Much has been written about long-term expatriate assignments, but for many of us, a more common “assignment” is the short-term business trip — that four-day jaunt to Dubai or the there-and-back trip to Buenos Aires. Too often, these whirlwind treks leave us numb. As we move from one hotel chain to another and order the same Starbucks drink in London that we do in Shanghai or Tokyo, it can feel like just another business trip as opposed to a personally meaningful cross-cultural adventure.