Lights & Shadows

In Lights & Shadows American, German and Chinese expats share their experiences of living as a foreigner in one of these three cultures. Thought-provoking, their candid observations and opinions will challenge you to ponder your own values and assumptions, in the process expanding your cross-cultural intelligence.

Gertraude Roth Li holds a Ph.D. in History and East Asian languages, has lived in the three cultures and speaks several languages, including German and Chinese.

Whether you live, have lived or might want to live abroad in the future, Lights & Shadows will help you to:

Anticipate difficulties and avoid certain pitfallsSee your home country through the eyes of another cultureUnderstand how your own culture influences youRecognize whether you are a good fit for your destination Lights & Shadows is not about different food habits or about bowing or shaking hands for a greeting. Instead it takes you on a journey of self-discovery. Let yourself be inspired. Find out how people think and relate differently. Culture is like an iceberg-discover the part below the surface