How Not to Rile the Locals
Posted on August 11, 2009 by Fiona Hilliard
No matter how much the travel industry shrinks the globe, you’d be surprised at just how diverse some cultures are. Keep the following in mind when you’re heading abroad and you should avoid running into awkward misunderstandings…
The head is considered to be sacred in Buddhist countries. It is believed to be the seat of the soul and touching another person’s head is highly insulting, even a small child.
Western tourists visiting Asia should also be careful about pointing the finger (and we don’t mean ‘of blame’). For example, it is considered to be the height of bad manners in Malaysia, where people point with the whole fist and thumb to indicate a direction in the usual way. Meanwhile, people in the Philippines point by darting their eyes towards the object or by pursing their lips and pointing to the object with their mouth.
Irish people take offence to their country being referred to as one of the British Isles.
Some general advice- if you’re worried about offending anyone, it’s always best to stick to topics such as the local music, food or the beauty of the natural landscape.
In Argentina, locals would consider it a serious faux pas if you were to show up to dinner in traditional dress, e.g. wearing full Gaucho get up.
Entering a Japanese temple or home with your shoes on is frowned upon in Japan as well as in many Asian countries. Often, locals will give you a pair of slippers to take you from the front door to the living room. These must then be removed before you step on the traditional tatami (red mat).
A bouquet of flowers may seem like an innocent enough gesture but in many countries it depends on the particular colours and numbers you present. For example, carnations are associated with funerals in Germany, Poland and Sweden, while Belgium, Italy, France, Spain and Turkey employ chrysanthemums for the same purpose. In France and Austria red roses signify romance while Mexico and Chile see yellow roses as a symbol of grief and separation. Flowers should always be presented unwrapped in Germany, Sweden and Poland. An odd number of flowers is thought to be bad luck in China and Indonesia and an even number is considered to be bad luck in Turkey, Russia and Germany.
The Chinese write their names in a different order than in Europe and America. The surname is written first, followed by the last name. For example calling Mr. Chen Lin Hong “Mr Hong” is the same as calling Mr. Charlie Chaplin “Mr. Charlie”. It doesn’t end there, to add further to the confusion, the Chinese sometimes reverse their names.
Russia and Scandinavia
In northern Europe, Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union, drinking toasts is a serious sport. In Scandinavia it is good manners to meet your eyes when saying Skal or Prost, while in Russia you’re expected to drink vodka in a single gulp. It is also regarded as rude behaviour to talk or sip between toasts.
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