What Not to Do While Abroad

When it come to cultural taboos, whilst abroad the last thing you want to do is offend someone without having any intention of doing so, either with body language, by something you say or a gesture of the hand. So here's a general list of what some countries see as taboo and you may not have known.

•    The thumbs up sign may mean everything ok or good to us but in Gambia and Iran it's a rude gesture.

•    In Argentina slapping the inside of you thigh is obscene

•    The American OK sign in many countries including means screw you and is an insult Spain, Denmark, Brazil and Argentina to name a few.

•    Whiles in Argentina and Romania if you don't want to suggest that you wife is cheating on you don't use the rock symbol, by extending you little finger and index finger while bending the ring and middle fingers, avoid at all costs unless you single.

•    Clenching your fist and poking your thumb between your middle and index finger, like you would when you say “I got you nose” to a child, is seen as an offensive gesture in a number of countries such as Bolivia, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica, Israel, Japan, Russia, South Africa and Germany.

•    In Algeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea and Malawi homosexuality is illegal and punishments including imprisonment, but in Jamaica and Lebanon even speaking about it could result in treats, beatings or worse.

•    While in Bosnia exercise you good manners by not raising the first three fingers, as it's a sign of victory within Serbian areas, also when ordering three of something avoid using the thumb, index, and middle finger as this is a Serbian nationalism gesture. Avoid when in Bosniac and Croat areas.

•    While in Brazil making a fist and slapping the top of it with your other hand is seen as “I screwed up,” “I got screwed” or screw you.

•    Most Middle Eastern countries and some African countries see the left hand as the hand that deals with the bodies waste so avoid shaking hands, giving money and eating with it.

•    In Colombia to state the size of something use your hands at arm's length like you would when saying “I caught a fish this big” as using your fingers to state length is an obscene gesture.

•    When demonstrating the height of something in Ecuador as well as Mexico use your hand on the side with the thumb pointing up as palm face down is reserved for animals.

•    In India ears are considered sacred and if touched represents sincerity or repentance, so pulling, flicking or boxing of someone's ears is seen as a serious insult.

•    In Kenya if a foreigner is seen to be wearing reviling or damaged clothes this would lose them respect among Kenyans, so avoid wearing you designer ripped jeans.

•    Finally, in Uzbekistan it seen as bad to fill a tea cup over half full as it suggests that you want your guests to leave.

This is just a hand full of things that cultures see as taboo, if in doubt about what to do just observe the basics of good manners don't reveal too much flesh, avoid subjects such as politics and religion and you should be fine.