I think it’s much less an issue with people who have relocated and spent a few years adapting to us, but to succeed with foreign cultures you have to know how directly they prefer to communicate. Dave Barry tells this story:

(Beth) “… and then we want to take a plane from Point A to Point B.”

(Japanese travel agent) “I see. You want to take a plane?” “Yes.”

“From Point A?” “Yes.”

“To Point B?” “Yes.”

“Ah.” “Can we do that?”

“Perhaps you would prefer to take a train.” “No, we would prefer to take a plane.”

“Ah-hah. You would prefer to take a plane?” “Yes. A plane.”

“I see. From Point A?”

This mystified his wife but apparently between Japanese this is virtually screaming “THERE IS NO PLANE, YOU ZITBRAIN!”