About

Starting in the early 2000s, when I was appointed Country Representative for the Australian Business Volunteers (ABV), an Australian NGO funded by AusAID, I had the opportunity to meet Prof. Edward T. Hogan, a lecturer at Macquarie University. From that meeting, we began a long and meaningful collaboration in the field of cross-cultural understanding and international business communication.

My background and experience in Japanese culture — including receiving two scholarships from AOTS (The Association for Overseas Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Partnerships), sponsored by the Japanese Government — combined with Prof. Hogan’s expertise in Chinese business culture, attracted the attention of PT Telkom Indonesia’s Training Division. Together, we were invited to speak and conduct training sessions on Cross-Cultural Communication in various cities across Indonesia and abroad for many years.

In 2010, I established the Cross Culture Institute with a clear mission: to help individuals and organizations navigate the complexities of globalization. In today’s interconnected world, cultural differences can either become bridges to opportunity or barriers that lead to misunderstanding, conflict, and lost business potential.

Cross-cultural understanding is essential for business professionals, diplomats, educators, students, and global leaders. It is the ability to recognize, understand, and appropriately respond to people, situations, and behaviors shaped by different cultural backgrounds. Without this understanding, even highly capable professionals may struggle to build effective communication, trust, and long-term partnerships.

Why is cross-cultural training important?

In international business and global collaboration, technical expertise alone is not enough. Success depends heavily on the ability to communicate respectfully and effectively across cultures. Many business failures occur not because of poor products or services, but because of misunderstandings in communication styles, values, expectations, and social etiquette.

Cross-cultural competence helps participants:

Build trust and mutual respect with international partners
Avoid costly misunderstandings and communication breakdowns
Improve negotiation and leadership skills in multicultural environments
Adapt more effectively to different social and business norms
Increase confidence when working, studying, or living abroad
Develop global awareness and international perspectives

At the Cross Culture Institute, we emphasize the “Four Ls” of cultural competence:
Look, Listen, Learn, and Live.

Participants are encouraged not only to observe cultural differences but also to understand and experience them directly. Cultural intelligence grows when people are willing to listen openly, learn continuously, and live alongside people from different backgrounds.

There is an Indonesian proverb that beautifully reflects this principle:
“When you point one finger at someone, three fingers point back at yourself.”

This proverb reminds us that cultural understanding begins with self-awareness. When visiting another country or engaging with another culture, we often judge others using our own cultural standards. In reality, the misunderstanding may come from our own assumptions and perspectives. Cross-cultural learning teaches humility, empathy, and respect.

Without respect and trust, sustainable business relationships cannot flourish. Cross-cultural competence is therefore not merely an academic subject — it is a practical skill that supports successful international cooperation and long-term partnerships.

What We Do

The Cross-Culture Institute offers a variety of international education and cultural exchange programs, including:

Cross-Cultural Training Programs

In-house corporate training programs for all levels, from students to top management
Seminars and workshops on international business culture and communication
Customized programs for educational institutions and organizations

Japan Immersion Programs

One-day cross-cultural seminars in participants’ home countries
Three-night and four-day practical programs in Japan
Homestay experiences with Japanese families to provide direct cultural immersion

International Camps and Exchange Programs

Snow Camp in Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Summer Camps in Japan, Shanghai, and Indonesia
Cross-Culture and Homestay Programs in Japan, Korea, the USA, Mexico, and Indonesia throughout the year

International Programs and Global Participants

For more than a decade, the Cross Culture Institute has actively built bridges between Indonesia and the international community through a variety of cultural exchange programs, educational visits, leadership forums, homestay experiences, and global learning activities.

Our programs have brought together participants from diverse backgrounds — including university rectors, professors, lecturers, corporate executives, government officials, entrepreneurs, students, educators, artists, photographers, and families — creating valuable opportunities for meaningful intercultural interaction and long-term international networking.

Participants from Indonesia have joined immersive programs in Japan designed to help them understand not only Japanese business culture and discipline, but also the values, mindset, communication style, and daily life of Japanese society. Through direct interaction with local communities and host families, participants gain practical international experience that cannot be learned from classrooms alone.

At the same time, Japanese participants visiting Indonesia are introduced to the richness of Indonesian culture, hospitality, diversity, and social values through carefully designed cultural immersion activities in various cities and communities across the country. These experiences encourage deeper appreciation, mutual respect, and stronger people-to-people connections between both nations.

Our international programs include:

Cross-cultural seminars and leadership programs
Student exchange and educational visits
Snow camps and summer camps
Homestay and family exchange programs
Corporate and professional cultural training
Community-based cultural immersion experiences

Over the years, many universities, schools, corporations, and international organizations have continued to participate in our programs regularly — a reflection of the trust, impact, and lasting value created through cross-cultural learning.

We believe that true global understanding is not built only through theory or formal meetings, but through direct human connection, shared experiences, and the willingness to learn from one another. In an increasingly interconnected world, cultural understanding has become one of the most important skills for building successful partnerships, global leadership, and international friendship.

Partnership and International Network

The Cross Culture Institute has established a close partnership with Hippo Family Club, a Japanese NGO with more than 22,000 members dedicated to learning foreign languages and promoting multicultural understanding.

Personally, I also serve as the Indonesian representative for Hippo Family Club Japan.

Through education, cultural immersion, and international exchange, the Cross Culture Institute continues to promote global understanding and meaningful human connection — helping individuals, institutions, and communities communicate across cultures, collaborate internationally, and grow together in an increasingly globalized world.