Culturosity Co.

Jennifer and Janka are the co-founders of The Culturosity Co., which provides intercultural competency training for groups and individuals. They are both certified practitioners of the intercultural assessment tools GlobeSmart, Cultural Orientations Indicator, and the Global Competence Aptitude Assessment.

Though Jennifer moved several times in her childhood, she spent the majority of her formative years in the Chicago suburbs and central Illinois. While attending college at DePaul University in Chicago, Jennifer was inspired by all things international, and focused much of her studies on Latin American politics and a study abroad experience in El Salvador. Jennifer’s career has centered around international education, providing programs and intercultural learning opportunities at universities such as the University of California, Santa Cruz, New York University Abu Dhabi, and Northwestern University. All of these experiences led Jennifer to pursue training and certification in intercultural competency, which she finds endlessly fascinating and rewarding. She will be delighted to listen to your worries and challenges, brainstorm solutions, and provide you with the resources needed to help you achieve a successful international move.

Janka, born and raised in Germany, has always had a curious mind — wanting to explore the world and eager to experience the unfamiliar. She moved to the United States in 2001 to attend college, where she found herself surrounded by hundreds of other curious international students. This experience sparked her passion for intercultural communication, a field she went on to study and pursue professionally. Janka brings both personal and professional insights into cross-cultural life and is passionate about helping others find meaning, confidence, and connection in their new environment.

An international move is one of life’s great adventures, providing you and your loved ones with new experiences socially, emotionally, and professionally. However, a successful international move requires adaptation and integration strategies.

Through one-on-one coaching sessions and group workshops, learn about research-backed cultural frameworks and skills navigating your new cultural environment.

Q: Who would benefit from cultural training?

A: Everyone! Cultural training helps us understand our own cultural behaviors and beliefs and increases our ability to identify and understand cultural differences. In order to successfully adjust to your new life abroad, a cultural framework will reduce the risk of conflict, disengagement, and rejection of the host culture.

Q: I have traveled internationally. Will this training be too basic for me?

A: No! In fact, touristic travel, while beneficial, can give people a false sense of cultural competency. You will leave the consultation with a much deeper understanding of yourself and others from a cultural perspective.

Q: I’m moving to a country where English is widely spoken. Is cultural training necessary if I can communicate in English?

A: Yes! Language is only one piece of the cultural puzzle. In fact, there can be more challenges for people from different cultures who share a language, because the gap between expectation and reality in terms of cultural differences can be bigger, leading to more frustration and misunderstandings. A little training will go a long way in helping you make your new country your new home.

Q: The Culturosity Co. offers 2 different services - the first a consultation and the second a consultation including a GlobeSmart Profile. Is the additional fee for the GlobeSmart Profile worth it?

A: In The Cultural Skills Consultation, we will walk you through the framework for understanding cultural differences and if you have identified some specific countries, we can discuss the general differences between American culture and the national culture in those countries. If you select the consultation with the GlobeSmart Profile, you will also gain an individualized cultural assessment report and access to a comprehensive global cultural resource for 6 months. We are confident that both options will benefit participants, but the GlobeSmart Profile allows you to continue to deepen your learning even after our consultation.

Q: I’ve already moved abroad and I am struggling! How can The Culturosity Co. help?

A: We’ve been there. After the “honeymoon period” of your new move wears off, the reality of daily life becomes apparent. This is a perfect time to set up a consultation with The Culturosity Co. - we can target your specific challenges and work with you on developing deeper cultural understandings, skills, and strategies.