15 Offensive Things Americans Do Abroad

In many Eastern and African countries, the left hand was traditionally used for unsanitary activities such as cleaning oneself after using the restroom. Even though that particular practice has largely disappeared, it's still considered offensive to use the left hand for greeting others or doing anything other than cleaning.

If you're a decent human being in the United States, you leave your server a good tip when you go out to eat. However, the U.S. is basically the only country in the world where this practice is standard. In countries such as Japan, tipping is actually considered offensive — the thought is that you consider the person you're tipping to be so low in society that they must need extra money. To avoid any awkwardness, check out tipping practices in your destination country before you travel.

If you're going to hold up the "peace" sign with your pointer and middle finger, make sure you do it with your palm facing outward. Doing it with your palm facing inward is offensive in many countries and is essentially the same as flipping someone off.

If you find yourself sitting down in a Middle Eastern country, make sure not to cross your legs and show the sole of your shoe to the person you're speaking with. Because the bottom of the shoe is considered dirty, showing it to someone is a major sign of disrespect in these countries.

If you visit a house in the US, you'll probably be expected to take your shoes off upon entering to avoid tracking dirt throughout the house. In many Latin American countries, though, you'll be expected to keep your shoes on, especially when entering the residence of someone you don't know very well. This rule differs from country to country, though — many places in Asia expect you to remove your shoes before entering the home, so check your destination's shoe-removing customs before traveling there.

In Australia and New Zealand, sitting in the back seat of a cab is considered bad manners. It implies that you think of the driver as your servant rather than your "buddy." Still, especially if you're a woman, you might be safer if you opt to sit in the back anyway.

In countries such as Japan and China, it's expected that you decline a gift a few times when it's offered to you. Accepting it immediately could make you appear greedy or entitled.

If you ask people from other cultures about the easiest way to identify someone from the USA, they're almost guaranteed to mention how loud we are (and if you go to another country and see a group of American tourists, you'll realize they're right). Try to tone it down when you visit another culture, where your high volume might be considered obnoxious.

Cleaning your plate in the United States usually means that your meal was so good, you couldn't stop eating it. But in countries like Thailand and Russia, it could signal to the host that they failed to provide you with enough food. Even if your meal is irresistible, leave a little bit on your plate to indicate that your host gave you more food than your stomach could possibly hold.

Many Latin American countries consider it poor manners to actually arrive on time or slightly early to an event. It's basically like arriving hours early to a party in the United States. Costa Rica actually has a term called "Tico Time," which pokes fun at how everyone in the country seems to arrive at least half an hour late to any scheduled event.

In places such as Italy, Japan, and France, it can be considered rude to ask for condiments such as ketchup, salt, or soy sauce because it implies that you know better than the chef about how a meal should taste. If you don't find a condiment on the table, it's best not to ask for it and just enjoy your food as it is.

A stance that feels natural to Americans is considered arrogant in other countries. Keep your hands out of your pockets in countries such as Turkey and South Korea.

In the States, giving the thumbs up to someone usually means that they did something good. But in parts of the Middle East, Africa, Russia, and Greece, the gesture is extremely offensive, essentially being the same as giving someone the middle finger.

In the United States, it's culturally acceptable (and even encouraged at times) to tell your guests to "help themselves" to whatever they'd like at the table. In many other countries, especially in Asia, a host is considered rude if they don't serve their guests themselves, including refilling their drinks whenever they get below a certain level.

There's nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage, but when you travel abroad, it's important to know and respect the culture of those around you. Just because a custom is different than where you come from doesn't mean that it's wrong, and you should do your best to open your mind to the traditions of the places you visit. If you do your research, are kind to the locals, and apologize for your mistakes, it probably won't be a big deal if you make a small cultural faux pas.

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