I got a cute springy haircut from my favorite haircutter, Kasey. She’s in her early twenties, bubbly, cute, optimistic and talented, but what the hell, I still like her! I feel good every time I leave her place. That’s the mark of a good hair stylist.
I also finished a travel book I bought the other day: Behave Yourself! The Essential Guide to International Etiquette by Michael Powell. It’s a small tome arranged by countries. The Dos and Don’ts of each culture: Meeting and Greeting, Conversation, Dress, Eating and drinking etiquette. People in some cultures don’t like to do a lot of smiling (I know it’s hard to believe.) Maybe they’re like The Office’s Dwight, who proclaims that he never smiles unless forced to. A toothy smile is what submissive primates show. Standing with your hands in your pockets is a no-no in some countries, as is showing flashy jewelry.
Anyway, if I ever travel to Pakistan I’ll know not to ever accept anything anyone offers me, unless they make repeated offers. They think it’s polite to offer to give you anything that you comment on (“Oh, what a lovely scarf.”) It saves face. They’re poor, so don’t take them up on the offer. Also, lone female travelers are frowned upon and will be shunned. Ask a Pakistani about his “family and children” but NEVER about his wife.
Don’t insult a Norwegian by lumping him in with Swedes and Danes. They have their own culture. Would you like being mistaken for a Canadian?
According to this book, most people in the world dress better than jean-clad Americans. Doesn’t mean they have more money, they’re just more conscious about their appearance in public.
Chileans, Russians, Poles have very little “personal space.” They’ll stand very close to you. (Seinfeld’s “Close talker”?) Don’t back up. They’ll be offended and just move closer to you anyway.
Maybe Americans who travel abroad should research local customs. Maybe it will cut down on the stereotypical Ugly American.
12 comments:
I like to be in emmerica
Ok by me in emmerica
Everything free in emmerica
For a small fee in emmerica
Life can be bright in emmerica
If you can fight in emmerica
Life is alright in emmerica
If you're all white in emmerica
ole'
I'd just have to be rude to the Russian, Pole, etc. That or I might explain that I'm 1) clausterphobic, 2) worked in maximum security too long. I just can't stand to have a non-family member closer than arms reach...unless they'd really like to see me start hyperventilating and completely spaz out. I also ALWAYS have to be on the end in movie theaters, concert halls, and in church. I just CAN'T sit between two people. One Easter I listened to the whole service from the doorway because I couldn't stand how close the person next to me was.
I will if they will. Most Europeans I meet are rude, obnoxious, and lax in the hygiene area (except Mum, of course, even though we've never met).
I've watched French people throw litter all over as they wandered through Yosemite -- eat a sandwich, throw the wrapper on the ground; eat a candy bar, throw the wrapper on the ground; drink a soda, throw the can or bottle on the ground; etc.
I've been in the city and watched Germans pick their nose and flick the boogers away with no care as to where they land. And, unfortunately, were behind these same Germans while they just farted away with no care as to who was behind them and having to deal with the fall out.
I've been in line in Disneyland with Mexican tourists behind me and literally pushing up against me despite my having turned around and asked them to step back.
I could go on and on. My experience is that American's don't have the market cornered on ugliness abroad. Everyone I personally know who has travelled abroad would never engage in the type of behavior I've seen in visiting Europeans, Mexicans, Asians, etc.
Oh, and don't try to say anything about Americans going abroad and expecting people to speak English. Most of the visiting Europeans, South Americans, Asians, etc., tourists seem to have the same expectation that you can speak their language.
Harumph!
Viva la American!!!!
Dave has learned all kinds of things in his work travels to Japan. It's terribly insulting to cross your legs and thereby show the bottom of your shoe to the person sitting across from you.
Also, if you receive someone's business card, you must take it with both hands, examine it appreciatively for several moments, and then place it in your breast pocket ONLY. Placing someone's card in your hip pocket and then sitting on it is a dreadful insult.
Verbie,
The thing about the business cards was covered in the book.
LOL Spidey!
Urban,
Please refrain from posting about booger-flicking Germans in my blog. Thank yew.
Please tell me how I can be mistaken for a Canadian next time I travel abroad; might come in handy, considering what the Americans seem to be doing to the rest of the world. ("Me? American? No, I'm from Vancouver!")
The joke at the mini-baccarat table (where most of the players are Asian of one kind or another) is, "What do they call you if you speak several languages? Multilingual. What do they call you if you speak two languages? Bilingual. What do they call you if you only speak one language? American!"
Heh, I've seen Americans do all those things too...including the lax hygiene, except they weren't tourists.
If you want to pretend you aren;t american and be loved by everyone Just tell people you are Australian ,Unless they are Kiwis in which case don't
In Texas it's rude not to ask how big a man's horse is.
In Texas, you can say anything to anyone as long as you follow your comments with, "...bless your heart."
Examples: "How much weight HAVE you gained, bless your heart?"
"I think think there's a cream you can put on that, bless your poor little heart."
etc.
etc.
when I worked in Hollywood at a bank, we'd get tons of tourists exchanging money and the smelliest by far were the French. I have nothing against them per se, but come on, in the summer at least shower everyday and put on some damn deoderant, I would have to spray the whole place down after the busload left the lobby. The Japanese were usually very polite, Germans were fine, not very talkative in general but polite, Rusians were usually kind of rude. I don't care where you are from, you s/b respectful of others, no exceptions.
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