When you communicate, a lot can go wrong. Very wrong. And when you're immersed in a culture that is vastly different from your own, the challenges are even greater.

But to become an effective communicator, the key is to admit it, analyze the situation, and have the guts to look at yourself honestly in the mirror.

Here's a short story about how I clashed immensely at the time I was a hostel owner in Cuba... And what I learned from it.

I have a special bond with Cuba. From my early days as a student, I visited the island frequently as my father married my Cuban stepmother. With a degree in Art History and years of working in the arts in Istanbul and Quito, I was ready to start my own business. So, together with my partner, we established a Bed and Breakfast in Trinidad, a lovely and quaint Cuban town. A childhood dream of becoming my own boss finally came true.