Leaving them upright in the rice represents a Japanese funeral rite. They should never be left on opposite sides of the plate, crossed, used to pull your bowl closer or left upright. In many Asian countries, rice can be one of the major dishes and there is quite a lot of etiquette around how you use chopsticks when eating. Leaving chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice It's better to excuse yourself and go to the bathroom. Even the idea of a handkerchief can be considered quite filthy. As such, obvious nose blowing will have people recoiling. In Taiwan and Japan, it's not uncommon to see many people wearing face masks and even hygienic gloves any time they are out of the house. Any good travel guide of each local country will warn you about all of its most different laws. In Singapore, you can get a hefty fine for bringing chewing gum into the country in Thailand you can be jailed for speaking ill of the king and public kissing can get you 120 lashes in Saudi Arabia or jail time in Dubai. Just a few minutes' research can prepare you for unwanted surprises. Generally, sleeveless shirts and shorts should be avoided in many countries, as it's rare to show so much skin in more conservative places, regardless of how hot it is. If you want to attract far too much attention, dress like you do back home! I found that when I dressed a little heavier (despite the hot weather) in Egypt, I could blend in better. Don't forget this or you could be seen as unhygienic. Sometimes there are replacement slippers, while other times it's OK to walk around in your socks. In many places – homes, temples and some businesses – there is an area just before or after the entrance reserved for leaving your shoes. Shoes in many countries, especially in Asian ones, are considered very dirty due to everything they are in contact with outside. I've found that the best technique is to argue why the price should be reduced, instead of a more western approach of quoting bigger and smaller numbers alternatively and meeting in the middle. A simple “How much does it actually cost?” question may frequently be met with a frustrating “How much do you want to pay?”. In countries like India or Thailand, many items and even accommodation are negotiable through haggling. Flushing it is a force of habit for those of us used to it, but this could actually block the toilet or the sewage system. Many toilets around the world can't handle toilet paper, and instead a bin beside the toilet is provided for you to discard your used paper. Alternatives range from open palm gestures in countries like Japan, to pursing your lips in the direction you are referring to in places like the Philippines and Colombia. Using your index finger to show where something (and especially someone) is, can be considered very rude in many cultures, and can even imply that you are picking a fight. Here are ten things to consider avoiding the next time you go abroad: 1. When you learn the local language and try to make friends outside of fellow travellers, you start to see just how much each member of the human race has in common.ĭespite this, you can get into trouble for doing quite innocent things that are run-of-the-mill back home, but are major taboos or even illegal in other countries. Travelling has opened my world to so many interesting cultures.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |