City Workers

A woman is sitting on a bench, reading her newspaper.  She notices two city employees busily at work in the park.

What's So Funny?

A common stereotype is that government workers mindlessly follow the rules and procedures of their jobs, without allowing for changes, such as the case of an absent worker (whose job is actually really important).

Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.