This article discusses the contribution made by Joseph Conrad's fictional writing to our understanding of cultural awareness. Never comfortable with his adopted English culture, Conrad used his experiences in different parts of the world during his career in the merchant navy to explore in his writing aspects of cultural dissonance and cultural isolation. His contribution to our understanding of these themes, which are of central importance to the international educator, is illustrated by particular reference to three of his early short stories: "An Outpost of Progress", "Karain: A Memory" and "Amy Foster".