Do We Get Each Other?

Divya Susan Varkey & Jan Vincent Meertens

We live alongside people from different cultures, yet truly understanding one another remains a challenge. Do We Get Each Other? offers a fresh and honest perspective on how cultural backgrounds shape behaviour and perceptions—and why understanding this is essential for building genuine relationships. Why does silence feel comfortable to one person and awkward to another? Why does an offer of help feel considerate to some but patronising to others? And why can a simple invitation carry very different expectations in different cultures?

Intercultural trainers Jan Vincent Meertens and Divya Susan Varkey reflect on humorous, moving and sometimes confronting situations from everyday life, in which cultural differences can lead to misunderstanding, but also to growth. Rooted in scientific insight and enriched with real-life stories, this book emphasises humility, curiosity, and dialogue as the keys to breaking down barriers.

Do We Get Each Other? is a valuable guide for anyone who lives, studies or works in the Dutch multicultural environment.  It is an invitation to look beyond stereotypes, foster deeper understanding, and build truly open, meaningful connections in our diverse society.

 

Jan Vincent Meertens is a Dutch entrepreneur with a lifetime of international experience. Divya Susan Varkey is an expat coach who is at home in several cultures, including the Dutch.