A Meta-Cultural way of thinking about communication, understanding, and competence means not just understanding and appreciating a few other cultures, but rather being able to function competently in any cultural setting in which you find yourself. In the Meta-Cultural mindset, therefore, all cultures have value, we are sensitive to cultural traits and cues, we avoid giving or taking offense, and diversity is seen as a strength. This paper is based on a presentation, given to a Multi-Cultural Communication class at Asia University, Taiwan. It explores the reality of the world today in which when speakers of different native languages meet, they are likely to have English in common as a second or foreign language, at least in business, education, tourism, and similar fields. Effective communicators today must be able to quickly identify commonalities across cultures and avoid points of cultural conflict, in order to achieve the most beneficial interaction, regardless of which culture they encounter. The paper concludes with the author's seven rules for functioning in a different culture. [This paper is based on an invited presentation at Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.]