Have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

James Hoare spent over thirty years in the British Diplomatic Service, with postings to Seoul and Beijing. His last job was Chargé D Affaires in Pyongyang, North Korea, where he established the British Embassy. He has a Ph.D. in East Asian history and has written extensively on China, Japan, and the two Koreas. Since retirement, he has become a regular radio and television commentator on Korea. He also teaches at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. His numerous books and articles about East Asia, include Embassies in the East: The Story of the British and Their Embassies in China, Japan and Korea from 1859 to the Present (1999), and, with his wife, Susan Pares, North Korea in the 21st Century: An Interpretative Guide (2005), and an edited three-volume collection, Critical Readings on North and South Korea (2013).