Going abroad and exploring a new country is an enriching experience. You open your eyes to new cultures and try to see everything as a local would. On the other hand, behavior that you consider normal in your homeland could be seen as a faux-pas somewhere else.
To get an idea on how to avoid such situations, Reddit user u/Alexandervz asked what tourists should know before visiting certain countries—the unwritten, unspoken rules if you will. The internet has delivered once again and people from all over the world gave their answers.
From small nuances that might seem unfamiliar at first, to things that will help you avoid getting arrested, there’s a wealth of insights from a range of countries and cultures. Bored Panda has collected the cream of the crop, so vote for your favorites and try to remember them for your next trip!
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We are not trying to be rude, we just don’t do small talk. – Finland
As the world has become a more connected place, finding out about somewhere has become easier than ever. A quick online search for a country will inundate you with photos of the land, its people, outfits, food, and much more. This is all just a few clicks away, not a plane ride and a couple of thousand miles away.
However, nothing compares to visiting a place for yourself. Photos and videos can only replicate the sights and sounds of being somewhere else. Living and feeling it for yourself is an awesome sensory experience, and a personal one too.
Ireland: Seriously, no one cares if you have an Irish great aunt twice removed, that absolutely does not make you Irish, and it’s pretty insulting to claim otherwise.
It’s incredibly refreshing to see everything from a new perspective and educate yourself on the wider world around us. With so many different cultures spanning the five continents, you could spend your whole life just seeing how others live their own lives.
Many people feel the same way and have committed themselves to do exactly that. Whether it’s for bringing a wider focus to small stories or simply for their own growth, sharing experiences through travel is a deeply rewarding experience.
Scandinavia – You don’t talk about religion. Got one? Good for you, but that’s nothing to bring up/discuss.
USA: do not pick up babies. Anywhere. I went to costco with a few Korean foreign exchange student friends and one of them picked up a baby from the cart. The mother was looking away and when she turned back I saw the instant fear in her eyes. I told my friend to put the baby down and explained to the mom that they were foreign and its okay to touch babies in Korea.
But to get the most out of it, you need to open yourself up to new possibilities and shake off your unconscious biases. Your notions about life could be vastly different from how others in your chosen destination see the world.
I live in Korea. Off the top of my head:
people are going to touch / gently push / bump into you in public places, without saying anything like “excuse me” or the Korean equivalent – this is a crowded place, get used to it
small talk with clerks or whatever in public places is not expected and is downright strange
you should always be extra deferential to elders, especially if you’re young (say under 30) (giving them your seat on the subway, letting them cut the line, things like that)
people will ask you your age not because they’re rude, but because in Korea it’s important for establishing how they should address you when they speak
lotsa complicated rules for eating and drinking which I don’t have time to go into here but would if someone was interested
PDAs are frowned upon, even minor things like a long kiss
same-gender touching/hugging/holding hands is common, without there being any sort of homosexual connotation
men should avoid going shirtless in public, even when exercising or running or something like that (some guys even keep their shirts on at the beach, and not because they’re overweight or something)
Denmark: DO NOT STAND OR WALK IN THE BIKELANE! You will get yelled at and/or run over.
So, when you’re a guest in another country, it’s important to remember that you’re exactly that—a guest. And this means being respectful to your hosts. Understanding the local customs will help you go a long way, so to speak, and your respect will be reciprocated. Eventually, you’ll adjust and be able to see a country just as the locals do.
On this, Dr. Asim Shah, a professor of psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine, said, “By learning about people of different cultural backgrounds, you can increase your horizons. If you put aside any prejudices or biases you might have and you are open to other people, it can help prepare you to listen, talk and learn about other people and their cultures.”
Vietnam – commit to crossing the road. I know it looks scary due to the endless scooter stampede but if you just cross at a steady pace, they’ll avoid you. Do not try to dodge or make sudden movements, you will get your ass hit and there will be no sympathy.
I live in Singapore. Where I’m at, such as fast food restaurants and food courts, there’s a common practice known as “chopeing”, where one can “chope”, or reserve a table by placing a packet of tissues on the table. Tourists who have no idea of this usually take the table obliviously and gets dirty looks from the local who “choped” the table.
Alright, so here’s some French stuff, specifically Parisian.
ALWAYS greet the people working in a shop with bonjour. Even if you don’t speak to them again or leave without buying anything, you also have to say au revoir. It’s rude not to.
French waiters might seem rude to some, but they’re just doing their job, and that doesn’t include the whole dog and pony show pretend to be your friend thing. They want to know what you want, they want to bring it to you, then they want to collect your money. In fancy restaurants it’s a little more formal but in cafés don’t be offended if you have to flag them down to get another coffee. They don’t have time to hover around twice or three times while you make up your mind on what you want. It’s not personal, they’re just busy and don’t see making friends as part of their job.
If you’re staying with French people, always ask if they need help in the kitchen. They will refuse, but you’re expected to get up and help anyway. They might still protest, but you should still try to do the dishes or something.
In many metro cars, the doors still have a manual open signal. If you’re closest to the exit door, you’re expected to twist the lever and make it open. Do this just a second before the train actually stops to look like a local. And push down hard, those things are tougher than you would think to activate.
If you accidentally make eye contact with a random person on the street, don’t smile. You will be considered a weirdo.
If you want to rent a car in France and can’t drive stick, you have to go to the airport. If you speak good enough French the clerk will make fun of you for not being able to drive a stick.
To successfully drive in Paris, you have to drive like a total as***le. None of this polite waiting for a gap in traffic to turn left. Just f**king go for it and expect everyone else to stop. No one is insured at the arc de triomph, so drive through that particular roundabout at your own risk. Nobody honks except in huge emergencies. And if traffic is suddenly stopped in front of you, turn on your hazards
Otherwise, you might stick out like a sore thumb and instantly identify yourself as an ignorant tourist. Unfortunately, this stereotype is often applied to people of the good ol’ US of A when taking their vacations outside of the country.
Perhaps it’s their headstrong and confident nature that can be jarring to more introverted or reserved cultures. Or their animated behaviors and loud voices, previously only seen from a distance through movies and TV.
Either way, we’ve written a couple of articles specifically on it before, so be sure to check them out here and here once you’re done. Like we said though, it is just a stereotype so not every American is automatically lacking self-awareness and being disrespectful—we don’t want to be hypocrites here!
In Malaysia, it is absolutely normal for someone to ask you what race you are. It’s not meant to be offensive, just general curiousity.
southern Italy:
Be loud
If someone is doing it, you can do it too.
Whatever you need, most people would love to help you, but usually have no clue on how to communicate with you. Make sure you appreciate the effort, no matter how clumsy.
Both guys and girls say hi with a kiss on each cheek.
No such thing as personal space.
If you’re driving, be extremely careful. Everything is supposed to be an advice, not actual laws. (I mean everything is supposed to be laws, is just taken as an advice).
If you happen to have some friend’s mother or grandmother cook for you, make sure you compliment her thoroughly and clearly state that you never had such an amazing meal wherever you’re from (there’s a reasonable chance that could actually be true).
If you’re clubbing, don’t randomly approach girls, unless you really know what you’re doing. Guys tend to be overprotective with the girls that “belong” to their group.
If you’re a girl, you’re gonna get hit on no matter what. Try not to be too rude and just dismiss the guy laughing about it.
We wear shoes in the house. Unless you’re hanging out with a younger crowd (then it’s completely fine to get your shoes off) keep your shoes on.
You can drink wherever you please
Don’t wear white socks with sandals, you’re gonna be laughed at. Either wear shoes or sandals with no socks.
If you show any sort of effort of speaking Italian, you’re gonna be loved for it.
I’m pretty sure this covers most of the basics, if anyone is curious we could get into more detail.
India
There’s lots of little cultural taboos. But one thing I can remember right now is, never refer to someone older than you by their name. If you are young (below 20-ish), you can refer to middle-aged and older people as ‘Aunty’ and ‘Uncle’, or ‘Sir’ and ‘Ma’am’. It gets slightly confusing when you are around 20 (like I am) and the person is in their late twenties or early thirties. But yeah. Never call someone older by their name.
DO NOT DRINK THE TAP WATER.
It does raise an important point for those traveling, however. How can we learn to be respectful of other cultures? It requires some retraining of our thoughts and some self-assessment.
For example, Susan Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of National Geographic, addressed the history of the long-running magazine and faced the accusations that their reporting in the past was feeding into clichés and stereotypes of the time. A sort of tourism of other cultures, viewed from an outsider perspective without the respect given accordingly.
So, acknowledging your own differences and seeing others with an open mind from home is a starting point. And it’s recognizing what makes us similar, not different that brings us together.
Finland: Do not go too near anyone. Our personal space is huge.
Thailand
When you meet someone you have not seen for a while , they will make a comment about your weight .. Heavier or Skinner .. they’re not trying to be offensive .. it’s just how they are ..
We’re pretty much the least homophobic place on earth , two dude who are stright like to make gay lover jokes to each other..
You can pay the policemen to get out of minor traffic stuff.
Feet are consider very dirty .. and head is very important .. dont mix them up , ie : dont put your shoes on any shelve that taller than your head.
You dont have to tip a lot when dine out ,
If you’re a tourist .. expect to pay way more than local when buying something .. a lot of business charges 3x the amount of service for tourist especially westerners. Bring a local with you to haggle!
Mexico. When eating in a taquería, you’ll find that the tacos are small but cheap (and also that they don’t resemble anything you gringos would name a taco). You don’t immediately order all the tacos you plan to eat. You order the tacos you’ll eat in ten minutes. That way you get them right out of the fire. You need to put lime and onion, and several sauces on them to make them live to their full potential. Then you order again. Don’t worry about counting; your waiter will keep track. When you pay and leave, just leave the tip on the table. Tipping is completely up to you, depends on the quality of the service and the usual amount is 10% because we don’t let our servers starve.
Also, and this is very important: three things are sacred here: the Flag, the Virgin and the Football Selection. Even if you are talking with a malinchista, atheist, obese man who doesn’t care about the three, you are not allowed to insult them. EVER. We can, we’re Mexican and we can s**t on anything Mexican if we want. If you do it, you’re on your own. What Miley Cyrus did to our flag, done anywhere else by anyone else is enough to get you brutally murdered and the records missing. Do not touch our three sacred things. EXCEPTION: if your Selection is playing against ours you can s**t on it up to six hours after the match started, and only of you win. The exception does not apply if you’re talking to an angry drunk man.
In Cuba it often looks like there’s no line, but there is. It’s called “el ultimo”. When you arrive somewhere you ask “el ultimo?” and whoever is last in line raises their hand. You are now “el ultimo” and you just know who is in front of you. In the meantime you can sit down in some shade.
USA: Be very aware of where your secondhand smoke is at all times.
I remember a friend in Okinawa was horrified because I wanted to go into a shop that had these really beautiful, dark wood cabinets. Turns out they were for home shrines for dead relatives.
USA…we are going to talk to you. We like to make small talk with strangers because it sometimes leads to friendships or even just perks of having acquaintances. Once we hear your accent, oh SNAP! We will have a million questions about your country. Some will seem ignorant, some will just be downright funny. Humor us.
Here are a few other things visitors to Ireland should know.
If somebody buys you a drink you’re expected to return the favor. As a visitor it’s easier to avoid buying rounds if at all possible as the whole thing can be very complicated.
Outside of the cities, Irish people tend to say hello to others, regardless of whether they know them or not. Say hello back.
Most bars/pubs serve food in the cities. But it can be difficulty to decipher if there is table service, or if you’re expected to order and pay at the bar. Sometimes it’s just easier to ask as soon as you go in rather than waiting at a table. Irish people even get confused about this. There is no consistency.
Irish pedestrians do not wait for a green light before attempting to cross the road. If there is a gap in the traffic people will cross the road.
Security staff aka bouncers in pubs and bars generally will have a quick chat with people before they let them in. Just a quick hello, how are you. This is very true of people in larger groups. Stag party’s and hen party’s will not be allowed in to many bars outside of Temple Bar.
Do not drink anywhere in Temple Bar. It’s unbelievably overpriced and there are much better and more traditional bars one or two streets away in all directions. Any pint costing more than €5/€5.50 is expensive. Anything over €6 is a rip off. Excluding craft beers.
We tend to drink our beers in pints. Irish people do not generally drink pints of Guinness in a night club. The quality is bad, stick to bottles in night clubs.
The best pint of Guinness is not served in the Guinness factory. (Try Mulligans, Brogans, Grogans, The Palace, Long Hall)
Bar staff do not expect a tip but if there is table service it is generally expected to let the waiter/waitress keep the change after buying a round of drinks. €1-€2. Tipping is expected for restaurant service.
People tend to tip taxi drivers, just a euro or two, not a lot. This isn’t essential, but if your journey is short it is nice to tip the drivers.
Irish people have many many words for toilet. Jacks, bog, john, bathroom etc…
Irish people curse a lot in everyday f**king sentences, ya bollix. Don’t be offended.
If Irish people in your company start speaking Irish (Gaeilge) they are talking about you.
Our language is not called Gaelic, it’s called Irish, or Gaeilge. Gaelic football is correct however.
Ireland is not part of the UK, it is part of the British Isles, but do not draw attention to that. Do not confuse Ireland as being a member of the UK. It’s a touchy subject. We love the English really, but rarely admit it.
There are few rest-stops on our motorways. It is better now than in previous years, but if you need to use the bog then go before you leave on a long journey. Most of our cities are no more than 3 hours from Dublin, which is the centre of the universe, so the journeys are never too long.
Irish drivers do not use indicators. They are for decoration only. We are generally safe drivers however.
Buses and trains never leave on time. Do not believe the timetables. Download the official apps before arriving. The real-time information is somewhat reliable.
When going to a friend’s house and the family offers you have dinner with them, it is impolite to say no.
Also, they would insist that you stay over in case you’ve had too much a lambanog and will give you the next best mattress they have.
Before you leave, accept the leftover they give should you be hungry on your way back home.
Filipino hospitality at its essence.
Australia here.
They ain’t flip flops, they are thongs. And they are an Australian treasure, they are now your “everything” shoes. Fancy dinner, dancing, meetings… wear your thongs.
Kangaroos are not for transport. Wombats are.
Our currency is officially called “dollarydoos”. eg “900 dollarydoos?!”
Call everyone a cunt, especially that single fly that wont leave you alone. eg. “Get away from me you dirty cunt” – Swat at fly. If you call someone “sir” or “maam” be prepared to be called a cunt.
You have to be bitten by a spider at least once a week and a snake once a month. Police check up on that with routine traffic stops, punishment is a mandatory booting.
All women are called “Shiela”.
All men are called “Bruce”.
No one wears cork hats you poofy cunt.
You have to drive a 1992 “Holden Commodore” and always have too many people in the back. Mandatory mismatched wheels on the back is required.
Germany:
our waiters usually earn above minimum wage, so you never tip more than 15%, normally 10% for small amounts and a bit less for larger bills.
on the escalator, if you want to stand, stand on the right side and let others pass left.
if you rent a bike, don’t drive like your own granny, drive fast and if you want to pause, get off the bike lane. Also, don’t walk on our f**king bike lanes, they are clearly marked (blue signs with a white bike and mostly red paint on the bike lane). If you approach a tram or bus stop, brake and let people get on and off the train.
queue from the right at things like a burger joint so that passer-byes are not blocked. At museums, trains or the airport, queue frontally.
yes, it is common to encounter nude people of all ages in the sauna or at some lakes or even at some few parks in the city. Don’t stare and for god’s sake don’t comment on this.
not everyone here is from Bavaria or thinks Bavaria is great. Likewise, not everyone loves beer and sausages.
and don’t mention the war, k?
Mainland China: Do not buy traditional Chinese silk clothes and from a shop also sells wreath. (no matter how beautiful they are) Those clothes are for dead people, and that shop is a shroud shop. You have no idea how horrifying to se a foreigner wearing them and walking down the street.
Southerners, USA: Be really mindful if someone says “bless your heart,” because that could mean you earned high favor or just stepped in a big pile of trouble.
I live in Sweden.
Don’t get too close to me, our personal space is rather big.
If you’re taking the bus, do not ever sit down next to another person if there’s other free seats.
You take your goddamn shoes off when you’re inside your house or someone elses.
Amsterdam: ride your rentabike bike carefully. At first glance it seems there aren’t any rules, but there are lots of them. One is not to get yourself or others killed.
Netherlands: just because we’re loud, doesn’t mean we’re being rude or angry. We’re just a loud people.
Also: If you’re going to do drugs, don’t buy off the streets, don’t mix them and take into consideration that while you are visiting, some of us actually live here.
Also lived in Japan. This is what I have to say. Bow to people who bow to you. Bow to people in general when they give you a service. It’s a sign of respect and it goes a long way.
Also, take off your shoes and respect the culture
Australia
Don’t pick up or touch insects – or any other kind of animal that you’re not familiar with. You might end up not needing your ticket back.
DO try to put on an Australian accent. Seriously, it’s hilarious for us.
This is Australia; you can do whatever the hell you like.
Stick to the marked walking tracks, don’t drive your car places it’s not designed to go, and if you DO want to see some really wild, memorable places off the beaten track- make sure you have an experienced friend with you, with all the gear you need. If you do have a capable 4wd, make sure you’ve at least used it off-road too before you try something too difficult. Your soccer mum Audi Q7 is not a capable car, leave that s**t parked beside the hair dresser where it belongs.
China
Don’t drink the tap water unless you want to have diarrhea or die.
Deal drugs, punishment is death
Do NOT go anywhere without a roll of toilet paper or tissue on you. EDIT: To answer some of your questions and to clarify: I live in a developed city (not hard to guess which one), and I’d say most bathrooms are good to go here without toilet paper. However, remember most of China is quite undeveloped. Yes, most bathrooms outside of big cities are just holes in the ground. To stress how important this tip I gave is: I am a guy and I only use toilet paper for sh**ting, and I still carry it with me if I am in a smaller town/city. I don’t even want to imagine what it’d be like for a girl not being well equipped going to a bathroom :/
England
Don’t talk to people on the tube. Got that? The tube is as sacred to us as the shower; it is where we reminisce about our pasts in complete silence. It is a memorial to fallen dreams, a cemetery of missed opportunities, but most of all it is a sanctuary of regret. And you will treat it like a library; Sit down, shut the f**k up, read a f**king book and ignore the tears rolling down the face of the person next to you.
Don’t tell anybody born north of Birmingham that Thatcher “wasn’t all that bad”.
We can complain about how s**te our country is all we want, but you’re not allowed to. We won’t protest too loudly about it and probably won’t even say anything, but inside we’re consulting our in-brain thesaurus for things to put in the strongly-worded letter we’re going to write, expressing our discontent at your behaviour.
France
-When on the Paris metro, saying a word or even showing a glimpse of emotion= instant French Death Glare
Iran
Men should not wear shorts in public, it just isn’t done. Do not openly criticize the government/homosexuality, people will shun you and you will attract unwanted attention. Locals may charge you for taking pictures of their towns/countryside – under no circumstances should you feel pressured to pay them. I think everyone knows about the pressures on women. If you are boxom, you may attract catcalls on the street and be openly stared at. Try to ignore and know that no alternative clothing will have prevented it. You may be asked for your social network credentials/password on entry to the country if you make trouble. Before leaving your country of origin, make a fake profile. Enjoy your trip.
Italy
Don’t lose your receipts. Counterfeiting is a problem, but so is corruption. If you buy a fake piece of s**t and don’t have a receipt to prove you got scammed, the police will give you a hard time.
Singaporean here
You are allowed to wear Flip flops and shorts wherever you go. The fancy city area? Flipflop and Shorts are perfect. That 5 star hotel? Flip flops are welcomed. Public transport? You are weird if you do not wear them
Jordan: If you’re a foreign female (bonus if you have blonde hair), you’ll get hit on at least once every 10 minutes
Greece
Don’t get offended when someone lights up a cigar without asking for your permission to smoke
Brazil
Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t take off your clothes in public in Brazil. Yes, at least a few tourists are arrested every year for this.
Try not to bribe too many officials.
We are going to touch you. This is the tropics, it isn’t f**king Scandinavia. Give us a hug. And three kisses in our cheeks. This is how I greet strangers.
SPEAK UP. I CAN’T HEAR YOU. Brazil is loud.
If a woman touch you, it doesn’t mean she wants to have sex. Be respectful, dammit.
Contrary to popular belief, we’re not “easy”. Maybe you’ll think that it’s easier to kiss someone here than in Europe, but people won’t have sex to you just because they kissed you. It might mean nothing.
Contrary to popular belief, Brazil is actually quite a conservative place. Don’t judge what is acceptable or not to do based on what people do in carnival or what 18 year olds do in wild nights out.
Top less is not allowed in 99.99999% of public places. We are very conservative. Even walking around in bathing suits can get you in trouble if you’re not by the pool or in a beach.
There are people who don’t like football. They exist.
Portuguese here:
Speak in spanish with us and you will get punched in the throat
There seems to be an absence of Arabs here, so here goes:
Men kiss men on the cheek. It’s fine. You’ll know when its happening.
Never shake hands with a girl unless she initiates the hand shake.
Don’t refuse gifts and treats. Arabs are very hospitable people and we like to treat and pamper visitors.
Queues? What queues? Don’t stand in line unless there is a line.
Don’t try to speak Arabic unless you want to be corrected over every. little. pronunciation. Our language is hard and we have many letters and sounds that you simply don’t have the skills to say.
Note: Arabs are very diverse and we are quite different but the above applies to most, if not all, Arab countries.
UK. You never, ever, jump a queue
been hearing a lot of northern Europeans talking about bike lanes, so: In America, if you rent a bike, you should be aware that even if the bike lane is painted onto the street in a rainbow pattern with flashing neon lights, nobody gives a s**t. You are not safe in the bike lane.
In London, you don’t need to press the ‘open’ buttons on the tube trains. They open automatically.
Please don’t look for your train ticket/Oyster card AT the barriers. Get it ready before you get there. Also please don’t stop in front of the gates after passing through them.
If you have suitcases or big rucksacks, be careful with them and aware of other people. Don’t be surprised if everyone gives you a death stare if you board a train with luggage during rush hour.
Last but not least: walk on the left, stand on the right.
Southern (Southeastern not counting Florida) USA.
If someone offers something or help, etc once you’re almost expected to refuse it or say “Oh I couldn’t possibly bother you for that” or something along such lines. If it’s offered again or pressed then they genuinely want to help or offer and you should accept. If you really don’t need it then you have to basically convince them as such.
It’s kind of a cultural thing to be kind and welcoming to everyone. Some people are racist and such and that’s the stereotype but most aren’t.
Like how people say Finland is really anti-small talk in this thread it’s exactly the opposite there. Everyone will want to know how you’re doing and about your family and such. They’ll invite you in and offer you drinks and things.
Iceland.
Don’t be fooled, we are really quite rude, and semi unhappy. Not all of us, but since just recently we have never been known for being the “happiest nation” ever.
The women are not as easy as you think.
There is no such thing as a traditional Icelandic restaurant. Today we eat a lot hamburgers.
I don’t want to be asked about my personal life. Most don’t, unless they’ve had a drink or two – look at the finish in this thread, they’re doing it right.
We really do love to party, but the party doesn’t start until 2:00 am. Don’t go out before 12 and expect excitement. Also we drink to get drunk.
Don’t talk to anyone in public. Only approach people for conversations if they are receptionists or something similar.
It’s not for your security or anything, but it freaks us the hell out. No one talks to strangers in Norway, unless you’re hiking and above the treelines.
Iceland
Don’t drive offroad. Because the tracks will stay for long time in the land.
If a woman in the state of Georgia in the US touches your arm while she talks to you, she is NOT hitting on you. It’s just something they do… some sort of leftover to the old school debutante society. Took me a while and few face slaps to figure it out.
Latinamerica: we don’t know what “personal space” is. You’ve been warned.
Canada – Ontario
Smaller towns are often much more polite than big cities like toronto.
If you bump into someone say sorry.
If someone bumps into you, say sorry.
It’s common courtesy to hold a door open for someone, however when it’s someone elderly, you wait there until they have walked through the door.
Say thank you everytime someone holds the door for you. In the event that there are two doors (like at a mall entrance) if they hold the first for for you say thanks and hold the next door for them.
Our food is quite often very salty, add salt after your first few bites to get a better judgment if you should.
If you go to a bar and someone calls you bud, you made a friend.
We are very social in restaurants. Talk to your waiter and waitresses.
When ordering your morning coffee a “Double Double” is two cream and two sugar. I prefer a double double with milk. Either way is acceptable.
Italy.
Never order a cappuccino with your meal. Cappuccinos are for breakfast.
Also, about breakfast: we usually eat sweet stuff (cappuccino or espresso, bread with Nutella or jam, croissant, fruit, cake) but not a lot of stuff. We usually eat more at lunchdinner than breakfast.
Don’t try to talk Italian if you don’t know it… Don’t blabber “babede boopi” and expect to be understood.
Most Australian’s really don’t talk in the typical Australian way, some do, and plenty of people use a couple of the words, but you’ll stand out and seem like an idiot if you try it.
My God, do we swear though.
Small town USA:
When we ask questions, we’re looking for ways in which we’re similar. We want to know how you fit in, which is more or less a question of how we fit in, where we can help each other, what it is that brings us together.
Example: “I am from Sweden.”
“You’re from Sweden? That’s so cool, I had a cousin that went to Sweden before, he said it was really awesome. I’ve visited France before, is Sweden anything like France?”
“Not really.”
“Oh okay, that’s understandable, but at least you’re both European, right?”
“I guess.”
“Well I’ve had Swedish fish before, is Swedish fish actually Swedish?”
“Well yes.”
“Cool so do you guys eat it all the time!”
“Not really, not more than you guys eat candy I suppose.”
“Right, that’s true, yeah, we both like candy!”
“Right.”
(Note: this does not imply ignorance. It’s an effusiveness of our desire to want to belong in a community. The local community knows and cares for each other and so an opportunity to bring someone else who fits in is an exciting way of expanding your proximal agency.)
Big city USA:
When we ask questions, we’re looking for ways in which we’re different from each other. This is so that we can distinguish ourselves amongst the giant crowd of people we’re surrounded by every day. We want to know what unique, idiosyncratic new perspective you can bring on board, because for the most part we’ve already heard of and dealt with all the rest.
Example:
“I’m from Sweden.”
“Yeah I know a few people from Sweden, which part of Sweden?”
“Stockholm.”
“Yeah it seems most the people I meet from Sweden are from around there, what neighborhood do you live in?”
“Södermalm.”
“Yeah I had a buddy that lived there, what did you do while you lived there?”
“I was a banker.”
“Well so was he but which bank? “
(Note: this is not to imply arrogance. It’s an effusiveness of our desire to extend our network and our reach into further corners of global map so that we can increase a larger and more competitive social safety net, or in short, to find community within a mass of people).
England here. If someone asks ‘you alright?’ Or ‘alright mate?’, this is not an invitation to explain how you are doing in any sort of detail. The only acceptable answers are ‘yeh mate, you?’ And ‘not bad, yourself?’ Anything else is just weird.
Welcome to India.
traffic rules are more of guidelines, follow them only if you want to.
if you cut a lane, and get yourself scraped (or even rear ended for that matter), it’s their fault, not yours. And aggressively cutting lanes is very common.
there are no lanes.
red is stop; green is go; orange GO FASTER!
stay the f**k away from cars with yellow number plates, they’re usually rash. They’re more like unofficial taxis, transporting people to/from work. These drivers drive around the city all day and are usually frustrated.
blinking headlights usually invites aggression from other drivers.
expensive cars or SUVs, heavily tinted glasses and fancy single digit number plates(called VIP plates). Stay the f*k away. Btw, tinted glasses are banned. You get the idea.
one way lanes are one way, only if you’re caught. If you cuss someone in the wrong way, they’ll cuss back, and harder. Like Russel Peters rightly said ‘in India, if you find a lane, take it and go’
slower cars are supposed to stay left. Since most don’t obey rules, slower cars will be on right and people usually overtake from left.
public transport buses are usually very rash in the cities. Bus stops are on the left, try and stay on the right.
on highways(freeways) keep an eye on goods transport vehicles. Their drivers don’t get enough sleep. I got rear ended by one on a speed-bump on a highway.
yes, there could be speedbumps on highways.
the blame in an accident goes to driver of the vehicle with the higher mass.
the blame in an accident is inversely proportional to the wealthsocial statusfame of the driver.
Thank you and come again.
In Canada there will be people who will hold the door for you just politely thank them, but don’t expect everyone to do it. Plus if your in Toronto or something don’t except to go to Vancouver that same day unless your flying there. The only people who will understand this are americans, people who have been to Canada before, or Russians. And from those wondering if you wanted to see all or most of Canada it will take a couple months so its good for long summer vacations
Source link : https://www.boredpanda.com/unwritten-rules-for-a-tourist/
