There are some interesting cultural barriers with the East as well which are very awkward; for example, a "worker" (for want of a better term) will smile and nod and say "yes" if you ask everything's ok, even when it's utterly irredeemably f**ked, which seems to be a cultural issue.
Cas

Many higher level engineering jobs make you take classes to learn all these little quirks that people from other cultures have.
I've had many experiences with people of other cultures never saying "no" even when its so obvious that they can't do what you are asking for. Above that they rarely even ask questions. I had one guy I was working with build something for an android watch for me. I asked him if he could do it. "Yes". The next day, "what do you have done?", "oh I will have it done soon". A week later I looked over at his computer, asked him to show me something. He avoided it, later I found out he was still trying to set up the SDK.
One time at a big tech meet up, some guy from Adobe that I was talking to gave me his business card. I took it and put it in my wallet in my back pocket. He stormed away furious. Later I learned that what I did, in his eyes, was take his business card and wipe it on my ass. I was supposed to take it, and put it face up on the table in front of me.
Cultures.. great stuff...