Learn the rules nobody writes down
The Unwritten Rules is a friendly, story-led course for anyone who studies, works, lives or travels across cultures. Follow 25 travelers through a year of very real misunderstandings, see every one from both sides, and learn to get along anywhere, including at home.
$39 one-time, plus applicable taxes · Full access
Try 4 lessons free — no account neededpeople were living outside their country of birth or citizenship in 2024, nearly twice as many as in 1990.[1]
countries your travelers and hosts come from. You'll see each misunderstanding from both sides.
scenes, and every one is retold from the other person's point of view.
Sources
- [1] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). International Migrant Stock 2024: Key facts and figures. View source ↗
The first figure is the United Nations' estimate of international migrants worldwide. The other two describe the course itself.
A different way to learn about culture
Short, story-led lessons that build one habit you can use anywhere: notice, pause and ask before you judge.
Start with the Essentials
The 12 lessons the rest of the course builds on, in about 2.5 hours: how culture works, how people communicate, time and hierarchy, and culture shock.
Completely optional. It's a suggested route through the course, not a smaller one: you still get all 39 lessons and 9 scenario challenges, and you can explore them in any order, before, after, or instead of it.
See the EssentialsBuilt for real life
Every lesson follows the same rhythm, so you always know where you are.
- A cast you'll get to knowMateo in Minnesota, Haruka in Utrecht, Chidi in Freiburg, Peg and Rana in Hamilton, and 21 more storylines, all told from both sides.
- Words worth knowingMost lessons include a word from another language that captures the idea, from Japanese atarimae to Quechua ayni.
- Scenario challengesEvery module ends with real-life puzzles: choose the most likely explanation, then see what each option gets right or wrong.
- Your Culture JournalReflection questions and activities in every lesson, collected in one printable journal.
- Paths for your situationStart with the essentials, then add the lessons for exchange, work, a new life abroad, travel, or welcoming newcomers.
- A toolkit to keepSeven habits, quick checklists for common situations, and a personal action plan to take with you.
One simple price
Every lesson, challenge and download, for as long as the course is offered.
Frequently asked questions
Who is this course for?
Anyone who studies, works, lives or travels across cultures: exchange students, people working abroad, immigrants building a new life, frequent travelers, and the hosts, colleagues and neighbors who welcome newcomers. If you're simply curious about the people around you, it's for you too.
Is it a list of do's and don'ts for each country?
No. Lists like that go out of date, encourage stereotypes, and don't help when you meet a culture that isn't on them. The course teaches the big ways cultures differ, such as directness, time, hierarchy and face, so you can make sense of any culture you meet, including your own.
Do I have to take the lessons in order?
The course is designed to be taken in order, but every lesson stands on its own, and the characters are reintroduced each time they appear. Short on time? The optional Essentials covers the core of the course in about 2.5 hours, and the first lesson suggests extra lessons for your situation.
How long does it take?
There are 39 lessons, most of them 10 to 13 minutes long including the activities, and 9 scenario challenges. Together they add up to about 9 hours. You can go as quickly or as slowly as you like.
Is the English difficult?
No. The lessons are written in clear, everyday English for an international audience, many of whom don't speak English as a first language. Idioms are explained when they appear, and words from other languages are always translated.
Are the characters real?
No. All the characters, companies and conversations are fictional, but the places are real, and the misunderstandings are the kind that happen every day.
Can I try the course before I buy it?
Yes. These 4 lessons are free to read in full, with no account needed: 1.1 The Water We Swim In, 2.1 Direct and Indirect: Two Ways to Be Polite, 4.1 Clock Time and People Time, and 5.4 Friendship: Peaches and Coconuts.
How do payment and access work?
A single one-time payment, handled by Stripe. There is no subscription and nothing to cancel. You get every lesson and scenario challenge, all 4 downloadable course PDFs, and free updates as the course is revised, on any device, for as long as the course is offered.
Ready to read between the lines?
$39 one-time, plus applicable taxes, full access. Short lessons you can take in order or one at a time, at home or on the road.