When you‘re traveling you can encounter local customs, and they can be … special, when you don’t know them. Every country his customs and better be aware of them when traveling. Nannybag found 12 of them for you:
Africa
To start with the local customs, in Egypt, forget salt. Adding salt to your meal is seen as insulting to the one cooking.
In Japan, it’s extremely rude to eat with a fork and knife. So before traveling to Japan, be sure of being an expert at chopstick welding. To add to, if you’re invited to take food from a shared dish, always, always take food from the part that didn’t touch your mouth.
Once again food related, in India, it custom to eat with the left hand. The right one is dedicated to cleaning so eating with it is disgusting for Indian people. This local custom is shared with multiple countries from middle east.
In South Korea, never plant your chopstick in your rice. It’s disrespectful for two reasons. First one is that it looks like the incense sticks they burn for dead people, but also, it means you don’t like your food.
In China, it‘s a local custom to express the enjoyment of the meal. The most usual way to do it is to burp (yes really). But you can also just say “thank‘s for the meal it‘s delicious” or “Fēicháng hǎo”.
In Japan again, the way you say hello to people is not like other country. Forget handshaking and other hugs, you just need to nod your head a little.
America
Going away from food, in Nicaragua, when someone pulls out their lips, he doesn’t wait for anything from you. It’s just a way to point, like with the finger, but with the lips. #duckfacenation
In the US and in Canada, you need to tips. Meaning it‘s not automatic and it‘s really rude to not tip, as tips is a big part of their salaries. That and taxes are not visible before the purchase, you can sometime pay double than you think!
Europe
In Bulgaria, nodding you head top and bottom means no and from left to right yes. It’s a custom that come from an old quiproquo between the Greeks and the Bulgarian. It’s also a custom in India.
In Hungary, you don’t toast, especially with beer. This custom comes from when they lost against the Austrians in 1848, and the Austrians celebrate with a toast and beers.
Contrary from India, in Norway, you eat everything with a fork and a knife. YES even pizzas and sandwiches! One of the most disturbing local customs in the world. eww
One of the best customs in the world, the “siesta” in Spain is a local custom that make you take a nap break at the start of the afternoon. So between 2 and 4 AM, most of the shops in Spain are closed. Amen.
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