Traveling abroad is a big step. You immerse yourself in a culture or cultures (depending on how many stops you make along the way). Respecting another countries culture is a big deal when you want to be accepted. A lot of travelers forget that they are a guest in the countries that they travel to. No matter how comfortable you feel or how welcoming the people of the country are, there are still rules of etiquette. Rules that can save you from embarrassment and keep you in the good graces of the people of that country. Let’s be honest, not many people realize that there are rules of etiquette to follow when visiting a country. They show up and want to have as much fun as possible.

They are not really concerned with how offensive it could be, how much trouble it can cause and of course, how stupid they will look afterward. Several faux pas has been made over the years, some very public, others not so public but still embarrassing. A slip up on etiquette can cause relationships to crash, and if you are in a country to do business, it can cause serious damage to that business relationship. No one wants to come to a country to make money and leave broke and connectionless all because they didn’t know that offering a handshake was a faux pas. All we are saying is we want to help you to avoid being embarrassed abroad. Here is a list of things you SHOULD NOT do when traveling abroad.

20 Japan

In Japan eating noodles is a staple. And guess what? There is a particular etiquette you should follow when eating said noodles. DO slurp your noodles. Slurping your noodles is meant to show the chef that their food is mighty tasty. However, you should never leave your chopsticks sticking up right out of the bowl. What’s the big deal? Well, this is how the Japanese serve rice to the dead. This is mainly only when you are served rice but it’s customary to not do it with any meal. Who knows what the consequence will be. You may never get served in that restaurant or household ever again.

19 France

Never split the bill in this country. After a meal with friends or family in America and Canada, it is okay to split the bill. Really, why should we be paying for people who can pay for themselves? In France, it doesn’t matter who can or can’t pay. One bill comes to the table and we just assume everyone walks with cash in that country. Splitting the bill in France is considered the height of unsophistication. Wow! That sucks. Can you imagine how many people have split the bill in France and got looked down upon? At least now they know.

18 Russia

Most people assume that in Russia, people drink vodka like juice. It’s featured heavily when talking about Russian culture, it’s even stereotyped in advertisements. Now, in reality, vodka is normally only consumed in Russia when a toast is being presented and even that has its own etiquette. You have to wait for a cue in order to consume the vodka. When it is consumed men are expected to down it in one shot. Women are excused meaning if they like they can sip away. Oh, and please, don’t mix the vodka with anything. It’s considered highly offensive and you will be looked down upon.

17 Armenia

Emptying the bottle of wine or any other alcohol in Armenia means you are responsible to buy a new bottle. It is customary to empty the bottle of wine into your own glass because of this. You don’t want to force someone’s hand right? Unless your main goal in life is to be a complete jerk. It is, in fact, customary to empty the bottle into your own glass because you are putting yourself in charge of buying the next bottle. We know it’s tempting to want to drink the last bit of wine or whatever else you are drinking but, only do it if you are prepared to pay for the next round.

16 Greece

In Greece, residents don’t wave. Waving is frowned upon because you have to expose your palm. Exposing the palm in Greece is basically the equivalent to flipping someone off. This is probably going to be a hard task to commit to if you ever visit this country. The residents are so serious about this that they don’t even recommend that you hold your hand up to indicate for someone to hold on or giving a high five. Holding up your hand and exposing your palm literally means “I reject you”. You don’t want to reject anyone, do you? Just keep your hands down.

15 Asia

All over Asia, it is bad etiquette to basically do anything with your feet. Never touch any part of anyone’s body with your feet. The feet are considered the lowest part of the body, so if you do accidentally touch someone with your feet you have to reverse it. Don’t worry it’s very easy to reverse it. All you have to do is touch your hand to the person’s arm and touch your head at the same time. The head is a very important part of the body so this too must be protected. This means don’t go to any part of Asia and ruffle someone’s hair or sit on anything or anywhere that is meant to be where the head is placed.

14 Thailand

Monks are a very important part of the Thai culture. Many people who visit this country flock to temples as if it is a tourist attraction. Keep in mind it is a religion and very sacred to the people of Thailand. One thing you should know as a traveler is that women are not allowed to touch Monks. This includes handing things to them. This rule is so serious that even if a woman brushes against a Monk while they are walking in the street, they must go back to the temple and perform a ritual to “cleanse” themselves. This is heavy stuff. So why can’t women touch Monks? One of the reasons is because of the fear of distraction especially for Monks who have not reached enlightenment yet.

13 India

When it comes to interactions in India and other surrounding Asian countries it is very very important to respect the man. Meaning, if you walk up to two people and you are a man, speak to the man first. In fact, don’t even look at the woman. It considered offensive and suggestive if you address the female without addressing the man. The treatment of women may come off as disrespectful, it is a part of the larger cultural and religious belief. For example, if a woman touches food being served to a man, in Hindu and devout Muslim communities it is considered "impure".

12 The Middle East

Licking your fingers in the Middle East is totally acceptable. It’s not considered bad hygiene or bad manners to go in for the finger lick when you finish a delicious meal. Really, if you don’t do it, the consequences could be dire. The people of the Middle East believe that licking your fingers before wiping your hands on napkin keeps the devil at bay. It leaves no morsel of food for the devil to steal. Even when a portion of food falls, it is customary to pick it up, remove the dirt and eat it. You don’t know in what portion of food the blessing lies so waste not want not.

11 Australia

While in America and Canada it is normal for people to order a cab or more currently an Uber and hop into the back seat. In Australia, some parts of Ireland, New Zealand and a few other places this act is considered offensive. It’s actually insulting to not even consider the front seat an option. Yes, we know, it’s a far cry from what happens in America or Canada. Usually, our cab drivers sigh and make a face when we want to push our way into the passenger side but overseas it’s considered egalitarianism. Maybe cabs are way safer overseas? And maybe their drivers aren’t as miserable.

10 Japan

Ever wonder why the Japanese either cover their mouth or barely open their mouth when they smile? They do that cute little smile thing where they giggle instead of outright laugh. Well, we found out why. It has to do with manners and basically not being obnoxious. Laughing to the point where you are exposing way too many teeth are considered to be obnoxious and horse-like. It’s also considered unlady-like and basically an annoyance to those around you. So when in Japan in addition to eating the correct way do not go overboard with the laughing. You will be pinned as a tourist as soon as you do.

9 The Caribbean

It is considered extremely rude to enter a Caribbean home and not take your shoes off. Walking through someone’s clean home with your dirty shoes on should always be a no-no. outside you step on everything known to man; dog poop, spit, food, urine (don’t forget some nasty people pee on the streets). There is just so much disgustingness that you are tracking through someone’s home when you don’t take your shoes off. It’s not just Caribbean people who are disgusted by it; there are also a few Asian cultures and middle eastern people who just aren’t having it. We are with them.

8 Rwanda

No snacking in public places, please. In Rwanda it is considered rude to eat anywhere that does not serve food. So, bars, restaurants, hotels etc those are all fine, however, if you dare pull out a fruit or a bag of chips on a bus or in a cab or in a shopping store you will be greeted with death stares. Even eating outside as you walk like we would commonly do in North America or the US is looked down upon. Just play it safe when visiting and only eat in places that are food friendly. Homes, restaurants, bars, cafes essentially if food can be served there, you can eat there.

7 Scandinavia

A huge part of the culture in Scandinavia is to get in the sauna and detox your body. When in the sauna you can certainly do as you please but keep in mind that if you go into the sauna with your clothes on well, your not cool. It is looked down upon to sit in a communal sauna with your clothes on. You are considered a prude. This also goes for steam rooms and spas. You can’t get away from it. If you are planning on keeping your clothes on then just stay away from these luxuries. You will get some funny looks, are you ready for that?

6 The Netherlands

It’s common in most countries to ask people what they do for a living. However, in the Netherlands, it’s considered offensive. The economy in the Netherlands relies on social welfare systems to keep them afloat. So, asking someone what they do for a living is seen as a way of you trying to figure out if you should respect them or not. They equivalent this question to asking what your salary is. It is certainly not considered an “ice-breaker” question like it is in Canada or the US. It’s considered another way for you to be an elitist and hold something against them. You may even get socked in the mouth if you slip up and ask the wrong person.

5 The Philippines

Shaking hands is a custom that many Americans and even United Kingdom-ers are used to doing. It serves as a greeting, solidifying a business arrangement and congratulating people on specific life milestones. However, in the Philippines, shaking someone’s hand is a sign of aggression. We like a strong, stiff handshake. They...don’t. A crushing handshake is basically forbidden and we can’t say we are mad about it. Some people go above and beyond to produce a handshake that is unnecessarily powerful. We can’t say we are mad at the fact that they don’t want their hands crushed.

4 Turkey

In Turkey giving the thumbs up means something totally different from what we are used to here in North America. We give a thumbs up as a way of saying “we’re good”, or that we like or approve of something. In Turkey, Germany and South America, it’s an insult. It’s equivalent to giving someone the finger. To make things weirder in Turkey, it is also used to imply that someone is homosexual. This is a big deal in a country like Turkey because of how culturally unacceptable it is. Please don’t slip up and give the thumbs up in any one of these countries you don’t know how anyone will react.

3 Luxembourg

Spit that gum out right now! In Luxembourg, it is considered unacceptable to chew gum. Like ever. In other countries gum has mixed reviews; it’s good for dental hygiene, and it’s a tasty appetite suppressant. However, in Luxembourg, the act of chewing gum is vulgar, especially while in public. We can see how this would be possible the smacking sound, the constant opening and closing of the mouth it does come off as inappropriate. Keep in mind it’s not just Luxembourg that thinks this, it’s also Switzerland, France, and Singapore. In fact, Singapore banned gum in 1992. They were reportedly sick of scraping the sticky stuff off their sidewalks.

2 Morocco

Make sure you dress the part when you go to Morocco or any Arab country. This rule is geared mostly towards females. In Morocco, the dress code for women is pretty strict but luckily it’s easy to follow. As long as you cover up your body you should be good. The culture is pretty accepting if you accept them for who they are. They won’t bat an eye if you wear their cultural garments. However, keep in mind if you choose to not follow their rules and respect their culture you could be given a hard time by male peers.

1 Norway

When shopping in Norway please be very careful. Really this shouldn’t be a problem because no one goes to Norway to shop. They go for the beautiful scenery, the fish and to look at the freakishly beautiful people. However, if you do decide to pick u a few pieces, keep in mind that when asking for a dress you will receive a man’s suit. Dress in Norway means a man’s dress suit. We aren’t quite sure what we would ask for when asking for a woman’s dress. Either way, don’t get screwed over by not knowing the right lingo who knows what other words are backward.