Posted on 08/05/2015 9:27:56 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Having done business in most regions of the world and lived in several countries, I can tell you most of things on this list won’t offend anybody but those looking to be offended. This notion of cultural ‘offense’ is an outgrowth of the “perpetually offended” movement perfected here in the US. If you make a mistake overseas, you make a mistake. People outside the US aren’t stupid(necessarily). They realize you aren’t local and don’t jump at the chance to take offense, no more than you would if the situation was reversed.
:-)
I've experienced this in several countries. I never became fluent in any foreign language, but the locals always gave me credit for trying. Even in France, where they're supposed to think even worse of you if you butcher it than if you don't speak it at all.
Yup. I traveled to China a number of time for work. Snot rockets and spitting are very common in China. It never failed to gross me out. The biggest problem I saw is that they shot AT trash cans and rarely if ever got spit or snot IN the cans.
Don’t forget eating with your fingers. A lot of places are horrified to see up pick up French fries and pizza with our fingers. To them, it’s like picking up a piece of meat in a restaurant and gnawing.
I love traveling and learning the different customs. It shows how tribal we still are, don’t kid yourself. Haven’t read this thread yet but I bet there are rah rah my team is better posters. Everyone thinks their own customs are CORRECT and everyone else’s are quaint or stupid. It’s pretty funny.
When I lived in Europe in the early 90s you could spot adult Americans a few blocks away. They were the ONLY people then who wore athletic shoes over the age of 30. Dead giveaway. That isn’t true any more.
Also back then many tourists from the East Coast wore brightly plaid golf attire. So while everyone knew those were Amis (an affectionate name for us), I used to brag that I could tell they were from the East coast. And I was always right. No one on the west coast would have worn those hideous red and green and black and pink plaid pants.
#1 Never tell an American that we are doing something wrong or how its better where they are from.
Wont get that one to stick.
Yankees have been doing that to us Southerners for as long as I’ve been alive. :)
Thing is I find blowing ones nose in public as rude, as it would be in any other country.
My mother taught me to excuse myself to the restroom , or at least a private area out of the crowd.
My other culture peeve; Men wearing sandals, or flip flops in public.
Dude, unless you have pretty little girl feet, put them gnarly, yellow toe nailed hairy things in sneakers, boat shoes, something, when going out to a restaurant, bar, or any public place except a pool, or beach.
You mean that's what that watery thing is for? We were using it for the m.j. plants. What's a shower?
Exactly. We are, after all, called the United States of AMERICA.
The Mexicans, Brazilians, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, Columbians, etc., etc. could have put America in their country’s names but chose not to.
I live half my military years overseas, and in all those countries I was known and thought of as an American by the people of those countries.
(It offends a LOT of liberals right here at home as well.)
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