Life, Work, And Everything In Between! Special Reissue

Life, Work, And Everything In Between! Special Reissue

Author: Oops, Your Culture's Showing! ©2018: Dean Foster, Tom Peterson, and Torin Peterson May 28, 2026 Duration: 43:54

As we rapidly approach the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, many school schedules are preparing to slow down or take a break in the warmer months, as some work schedules do too. With this in mind, please enjoy this special reissue of our 35th episode on work-life balance in cultures around the globe, “‘Work to live’ cultures, and ‘live to work’ cultures”, from October 2022. We here at ‘Oops, Your Culture’s Showing!’ will also be taking a break from releasing episodes over the coming months, as we soak up some sun (hopefully on a beach with a cold drink in one or both hands), travel, and time with family and friends. We’ll see you out there on the beach, dear listeners – and while getting those rays, it’s a perfect time to visit/revisit our entire back catalogue of episodes!

Listening to this while eating lunch in the workplace? Fais attention (be careful!) because if you’re in France, that’s illegal. In this episode, Dean and Tom get to work contrasting how countries from France to Japan to the US value, and even legislate, work-life balance – and, bien sûr (of course!), how it’s all grounded in culture. Plus, a Grammar Time segment somehow sneaks up on all of us…est-ce possible?

(Here are the referenced NPR articles on the French lunch law and the Portuguese ‘right to disconnect’ law, from June 2022.)

***Dean’s book, “Business Beyond Borders: Stories, Tales, and Lessons Learned from Working in 100 Cultures Around the World”, IS OUT NOW – order it today! And: Subscribe to Dean’s Substack to find all of Dean’s “Culture’s Consequences” articles, CultureQuizzes, and much more!***

Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson

Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com


Ever find yourself in a situation where a simple gesture or comment lands completely wrong, all because of an unspoken cultural rule you never knew existed? That’s the territory explored in Oops, Your Culture's Showing! Hosted by Dean Foster alongside Tom and Torin Peterson, this podcast digs into the hilarious and often awkward moments where cultural differences come to light. Each episode feels like a conversation with well-traveled friends who’ve been there, analyzing real-life stories of social faux pas, misunderstood traditions, and the subtle norms that govern behavior around the globe. The tone is light and comedic, rooted in personal experience rather than dry academic lecture, making the exploration of societies and places genuinely engaging. You’ll hear the hosts dissect why certain actions are perfectly polite in one context and a major blunder in another, all while laughing at their own misadventures. It’s a blend of comedy and genuine education, perfect for anyone curious about the world or preparing to navigate it. Tune in to this podcast for a reminder that we’re all constantly revealing our cultural backgrounds, often at the most unexpected moments.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 88

Oops, Your Culture's Showing!
Podcast Episodes
Look Both Ways! Special Reissue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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62: Talking Turkey…The Country (Part 1 of 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:24
Merriam-Webster defines “talking turkey” as “speaking frankly or bluntly”, but, honestly, where’s the fun in that…so instead, we’re talking about Turkey, the country, in this episode. Dean brings Tom and Torin along on h…
Itching For Culture Content! Special Reissue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:53
If you find yourself itching to hear Dean and Tom this month, we’re happy to oblige: here is a special reissue of our January 2020 episode, “Which Body Part’s Itchy?”. There’s certainly no dry spell happening in this epi…
Mardi Gras Preview! Special Reissue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:02
With Mardi Gras 2026 right around the corner, sink your teeth into a special slice – erm, reissue – of our Mardi Gras-themed episode, “Culture’s Consequences: King Cake At Mardi Gras”, from February 2024. Enjoy this purp…
61: Havana New Year’s Eve: Rum, Rhumba, And Remembrance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:00
Happy (almost) new year! In this episode, Dean remembers his experience of ‘rum, rhumba, and remembrance’ in Havana Cuba on a past New Year’s Eve. Tom and Torin join him on this (literally) timeless journey, rum in hand,…
Serving “Holidays Of Gratitude”! Special Reissue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:06
Thanksgiving is back in the US, and so are we with a special reissue of our November 2022 episode, “Holidays of gratitude”! (And don’t forget: Dean’s newest book, “Business Beyond Borders: Stories, Tales, and Lessons Lea…
Idiots Still Talking Idioms! Special Reissue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:23
After recently exploring what certain words and phrases say about culture, we thought it time to re-explore what other certain phrases – idioms – say about – yes – culture! With that, enjoy this special reissue of our 47…
60: Dean Wrote A Book! & “Moore” Culture Lit (Part 2 of 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:40
We’re back for Part 2 and for our 60TH EPISODE! In this even more culture-lit-laden episode, Dean, Tom, and Torin resume poring over Christopher Moore’s book “The Untranslatables”, about terms representing universal conc…
59: Dean Wrote A Book! & “Moore” Culture Lit (Part 1 of 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:34
Dear listeners: As you’ve enjoyed nearly sixty episodes of Dean’s stories, tales, and lessons learned from working in a hundred cultures around the world (and if not, why are you here? this is what we do!), we know you’r…