mentalfloss
- When you travel abroad, you always want to mind your manners. Here’s an easy guide to behaving brilliantly around the world.
Norway
Remember how careful you were during your driver’s license test?
Good. Hold the wheel as if your driving instructor is still sitting next
to you. Drive passively and don’t honk unless you absolutely have to.
Russia
Don’t smile unless you mean it. To some Russians, a polite smile to a
passing stranger or a store clerk is rude and meaningless. Don’t be a
phony!
Japan
Avoid disagreeing in public and watch your grammar. Politeness is
such a big deal in Japan that there are different grammar rules for
expressing degrees of politeness.
Italy
Whenever you receive a present, unleash your inner child and tear it
open right away. Leaving gifts unopened is an insult. Of course, if
you’re going to give them flowers in return, avoid
chrysanthemums—they’re for funerals only.
France
When you’re stuck in the elevator with a stranger, don’t start a
staring contest with the door. Make small talk. Actually, try making
small talk with anyone you run into—especially shop owners. (It could
land you a free baguette!)
Germany
When you visit a beer hall, it’s okay to grab a seat at a table with
strangers. Just don’t sit anywhere marked with the word “Stammtisch.”
That’s where a regular sits.
Argentina
Hankering for some gum or a cigarette? Make sure you’ve got enough for everybody in the room—you’re expected to share.
Chile
Forget what your mother told you about staring. Go ahead and look all
you want—attracting a wandering eye is considered flattering. Catcalls
are common, too, but they’re becoming less welcome. Use at your own
risk.
Colombia
If you’re having dinner with friends, don’t pack up when the plates
are taken away. You’re expected to stick around a little longer. The tip
is also included in the bill, but you don’t need to pay it.
Croatia
Avoid raising your thumb, index, and middle fingers all at
once—you’ll be mistaken for a Serbian nationalist. And when you’re
talking to someone, don’t beat around the bush. Get to the point!
Iceland
Almost all the cafes in Iceland are mom-and-pop shops with nary a
chain store in sight. So don’t drink your mocha latte on the go; it’s
supposed to be savored inside.
Mongolia
If something is “so-so,” it’s perfectly acceptable to give someone
the middle finger. (Now that’s a sentence you don’t read often!)
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