indecisive or curious (eg Mixed Meshwe, a combination of minced lamb, and lamb & chicken brochettes).

Generous portions offer very good value and there's no real need for side dishes - it's a pity there's a charge for bread, though, as it's the kind of food which calls for plenty of accompanying bread.

Helpful staff have a good knowledge of the menu and there is a fair selection of Lebanese wines, in the €20 to €100 range, as well as a good choice of Old and New World wines. The house Lebanese wines at €20 are basic but very drinkable to complete the authentic experience.

On Friday and Saturday nights there is oriental dancing in the restaurant, which may not be to everyone's taste but is in keeping with the style of the establishment. The main restaurant is in the basement and decorated in thoroughly ethnic style.

Seats 50: open Mon-Wed 5.30-11.30pm Thurs-Fri 5.30-midnight; Sat & Sun 5.30-10.45pm. 



Source: Irelandguide.com

Rotana Cafe- Lebanese cuisine

For International students or Locals who want to try the Lebanese cuisine 

Rotana Cafe serves one of the best authentic Lebanese foods in Dublin for very reasonable prices. Now well known in the City for its delicious falafel and homemade BaklawaSweets, Rotana Cafe is the right spot to try something different with the assurance that everything is fresh and made to surprise your taste bud. Rotana Cafe is casual; it is one of the places where you feel like at home. Indeed, you can bring your own wine, enjoy the Lebanese music and smoke a flavoured shisha in our outside terrace. Rotana Cafe is also very pleased to have been nominated into the guide The Dubliner 100 best restaurants 2010 And 2011. 

Thats the link if u want to check the menu : http://www.rotanacafe.ie/Home.aspx
Phone Number: Tel: (01) 4759969 / Mobile: 085 7803800 
31 South Richmond Street · Portobello · Dublin 2 

 Opening Times

Monday: 4:00pm - 11:30pm Tuesday to Sunday: 11:30am - 12:00 midnight

Source: Rotana cafe

Lebanon - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette

Facts and Statistics

Location: The Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria

Capital: Beirut

Borders: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Population: 3,971,941 (July 2008 est.)

Ethnic Makeup: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians

Religions: Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3% note: 17 religious sects recognised

Language in Lebanon

Article 11 of Lebanon's Constitution states that "Arabic is the official national language. A law determines the cases in which the French language may be used". The majority of Lebanese people speak Arabic and either French or English fluently. Moreover, Lebanese people of Armenian or Greek descent also speak Armenian or Greek fluently. Also in use is Kurdish spoken by some of the Kurdish minorities in Lebanon, and Syriac by the Syriac minorities. Other languages include Circassian, spoken by 50,000, Tigrinya (30,000), Sinhala (25,000), Turkish (10,000), Azerbaijani (13,000), Polish (5,000), Russian and Romanian (together 10,000 speakers), and Turkmen (8,000 speakers).

Lebanese Society and Culture

The People

There has deliberately not been a census in Lebanon since 1932, before its formation as an independent nation. This is due to the political consequences a major shift in the population dynamics an accurate census could have. The population is generally viewed in terms of religion. The predominant differences between people are those between Muslim and Christian sects. The proportion of each is politically sensitive so estimates from different sources vary widely. What is known is that approximately 90% of the population is urban rather than rural.

Religion(s)

Lebanon is a religious mish-mash and this has ultimately been the cause behind social tensions and the long, drawn out civil war. The government officially recognizes 18 religious sects of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Religious differences are built into government and politics. Christians are guaranteed 50% of the seats in parliament. The President is always a Christian and the Prime Minister and Speaker of the House are Muslims. The Druze are awarded 8 seats in parliament. The government maintains that this system prevents one community from gaining an advantage over the others.

Religion affects almost all areas of culture. Family laws such as divorce, separation, child custody, and inheritance are handled in religious courts and there is not a uniform system for all citizens.

Loyalty to a Group

A person’s name and honour are their most cherished possessions. This extends also to the family and wider group. Therefore the behaviour of individual family members is viewed as the direct responsibility of the family. It is crucial for the Lebanese to maintain their dignity, honour, and reputation.

The Lebanese strive to avoid causing another person public embarrassment. This can be seen when they agree to perform a favour for a friend to maintain that friend’s honour even if they know that they will not do what is asked.

Hospitable People

The Lebanese are proud of their tradition of hospitality. This is a culture where it is considered an honour to have a guest in your home. One should therefore not seen being invited quite quickly to someone’s home for something to eat as strange.

Guests are generally served tea or coffee immediately. Good manners dictate that such offers are accepted; never reject such an offer as this may be viewed as an insult.

Lebanese Customs and Etiquette

Greeting people

• Greetings in Lebanon are an interesting mix of both the French and Muslim/Arab cultures.
• A warm and welcoming smile accompanied by a handshake while saying “Marhaba” is a greeting that can be given without causing offense.
• You will see the greeting close friends with three kisses on the cheek, alternating cheeks in the French style.
• Take time when greeting a person and be sure to ask about their family, health, etc.
• If man is greeting Muslim women you may find that some wish not to shake hands; it is best to see if a hand is extended or not first.

Gift Giving Etiquette

• Gifts are part and parcel of the culture and are not only for birthdays and special occasions.
• Gifts may be given to someone who has provided a favour, to someone returning from a trip overseas, or simply out of want.
• The cost of the gift is not nearly as important as what it represents – friendship.
• If you are invited to a Lebanese home, it is customary to bring flowers. If invited for a meal, you may bring sweets or pastries.
• If visiting a Muslim family, it is a good idea to say that the gift is for the host rather than the hostess.
• Gifts of alcohol are welcome in many circles. Muslims though generally do not drink alcohol.
• A small gift such a sweet for the children is always a nice touch.
• Gifts may be given with the right hand or both hands. It is best not to offer a gift with the left hand.

Dining Etiquette

If you are invited to a Lebanese house for dinner:

• Dress well.
• Avoid sensitive topics of conversation such as politics, religion or the civil war unless you know the hosts are comfortable talking about it.
• Greet elders first.
• Lebanese table manners are relatively formal.
• Wait to be told where to sit.
• Table manners are Continental, i.e. the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
• You will be expected to try all foods at the table.
• Expect to be urged to take second or even third helpings. It is best to eat less on your first helping so that a second helping is possible. This shows your host you are enjoying the food and are being taken care of.

Business Etiquette, Customs and Protocol

Meeting and Greeting

• Lebanese can be somewhat formal in their business dealings. At the same time, they will strive to be hospitable and will go out of their way to be generous and gracious hosts.
• Greetings should not be rushed. It is important to take time to exchange social pleasantries during the greeting process.
• The most common greeting in business is the handshake with direct eye contact.
• The handshake may be more prolonged that in Western countries.
• Very religious Muslims may not shake hands across genders. In such cases, the foreign business people should simply nod their heads as a way of acknowledging them.
• If someone is introduced with a title, use that title when greeting them. If the title is given in Arabic, it is appended to the first name. If the title is in English or French, it will be added to the surname.
• Business cards are given without formal ritual.
• Having one side of your card translated into French or Arabic is a nice touch but not essential.
• Present and receive business cards with two hands or the right hand.

Communication Styles

The Lebanese are very “touchy-feely”. Direct eye contact with a lot of physical contact is the cornerstones of Lebanese communication. If you are from a culture where eye contact is less direct and contact not so prevalent, this may feel uncomfortable. Try not to break the eye contact as this conveys trust, sincerity and honesty. However, interestingly the situation is reversed when dealing with elders where prolonged direct eye contact is considered rude and challenging.

Lebanese have an indirect and non-confrontational communication style, which relates to the need to maintain personal honour. They rely heavily on the context to explain the underlying meaning of their words. The listener is expected to know what they are trying to say or imply. Non-verbal cues and body language are crucial to learn so you can more fully understand the responses you are given.

For the most part, Lebanese try not to lose their tempers publicly since such behaviour demonstrates a weakness of character. They strive to be courteous and expect similar behaviour from others. However, if they think that their honour has been impugned or that their personal honour has been challenged, they will raise their voice and employ sweeping hand gestures in their vociferous attempt to restore their honour.

Business Meetings

The business culture in Lebanon is multi-faceted and also rapidly changing. The country is eager for foreign investment and many companies have adopted a Western approach to business. At the same time, smaller companies may retain many Middle Eastern aspects to their business culture.

Punctuality is generally expected for business meetings.

Meetings generally begin with the offer of tea or coffee. While this is being sipped, it is important to engage in some chitchat. This is important in order to establish rapport and trust.

Meetings are not necessarily private. The Lebanese tend to have an open-door policy, which means that people may walk in and out, telephone calls may be answered or the tea boy may come in to take drink orders. It is best to be prepared for frequent interruptions.

Meetings are generally conducted in French, Arabic or English. It is generally a good idea to ask which language the meeting will be conducted in prior to arriving. You may wish to hire your own interpreter.

Lebanon - Information and Resources

* Currency - the currency of Lebanon is the Lira (LL). Use the free currency converter to compare to dollars, GBP, etc.

* Weather - visit Yahoo!'s up to date Weather for Lebanon.

* Translation Services - do you need an Arabic Translation or French Translation.

* News - check out all the latest news from Lebanon..

* Dialling Code - the international dialling code for Lebanon is +961.

* Time - Lebanon is the +2 hours GMT.

* Management - for information about being a manager in Lebanon visit the free Management in Lebanon guide.

Source: kwintessential.co.uk

Kuwait - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette

Facts and Statistics

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Capital: Kuwait City

Population: 2,257,549  including 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)

Ethnic Make-up: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15%

Language in Kuwait

Arabic is the official language of Kuwait, but English is widely spoken. It is used in business and is a compulsory second language in schools. Among the non-Kuwaiti population, many people speak Farsi, the official language of Iran, or Urdu, the official language of Pakistan.

Arabic is spoken by almost 200 million people in more than 22 countries. It is the language of the Qur'an, the Holy Book of Islam, and of Arab poetry and literature. While spoken Arabic varies from country to country, classical Arabic has remained unchanged for centuries. In Kuwait, there are differences between the dialects spoken in urban areas and those spoken in rural areas.

Kuwaiti Society & Culture

Islam

Islam is practised by the majority of Kuwaitis and governs their personal, political, economic and legal lives. Islam emanated from what is today Saudi Arabia. The Prophet Muhammad is seen as the last of God's emissaries (following in the footsteps of Jesus, Moses, Abraham, etc) to bring revelation to mankind. He was distinguished with bringing a message for the whole of mankind, rather than just to a certain peoples. As Moses brought the Torah and Jesus the Bible, Muhammad brought the last book, the Quran. The Quran and the actions of the Prophet (the Sunnah) are used as the basis for all guidance in the religion. 

Among certain obligations for Muslims are to pray five times a day - at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening. The exact time is listed in the local newspaper each day. Friday is the Muslim holy day. Everything is closed. Many companies also close on Thursday, making the weekend Thursday and Friday.

During the holy month of Ramadan all Muslims must fast from dawn to dusk and are only permitted to work six hours per day. Fasting includes no eating, drinking, cigarette smoking, or gum chewing. Expatriates are not required to fast; however, they must not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum in public.

Each night at sunset, families and friends gather together to celebrate the breaking of the fast (iftar). The festivities often continue well into the night. In general, things happen more slowly during Ramadan. Many businesses operate on a reduced schedule. Shops may be open and closed at unusual times.

Although over 95% of the population are Muslim, Kuwait is known for its religious tolerance. The three Churches are allowed to practice freely. Kuwait is the only Gulf Country to establish relations with the Vatican.

Family Values

. The extended family is the basis of the social structure and individual identity. It includes the nuclear family, immediate relatives, distant relatives, tribe members, friends, and neighbours.
. Nepotism is viewed positively, since it guarantees hiring people who can be trusted, which is crucial in a country where working with people one knows and trusts is of primary importance.
. The family is private. Female relatives are protected from outside influences. It is considered inappropriate to ask questions about a Kuwaiti's wife or other female relatives.

Etiquette and Customs in Kuwait

Meeting Etiquette

. Kuwaitis are hospitable; however, it is important to behave according to their cultural norms.
. Although women play a greater role in Kuwaiti society then women do in many other Gulf countries, they seldom socialize together in public.
. Greetings are therefore between members of the same sex. In all cases they are given with a sense of enthusiasm and general pleasure at meeting or seeing the person again.
. Kuwaitis take time during the greeting process to converse about their health, family, mutual friends and acquaintances, and other general matters of interest.

Naming Conventions

. The first name is the personal name and used as we would use ours.
. The second name is the father's personal name. It is used with the connector "al- ".
. The third and fourth names are the grandfather's personal name and a name that denotes the family lineage. Both names generally start with the prefix "al-".
. The name of Suleyman Al-Ahmed Al- Mustafa Al-Sabah means Suleyman, son of Ahmed, grandson of Mustafa of the Sabah family/tribe.
. Women do not take the husband's name upon marriage.

Gift Giving Etiquette

. Extended family or very close friends may exchange gifts for birthdays, Ramadan, Eid, Hajj and other celebratory occasions.
. If you are invited to a Kuwaiti home, bring a houseplant, box of imported chocolates, or a small gift from your home country.
. If a man must give a gift to a woman, he should say that it is from his wife, mother, sister, or some other female relative.
. Do not give alcohol unless you know for sure he/she partakes.
. Gifts are not opened when received.

Dining Etiquette

. Kuwaitis socialize in their homes, restaurants, or international hotels.
. If both sexes are included, they may be entertained in separate rooms, although this is not always the case.

When going to a Kuwaitis house:

. Check to see if the host is wearing shoes. If not, remove yours at the door.
. Dress conservatively.
. Show respect for the elders by greeting them first.
. Accept any offer of food or drink. To turn down hospitality is to reject the person.
. If you are invited for a meal, there is often a great deal of socializing and small talk before the meal, and the evening comes to an end quickly after the meal.

Watch your table manners!

. Eat only with the right hand.
. Meals are generally served family-style. Guests are served first. Then the oldest, continuing in some rough approximation of age order until the youngest is served.
. Honoured guests are often offered the most prized pieces or delicacies such as the sheep's head - so be prepared!
. Hospitality and generosity dictate showering guests with abundance. Comment on this.
. Leave some food on your plate when you have finished eating otherwise they will fill it with more.
. When the host stands, the meal is over.

Business Etiquette and Protocol in Kuwait

Relationships & Communication

. Since Kuwaitis prefer to do business with those with whom they have a personal relationship, they spend a great deal of time on the getting-to-know-you process.
. You must be patient since impatience is viewed as criticism of the culture.
. Kuwaitis judge on appearances so dress and present yourself well.
. They respect education, so carefully mention if you have an advanced degree, especially if it is from a prestigious university.

Business Meeting Etiquette

. Try to schedule meetings in the morning when meeting with government officials, since they are restricted to a 6-hour day.
. Many businessmen prefer to meet in the early evening.
. Do not try to schedule meetings in July and August as many Kuwaitis leave the country during the worst of the summer heat.
. Meetings may be interrupted if they interfere with prayer times.
. Meetings are generally not private unless there is a need to discuss matters confidentially.
. Expect frequent interruptions. Others may wander into the room and start a different discussion. You may join in, but do not try to bring the topic back to the original discussion until the new person leaves.

Business Negotiating

. Business will only be discussed once an atmosphere of trust and friendship has been established.
. Kuwaitis are event rather than time-driven. The event of getting together is more important than the timeliness of the meeting or the outcome.
. Kuwait is a hierarchical society. Many companies are structured around the family. Decisions usually come from the top after determining a consensus of the various stakeholders.
. Decisions are reached slowly. If you try to rush things, you will give offence and risk your business relationship.
. Kuwaitis are shrewd negotiators who are especially interested in price.
. Do not use high-pressure sales tactics. They will work against you.
. Repeating your main points indicates you are telling the truth.
. There is a tendency to avoid giving bad news and to give flowery acceptances, which may only mean "perhaps".
. Problems may be discussed outside the meeting in a one-on-one situation rather than in the group meeting room.
. If you change the lead negotiator, negotiations will need to start over.
. Proposals and contracts should be kept simple.
. Although negotiating is done in English, contracts are written in Arabic. If there is both an English and Arabic version, the Arabic will be the one followed.

Dress Etiquette

. Business attire is conservative.
. Men should wear lightweight, good quality, conservative suits, at least to the initial meeting.
. Women should avoid giving offence and refrain from wearing revealing or tight fitting clothing. Although they do not need to wear skirts that reach the ground, skirts should cover the knee and sleeves should cover the elbow and fasten at the neck.

Titles

. Titles are important. Use the honorific "Mister" and any academic or political title and the first name.
. Do not use only the first name until expressly invited to drop the titles.
. The title "Sheikh" denotes that someone is a member of the royal family. It is also used for old men.

Business Cards

. Business cards are given to everyone you meet.
. Have one side of your card translated into Arabic. Be sure to check the translation carefully as there is often confusion with the order of western names.

Useful Information and Links about Kuwait

* Currency - the currency of Kuwait is known as the Dinar. Use the free currency converter to compare to dollars, GBP or Euro.

* Weather - visit Yahoo!'s up to date Weather for Kuwait.

* Translation Services - do you need an Arabic Translation Service?

* News - check out all the latest Google news on Kuwait.

* Dialling Code - the international dialling code for Kuwait is +965.

* Time -  +3 hours GMT.

* Hotels - Hotels in Kuwait.

* Management - for information about being a manager in Kuwait visit the free Management in Kuwait guide.

* History - read about the long and rich history of Kuwait.

Source: kwintessential.co.uk

Ireland - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette

Facts and Statistics

Location: Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Capital: Dublin
Climate: temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Population: 10,348,276 (July 2004 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: Irish 87.4%, other white 7.5%, Asian 1.3%, black 1.1%, mixed 1.1%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 census)
Religions: Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census)
Government: republic, parliamentary democracy

Language in Ireland

Irish (Gaelic or Irish Gaelic) is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Irish is now spoken natively by a small minority of the Irish population – mostly in Gaeltacht areas – but also plays an important symbolic role in the life of the Irish state. It enjoys constitutional status as the national and first official language of the Republic of Ireland and it is an official language of the European Union.

Irish Society and Culture

The Catholic Church

Most people in the country are Roman Catholic. Until the early 1990s the church had a very strong voice in society as well as politics. Their role however has diminished. There is now something of a generational divide with people over 50 still being quite observant and conservative in their views. Religion still very much has a say in society’s view of family, marriage, and abortion.

The Family

The extended family is still very much the dominant social structure although urbanisation is having an impact. Even when family members do move to the cities you will often find their ties to “home” are still very strong.

Humour

The Irish have a reputation for their wit and humour – which they call having a ‘crack’. As well as quick tongued with jokes they also make eloquent and witty speakers. They pride themselves on being able to find humour and it is often self-deprecating or ironic. It is common for the Irish to trade insults and tease one another (called “slagging”) with people to whom they are close. If you are teased, it is important to take it well and not see it as personal. They have a rich history in storytelling which was used to pass information down through the generations (poems and songs also served the same purpose).

Etiquette and Customs in Ireland

Meeting Etiquette

• The basic greeting is a handshake and a hello or salutation appropriate for the time of day.
• Eye contact denotes trust and is maintained during a greeting.
• It is customary to shake hands with older children.
• Greetings tend to be warm and friendly and often turn into conversations.

Gift Giving Etiquette

• In general, the Irish exchange gifts on birthdays and Christmas.
• A gift need not be expensive. It is generally thought in giving something personal that counts.
• If giving flowers, do not give lilies as they are used at religious festivities. Do not give white flowers as they are used at funerals.
• Gifts are usually opened when received.

Visiting a Home

• If you are invited to an Irish home be on time (chances are food has been cooked and being late could spoil it)
• Bring a box of good chocolates, a good bottle of wine for to the host.
• Offer to help with clearing the dishes after a meal.
• Table manners are relatively relaxed and informal.
• The more formal the occasion, the stricter the protocol. When in doubt, watch what others are doing.
• Table manners are Continental, i.e. the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating.
• Do not rest your elbows on the table, although your hands should remain visible and not be in your lap.

Business Etiquette and Protocol in Ireland

Meeting and Greeting

• Irish businesspeople are generally less formal and more outwardly friendly than in many European countries.
• Shake hands with everyone at the meeting.
• Handshakes should be firm and confident.
• Shake hands at the beginning and end of meetings.
• Make sure to smile!
• The Irish are generally rather casual and quickly move to first names.
• Business cards are exchanged after the initial introductions without formal ritual.
• Many businesspeople do not have business cards, so you should not be offended if you are not offered one in return.

Communication Style

The Irish have turned speaking into an art form. Their tendency to be lyrical and poetic has resulted in a verbal eloquence. They use stories and anecdotes to relay information and value a well-crafted message. How you speak says a lot about you in Ireland.

The Irish appreciate modesty and can be suspicious of people who are loud and tend to brag. They dislike a superiority complex of any sort. So, for example, when discussing your professional achievements it is best to casually insert the information in short snippets during several conversations rather than embarking on a long self-centred outline of your successes.

Communication styles vary from direct to indirect depending upon who is being spoken to. There is an overall cultural tendency for people to view politeness as more important than telling the absolute truth. This means that you may not easily receive a negative response. When you are being spoken to, listen closely. A great deal may be implied, beyond what is actually being said. For example, if someone becomes silent before agreeing, they have probably said “no”. They may also give a non-committal response. This may be due to the fact that the Gaelic language does not have words for “yes” or “no”. There is a tendency to use understatement or indirect communication rather than say something that might be contentious.

Generally speaking they do not like confrontation and prefer to avoid conflict, which they attempt to avoid by being humorous and showing good manners.

Business Meetings

Company or organisational cultures differ widely in Ireland. As a result you may find meetings vary in their approach and substance. In one setting the purpose of a meeting is to relay information on decisions that have already been made, whereas in another it may be the time to get feedback and input.

Following on from this, meetings may be structured or unstructured. In most cases they will be relaxed. It is customary to have a period of small talk before the actual meeting which is when a rapport is built to take forward into the meeting.

Meetings may occur in several venues, not merely the office. It is quite common to conduct a business meeting in a restaurant or pub. This allows all participants to be on equal footing.

Expect a great deal of discussion at meetings. Everyone is expected to participate and they do, often at great length. The Irish like to engage in verbal banter and pride themselves on being able to view a problem from every angle.

Ireland - Information and Resources

* Currency - the currency of Ireland is the Euro. Use the free currency converter to compare to dollars, GBP, etc.

* Weather - visit Yahoo!'s up to date Weather for Ireland.

* Translation Services - do you need a Gaelic translation service?

* News - check out all the latest Google news on Ireland.

* Dialling Code - the international dialling code for Ireland is +353.

* Time - Ireland is the same as GMT.

Source: kwintessential.co.uk

Welcome

As  a Lebanese student who was born and raised in Kuwait and currently studying in Dublin; I think that culture has a very important role in day to day human relationships and interactions.  The relationships and interactions between individuals in day to day life is very similar to the supply chain of a company.  For instance, as a student in UCD, I am part of a supply chain that includes the school, the staff, the instructors, and also my colleagues. Therefore the difference of culture between certain individuals in any day to day supply chain might cause some difficulties or disruptions in my interactions and communication.  During my three months in Dublin I became aware of some differences in the life styles, communication, greetings, and even eating habits between my colleagues, friends, roommates and even sales staff from shopping centers. I realized that once I got to know those differences, I was able to communicate more easily and smoothly with people from different nationalities, my experience with the GARDA to get my visa papers completed was therefore simpler, and even I became able to run my errands faster and with less efforts. Therefore I choose to create a blog that I named “Around the World” in order to highlight those differences in cultures and differences in communication and behaviors that effect day to day interactions. To start with, this blog will include posts about Dublin, Kuwait and Lebanon. The reason why I choose those three countries is because I am a Lebanese student who lived my whole life in Kuwait and now currently study in Dublin; therefore I choose three countries that are very different in their cultures and backgrounds. This blog will include posts that will highlight the global etiquettes in those three countries that would be essentials for both business men and tourists to know before performing any business deal or deciding to visit any of those three countries. Moreover the blog will include posts on the activities that visitors would be interested to try when visiting Kuwait, Lebanon, and Dublin. International students, especially from Arabic countries, might fight difficulty finding “Halal” food or even restaurants and supermarkets that offer their cuisine so in this blog I will also provide some choices that they can find in Dublin.

To conclude, I feel that this blog is a very good solution for people who travel to countries with different cultures and backgrounds and also for business men and women planning to perform a business deal or attend a conference with companies from overseas.  Moreover, after creating this blog I have learned more about Kuwait, Lebanon and Dublin that I never knew before. I hope that you will enjoy the posts in my blog and I  am looking forward to read your comments and participations.

Regards,

Mustafa

Founder of Around the World blog