Ask ex-pats about the differences between America and Germany, and customer service will be on the list. For those used to the American model, where polite staff and friendly transactions are expected and the customer is always right, the German approach can leave something to be desired. In fact, when I surveyed some of my…
…that babe, of course, being Colin Firth. From his appearance on Inside the Actors’ Studio: Anyone who has tried to speak another language will find, if you’re limited in that language, will find that you end up saying what you can rather than what you really want to say. And you start to circumnavigate the…
Last month, Jaunty Dame (one of my favorite blogs on the interwebs) gave her answer to the question,“What books would you like to read that don’t exist?” and I’ve been thinking about the idea ever since. Her suggestions are excellent (YES to the George Martin book), and so is the question. I’d love to see a…
I didn’t plan to, but I wrote an interpretive program for my wedding. For a day that involved military background checks, milkshakes, trivia competitions and a surprise pinata, it just seemed like a good idea. While most people know what to expect at a wedding, our was just different enough that guidelines and cues to…
As I’ve been learning German this past month, I’ve come to a realization: Getting visitors to participate and contribute in can be a lot like asking them to learn another language. There are five general stages to learning a second language: The Silent Period – You have a small receptive vocabulary of words and ideas,…
When it comes to writing labels, I like to take my time. I’ve been in the meetings where it takes hours (not recommended, btw) to decide on border color and font size. I’ve worked for days and (sometimes) weeks, revising and refining language to write the perfect paragraph. But I’ve also printed out slapdash signs…
Whenever I work on exhibit development projects, the same question occurs: What comes first, the objects or the stories? While it’s rarely a linear, either-or situation, and both approaches fold backwards and forwards onto one another, I’m firmly Team Story (it’s like being Team Edward, but with less sparkles). The stories are what matter, the…
While doing some research today, I came across the Wihelma Zoo and Botanic Garden and I’m fangirl-ing over their self-guided tour resources. Not only do they provide tour suggestions based on specific interests (plants, aquatic life, etc.), they also have tours based on visitors’ needs. Is it raining? Here’s a tour to stay dry. Do you need…
Earlier this summer, I conducted a short visitor survey that included basic demographic information. As I interviewed a couple whom I perceived to be a man and a woman, I asked them their zip codes, age ranges, and gender. At that last question, the individual I had initially read as male responded, Can I say…
In my spare time (hah!), I occasionally write for Persephone Magazine, “a daily blog for bookish and clever women.” I adore many things about PM, but one of my favorites is Elvis. And what is Elvis (other than a hunka hunka burnin’ love)? Elvis is the magazine’s commenting criteria. From the PM website: Empathy – are…
Museums Askew 