Sometimes, being courteous can have terrible consequences. Here are some examples.
After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, we finally have the freedom to travel! And the locals in other countries get to resume their grumbling about rude American visitors.
Yay.
You might be curious why some people in the world have such a low opinion of American travelers. You’ve always been friendly and courteous, but people still glare at you like you just offended their mom.
The problem is, many things we think are normal are totally strange to foreigners. They might find them odd at best, and extremely rude at worst.
Therefore, here are 8 things you should avoid doing if you’re going to travel abroad this summer. Except if it’s customary, then don’t refrain from doing it.
Lugging Around a Large Handbag or Sack
It makes sense to bring a purse or a bag if you’re going somewhere, right? It’s so convenient to have everything you need with you — especially when you travel!
The problem is that people outside of America hardly carry bags — they just keep their most essential valuables in their pockets or at most a small purse. A large bag identifies you right away as a tourist.
And who enjoy spotting clueless tourists? Thieves and con artists.
Carrying a backpack is not impolite in itself. But it can be a security risk, so try to observe whether the locals carry them. If not, it’s better to leave yours at the hotel.
Giving Extra Money
This may be obvious, but in case you’re unaware — people outside of America don’t tip. Ever.
That said, tipping is becoming more prevalent around the world. Maybe it’s because we don’t bother to learn if we should tip in the country we’re traveling to.
But there are still places, especially in East Asia, where you absolutely shouldn’t tip. It’s not only unneeded, but it’s also deeply rude. You don’t want to imply that your waiter could use some extra money, do you?
Requesting a Change in a Restaurant Dish
Okay, so you shouldn’t give a tip at a restaurant. Understood. But you shouldn’t ask the restaurant to adjust anything about your meal, either.
But that’s so weird! If the meal looks good but has one thing you don’t like, why couldn’t you seek for it?
In some places (Europe particularly) restaurants take great pride in the meals they offer. If you ask for it to be changed or add a lot of condiments, you’re implying the restaurant is poor at making their food flavorful.
Expecting Stores to Remain Open Late
In the US, we can always count on most stores, especially grocery stores, to be open if we want to do some late-night shopping. But if you do that elsewhere, you’ll be in for a nasty surprise.
To start with, American nine-to-five office hours aren’t universal. In some European countries, the usual office hours are 8-to-4.
Moreover, in most countries, even grocery stores shut their doors at 9 p.m. And if you want to buy some wine or beer for your hotel room, check the hours especially carefully — some countries stop selling alcohol way before the stores themselves close.
Keeping Your Shoes On
Americans keeping their shoes on inside is probably the #1 thing foreigners find weird. It’s normal to us, but it’s just not acceptable in most parts of the world.
In most of Europe, you’re expected to remove your shoes when you enter someone’s home. Wearing shoes inside is only acceptable in offices and public spaces.
And it’s even stricter if you visit Japan. You shouldn’t just remove your shoes — your host will offer you a pair of slippers you must wear inside. Unless, of course, you want to deliberately insult them.
Requesting ‘Only Water, Thank You’
Maybe you’ve had enough wine on your trip to France and want to reduce some expenses. So you ask for only water, and the waiter replies, “What kind?”
Cue the awkward pause.
Even if the waiter doesn’t question you, you’ll probably get bottled water instead of a glass or a jug. Oh, and you have to pay for it.
In some places, there’s a good reason for that, though. Tap water simply isn’t suitable for drinking everywhere, so no reputable restaurant would offer it to you.
Embracing
A warm hug can make you feel welcome and appreciated like nothing else. But that’s only if you’re American.
In many parts of the world, hugging someone who is not your close friend is a huge invasion of personal space. Even if the hug is just friendly, it can be seen as very strange.
The best way to avoid being a creep is to not hug anyone. Unless, of course, they hug you first. Then you can hug them back!
Conversing with Others
OK, so you can’t hug people. But that’s not all. In some countries, you shouldn’t even talk to strangers.
This can be very awkward if you’re not used to it. You’re just being friendly, but the person you greeted looks like they think you’re crazy.
For example, in the Nordics, they say only drunks and foreigners talk to people they don’t know. By starting a conversation, you’ll instantly reveal yourself as one of them.
But the foreigners are not being mean — they’re just more quiet. If you’re unsure, let the locals do their thing and focus on having fun on your trip.