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“Taking Cheerful Selfies In Inappropriate Places”: 30 Major Travel Mistakes Tourists Still Make
When traveling in a new country, it’s important to have a good time and learn or experience something new; but it’s even more important to be respectful of the place and the people you’re visiting.
Failing to do so can, in the best case scenario, make you look foolish, and in the worst one, cause serious injuries or even death – there have been one too many stories in places like Iceland of people underestimating the power of Mother Nature or ignoring the safety signs provided.
Members of Reddit’s ‘Travel’ community recently discussed the biggest “no nos” tourists have ever encountered—or even engaged in themselves—in a thread started by the user ‘danielgmal’. Their question encouraged quite a few netizens to share their stories, so if you’re interested in reading them, wait no longer and scroll down to find them on the list below, where you will also find Bored Panda’s interview with the OP themselves, who agreed to discuss the whats and whys behind the question.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
TW: Holocaust / Concentration Camp
Years ago, I was in Auschwitz KZ.
It's hard to describe how particular this place is. It's not a nice place. Entering the gas chambers where so many people were murdered feels solemn. Seeing clear clawing marks at walls is disturbing.
When you enter, a somewhat simple yet clear information sign is translated in over 25 languages. It's direct: you're about to enter a small space where a ton of people were murdered for who they were. We ask you to respect this place. Do not run around, do not laugh, do not play games and avoid talking.
I took a deep breath and entered. My brain quickly making all sorts of connections with my family history as the hair on my neck perked up from how eerie the place is. How instantly terrible I felt on this desecrated ground. I was immediately physically unwell.
About two hot seconds later a gentleman struts in wielding a selfie stick cell phone on some Skype call with some family members was speaking very loudly, his high pitched voice resonating loudly on the walls as he obnoxiously yapped on in mandarin even throwing in a few laughs about who knows what. He was touching the walls and his partner, also with a selfie stick, was taking selfies with him.
Murder suddenly made a tiny bit of sense in my mind.
I never hated anyone so much in such a short amount of time.
If you visit a KZ. Be respectful.
The Doom Song 1 year ago
This needs to be way higher up the list. Some people just absolutely have no respect.
RELATED:
#2
If you’re in Hawaii (or really anywhere with coral reefs for that matter) for the love of god, don’t touch the coral! (Also seek out reef safe sunscreen if possible).
Frog On A Log 1 year ago
Also:PICK UP UR TRASH PEOPLE it ruins the beach and makes you look like an a*s :(
KittyGaming 1 year ago
Yes coral is a live creature and can feel when you touch it, respect the coral
Sophia Athene 1 year ago
Me too! I love going to aquariums all the time unless I have to go through walkways under a large tank . I love to watch underwater documentaries about colorful fish and reefs but any step farther and my anxiety kicks in just watching it on TV.
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35 cabbages in a trenchcoat 1 year ago
Not "if possible" GET. REEF SAFE. SUNSCREEN. there is no excuse to not do so
Colleen Glim 1 year ago
Look but don’t touch is something a three year old can understand. Sadly, it seems lost on a lot of adults
#3
People who get to a scenic viewpoint or landmark with a narrow/small angle for the photo everyone wants, then proceeds to do a full on model shoot with dozens of poses and retakes for the Instagram. Most of the time I don't even want a selfie, just the viewpoint without a teenage girl in it.
In a recent interview with Bored Panda, the OP, ‘danielgmal’, revealed that it was their personal experience while traveling that inspired them to ask this particular question. “A couple of years ago—pre-pandemic and pre-Brexit—I was messing around on Skyscanner looking at flights. I loved travel, and thought about it a lot, but I very rarely actually did it,” they recalled.
“So when I saw a flight to Faro, Portugal that was cheaper than a coach within my own city, I impulsively booked it. That was the first trip in what ended up being an unbroken three year chain of monthly trips to different countries.”
#4
1. Behaving in a way that would be unacceptable in your home country/culture. For instance, I've seen way too many woman going to temples in Bali, Cambodia & India in bikinis or very scantily clad. You would never go to a church in your hometown dressed that way. And way too many guys behaving obnoxiously with local women when they well know they won't be able to get away with even a fraction of that bad behavior back home.
2. Being more interested in taking selfies or instagram videos than actually seeing and experiencing the place you're in.
3. Disrespecting the local culture.
#5
When I was 16 my family went on our first and only Intl holiday, to Hawaii from Australia.
I distinctly remember a Japanese family being kicked out of the Pearl Harbor Memorial because they would NOT stop taking photo's, laughing and joking around loudly.
I still can't f*****g believe that. It's been over two decades and it still is upsetting. Disrespecting a literal war grave, and coming from the nation that literally caused it... It's like a Saudi doing that at Ground Zero, or an American doing the same at the Peace Museum in Hiroshima. It is absolutely beyond f****d up.
The redditor shared that what started as one trip to Portugal turned into an accidental odyssey across Europe, which they continued once the pandemic ended.
“As a result, I've really gotten to know the continent of Europe and I've noticed that you can travel through several countries in a matter of hours and find traditions, cultures, and even laws totally change just in a matter of a few miles across a border.”
#6
Dudes going to poor countries acting like they're god's gift towards local women. Super cringe :/.
3 Possums in a trench coat 1 year ago
That is cringe anywhere in the world even their own country
#7
“WHY DON’T YOU ACCEPT DOLLARS?!” I’ve heard this in Italy, England, and Japan.
#8
Taking cheerful selfies in inappropriate places (saw this happening in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park for instance)
Generally bad camera etiquette (shoving your camera in local people's faces, posing tastelessly in some bad imitation of "local" fashion based more on stereotypes than reality, taking up too much time on a photoshoot and blocking other people's way, etc).
Kiyoko_tanaka 1 year ago
I'm Japanese, and you will be surprised the amount of people that take selfies in Hiroshima peace memorial park
“So that’s why I asked the question,” the OP continued, “I wanted to know about the times people had come across these differences—big and small—because I think it's interesting to put a spotlight on how different customs and expectations are throughout the world.
“I also know there's a lot of anti-tourist sentiment across Europe and elsewhere and I wanted to provoke a conversation about being a responsible and conscientious tourist, mindful of ‘rules’. Often there really are clear social rules, both spoken and unspoken, and this was a chance to emphasize them.”
#9
Being a loud English speaker in a non-English speaking country assuming/forgetting others can understand you perfectly.
Edit: or just being a loud tourist in general. 🤫.
#10
Europeans: please stop wandering into our deserts and dying from severe lack of preparation and research.
It’s a massive bummer, because we love that you’re fascinated by the American Southwest and we want you to have a safe time. The information is readily available, so please educate yourselves before coming here.
Thank you :).
Rayne OfSalt 1 year ago
To add: Germans, stop going swimming in lakes and creeks in north qld, australia. they are full of crocs and you will be eaten. Yes this is a thing that happens regularly enough that signs in german to not go swimming have been erected near most bodies of water.
#11
People in National Parks treating animals like they're theme park attractions. It's wild seeing how many people get out of their cars to take pictures of bears.
Also people who (for some weird reason) think places like Yosemite and Yellowstone are warm weather places. Those places have snow storms in the middle of may. It's kind of humorous seeing tourists show up in summer clothes to find it non stop snowing. Neither of these places (especially Yellowstone) ever get "warm.".
Bob Jones 1 year ago (edited)
Same here in Australia. In a lot of places, like where I am, it gets really cold in winter (and a lot of places aren't well heated)! A friend from the US came to visit in winter and only brought summer clothes. People are often shocked when they find out that there are ski resorts in Australia!
‘Danielgmal’ admitted being quite taken aback by the number of responses their post received and how many differences there are, despite people often saying that there’s generally more that unites us than divides us.
“It’s interesting, for example, to see the American confusion towards how seriously Italians take their food, as they will literally physically stop you from seasoning your food until you've tasted it, whereas Americans will often douse it in sauce and cheese as a reflex. For the Americans the personal liberty seems more important, and for the Italians respecting the work the chef put in takes precedence. Very different takes, but no one is ‘wrong’.”
#12
Don’t take photos of locals without permission ESPECIALLY children. I see it a lot in African countries and it bothers me a lot.
Sue Denham 1 year ago
It doesn't matter where you are - travelling or in your home town - You just don't take photos of people without their permission and absolutely not children.
#13
Nepal: tourists filming a funeral procession. It wasn't even a "known" person's funeral, just some regular funeral and tourists were filming the grievers like they were a zoo exhibit. Why would you even want to do that? Go back through your vacation photos to look at a funeral? It's as bizarre as it is utterly tactless.
#14
Expecting waiters in France to check in on you every five minutes during your meal. Restaurants are not like in America. The waiter will come when they see that your plate is empty or if you've stopped touching your food for a while. And waiters let you take your time to order food, so they give you the menu with all the dishes and come back a while after. To signal that you've made your choice, you close the menu and put it on the side of your table.
The OP admitted being no stranger to tourist “no nos” themselves, as they have made themselves or others rather uncomfortable with certain poor choices.
“In Southern Africa, it was very clear that I misjudged the mood by appearing in my shorts in front of my employers while walking to the bathroom early in the morning. They thought I was in my underwear and they had to explain that it wasn't, in their view, modest or proper and our relationship never recovered,” the redditor shared, adding that to some extent, they posed the question on the subreddit looking for an alternative way to discover these sort of things instead of having to learn it the hard way.
#17
I'm from Québec. Mistake #1 from tourists is thinking we don't speak/understand English. lol Number of times I heard idiotic comments about the French accent here is mind-blowing. We do understand talkshitting us. And yes, we speak differently but yes, it is still French.
Another good one. I went to Costa Rica and a bunch of European girls were mad at the beach because everyone stared at them! They decided it was totally okay to go topless on the public beach. Jeeezz READ THE ROOM. If you see no local women topless, don't! And no, they don't stare because they are "all perverts". They stare because they don't understand why you are topless in an area where it is illegal to do so!
Don't assume the social values are the same as in your home country just because foreigners make up the majority of the people around you. This applies to Bali, Dubai and anywhere touristy!
Ace 1 year ago
There is a weird snobbery amongst French people about the Quebecois accent, and odd ly in reverse as well. I recall speaking my Anglo--accented French to a French waiter in a French restaurant in Montreal, whose demeanour totally changed once he'd realised I was not local but actually lived in France (it came up because of the wine list, some of the areas mentioned being not far from my home). Like, OK, I'm going to drop the Snooty French Waiter persona now, that I only put on because Americans expect it as part of the experience.
In the netizen’s eyes, part of being a responsible tourist is knowing what is expected of you as a guest in someone else's home country. But it can also be a matter of safety: “If, for example, you went to Morocco and didn't know homosexuality is illegal, you could get in a difficult position. So it's practical too,” they said.
“In Germany, you can be naked in the public parks and many beaches, but I wouldn't recommend trying that in Malta where nudism isn't legal.”
#18
If you are visiting French gothic cathedrals, take off your damn baseball hat. Take off any hat in a house of worship. It infuriates the locals when we treat their churches like a tourist trap.
#19
Everywhere: watching videos on your phone and talking on the phone with the speaker on.
#20
Taking photos in museums that strictly prohibits them.
Visited Prado Museum last year and it was so nice because there weren’t 100’s of iPhones up in the air taking pictures of a picture…people actually had the time to enjoy the art.
Except a few idiots who kept on trying to sneak photos. Thankfully the museum staff quickly caught them, but they did it like 3-4 times. It was obnoxious.
Virgil Blue 1 year ago (edited)
Flashes of bright light can damage the pigments in paints or age photos faster. So it's not just that other visitors can enjoy their experience without walking through an epileptic person's disco nightmare.
#21
(Usually in major cities) walking very slowly while taking up the entire sidewalk, making locals who actually have to get somewhere walk into oncoming traffic just to get by. Same effect when stopping to check a map or guide or to take photos.
Walking on the road, assuming it's pedestrian only because it's cobblestone.
Walking on cycle paths.
Sergy Yeltsen 1 year ago
It should be legal to boot phone zombies out of the way. Some of the most obnoxious behaviour and no respect - or even acknowledgement - of others around them. I detest them so much.
#22
Walking around supermarkets with no shirt on or in your swimming stuff. I hate it. So disrespectful.
#23
If you're a tourist, don't trash-talk about other people (tourists and locals alike) thinking that no one can understand your language (unless it's Ayapaneco).
I, a non-Hispanic American, was once in Costa Rica. At the cash register of a grocery store, the cashier asked me for my ID. I had been hiking in the rain and had put my U.S. passport inside a ziplock bag. When I took it out, the Spanish tourist behind me made fun of my ziplock trick to her partner. My Spanish is basic but I have a good ear for Spaniard accent (have friends in Valencia).
I didn't say anything back but made sure to chat with the friendly cashier loudly enough for the Spanish woman to hear me. Yeah, Spanish is such an unknown language...
Šimon Špaček 1 year ago
Spanish is the third biggest language by native speakers. It is not "secret". If you want to trash talk other people, learn something little bit more obscure, I would suggest Czech (because if you want to learn another language just for trash talking, you can learn something with damn hard pronunciation). Or Finnish, it is amazing language (and pretty useless outside of Finland).
#24
Being loud, drunk and violent are among the worst things tourists can do.
Sergy Yeltsen 1 year ago
Just look at the English doing that in Spain. I'd be bitterly angry as well. It's disgusting and disrespectful, especially when fights break out.
#25
Saw a group of Italien men try to pick up women while visiting Auschwitz. That was beyond cringe.
#26
Do not touch delicate artwork or ancient artifacts.
I see this happen everywhere. Drives me nuts.
#27
Wearing immodest clothing in typically modest countries. Look what the locals of your gender are dressed like, and try to cover the same body parts. I cringe when I see “influencers” posing in front of the pyramids wearing a tiny crop top and shorts. Have a bit of respect for the local customs and culture. What would you think of someone walking naked down your city street? Would it be okay, just because they walk around naked in their own country?
Islandchild 1 year ago
Don't wear your bathing suit in a town or city without some sort of reasonable cover-up. Men wear a shirt and shorts if your bathing suit is less than shorts.
#28
In Athens, Greece and many other big tourism cities, if someone randomly tries to “give” you something - a blessing, a bracelet, etc. just don’t accept. You’ll end up being surrounded by them and their homies demanding money.
#29
Jaywalking is a shockable offense in Germany. Pedestrians will wait at an empty crosswalk with no cars in sight and wait until the little man tells them they can walk and if you walk across the (empty street) they will stare at you like you just mugged an old lady in front of them.
cerinamroth 1 year ago
I live in Germany and can confirm. I usually say to my daughter "Let's be British" and cross on the red man if there are no cars in sight. I have certainly taught her to look before crossing regardless of whether the green man is there or not. Lots of German pedestrians just obey the lights!
#30
Those are not garbage cans outside shops in Japan those are for umbrellas. Don't be me A.K.A a dummy.
#31
I've learned my lesson by now, but when I first started traveling, the big one was not paying attention to the days you are going in relation to the country. Like finding out you planned your day around seeing the museums of a city on the day of the week they are all closed. Or trying to visit a local natural attraction not realizing it's a domestic holiday when everyone in the country is also going there.
#32
Driving slowly looking at the scenery, holding up local traffic; we've got places to be, people to see.
If you want to admire the view pull off somewhere & enjoy it properly.
Verena 1 year ago
Driving 60 km/h on the one-lane motorway, that was especially built to get business traffic fast from the coast to the business/factory areas inland. Every 200m there is a sign with 100km/h. Goods and people. Alongside, on both sides, are roads for slow traffic, from agricultural to tourists enjoying the scenery. Choose the road according to the speed you want to travel at, please.
#33
We were following a group of British tourists up the Big Daddy dune in Namibia and they were playing bad American pop on a portable Bluetooth speaker. Ok, I heard Justin Bieber so maybe it was bad Canadian pop. We were with a local guide, he yelled at them, adding it was a local holiday, so they were being especially disrespectful, and they sheepishly turned it off. I (American) said a silent prayer of gratitude to the universe that it wasn't Americans being obnoxious this time.
Mariele Scherzinger 1 year ago
Playing YOUR music loudly in public places is always rude. Not everyone wants to hear whatever you fancy at that moment.
#35
Just general rudeness to locals. Treating them disrespectfully. I remember being in a restaurant in Bangkok and the table next to us would snap their fingers at the staff to get their attention. Just disgusting.
#36
Outside of the US, when someone asks where you are from, the answer is not your state. It is your country aka simply the US. 🤣.
Andrew Read 1 year ago
I am Australian. The last time an American asked me what part of England I was from, I asked them what part of Canada they were from. I think they got the message.
#37
Stop loudly talking about how cheap everything is. Locals in many places don't have near the purchasing power you might as a tourist from a wealthy country. It can be infuriating and disrespectful to the locals who may be struggling with cost of living.
#38
Please just leave the wildlife alone. I was in the Philippines and saw a couple pick up a couple of star fish from the ocean floor to take a picture with out of water, then toss them back in after the photo.
#39
Don't accidentally get on the women's only carriage (as a man) in the Delhi Metro (yes, it was me 🤦🏻♂️).
#40
Not brushing up on local etiquette before traveling somewhere new. For example, when I visited family in Tokyo, I brought a gift (not strange where I'm from to bring a gift for your host/hostess). But the gift etiquette in Japan is complicated, and the hostess was embarrassed because she wasn't expecting it and had nothing ready to reciprocate. Much befuddlement and so on for me.
Rayne OfSalt 1 year ago
On my last trip to Japan, I found that stating "for giving me the gift of your company and hospitality, I am giving you this gift as thanks" helped avoid any embarrassment.
#41
Thinking every culture is like Americann culture. Our 5 star different, complaining because something “isn’t right” but in that country that reaction is considered wrong. Also comparing how we do it in America and inferring our way is the right way. The other thing I learned was I always say on the “other”, “left” or “opposite side”of the road not the wrong side in the Britain and Ireland. It’s an assumption it would be wrong to say it in Japan too, but I’m not sure. I always find attempting even a few words in the country’s language is appreciated. ( except in France, they got angry with me).
BewilderedBanana 1 year ago
I have the opposite experience in France (at least in Paris). The locals who saw i was trying to make an effort to say something in French, based on the little i remembered from school, suddenly develop near-perfect english to help me out :)
#42
Watching a man with two very young kids walk to within 100 feet of a grizzly bear in Yellowstone.
#43
I’m currently in Zagreb and today saw three loud American girls kicking furniture over and then kicking swings in a play area of a park today. They were probably late teens early twenties and were everything people hate about Americans abroad. Loud and weirdly disrespectful.
#44
In a Muslim country, don't eat in public during Ramadan. Even if you guide gives you food from the market to try, even if he insists that its okay.
Jrog 1 year ago
That's BS. In cities or in places that experience significant tourism, during Ramadan restaurants are open and no one would bat an eye if you have lunch. Locals won't, out of their *voluntary* fasting, but you are not meant to practice if you are not Muslim. Also, not all Muslims practice fasting: there are several exemptions from fasting, some of them practice in a limited way (allowing drinking), some of them just don't.
#45
Dont assume that a place accepts Apple Pay or honestly any sort of debit or credit card. First time visiting the Netherlands, I was in Amsterdam for pride and was behind a large group of Americans at a hot dog stand. They all ordered their food (about 20+ euros worth) and STARTED EATING IT BEFORE PAYING, and when the leader of the group whipped out her phone for Apple Pay, the very confused Dutch man told her he doesn’t accept anything other than cash. Took them 5 minutes to figure out which one of them had enough cash to cover it! When I came up and ordered in English he kept repeating before handing me my order “ ONLY CASH MEVROUW! “ god bless him lol.
TheElderNom 1 year ago
Though at the same time you can't expect every place to accept cash. Sweden is generelly quite bad at accepting cash.
#46
Not reading the fine print before booking a flight on a budget airline. Cheap flights are cheap for a reason. Their policies towards carry-ons and checked-bag sizes vary, and you might have to unexpectedly fork up some more money. Also, don't expect budget airlines to make it on time if you have a tight connection or will have to go through immigration on your layover.
White Sauce Hot Sauce 1 year ago (edited)
And make sure you know where the airport actually is. Flying Easyjet into London Gatwick or London Luton won't take you close to London city.
#47
American military in Europe so I’m already not the Germans’ biggest fan. I literally cannot go anywhere on a train with my friends here. So obnoxiously loud and they don’t care or get embarrassed at all. Just play into the loud american stereotype perfectly. Also they don’t even attempt German. I think the least you can do as a foreigner would be to say dankeschön or tschüss instead of just thanks.
#48
Showing up at a popular city attraction without a pre-purchased ticket. Some examples that come to mind are the Vatican in Rome and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. Don't waste your time in line. Do the research ahead of time to save time and see more things. For instance, we took a tour of Palatine Hill that included a tour of the Colosseum. When we got to the Colosseum, we bypassed hundreds of people waiting in line. Tripadvisor is a great resource for this type of information.
#49
Going to Paris in August when all the Parisians take their holidays, which means all the restaurants and bakeries you'll probably want to go to are actually closed for two weeks.
#50
Perfumes and colognes. Please stop. Bathe properly and wear deodorant. No need to assault people with nasty smells.
#51
Kathmandu was second hand embarrassment to the point of humiliation.
We went to see thee living goddess. People come from all over Nepal to see her and receive her blessings.
While we were there with many religious devotees and tourists alike, waiting for her we were advised not to take pics. It was a very black and white rule reiterated several times.
She comes to the window, several people take pics, all tourists, including a group from Australia, she gets pulled straight back into the building and no blessings given.
#52
No public displays of affection in Vietnam please. Maybe don’t even hold hands to be respectful. In most Asian countries, please receive shop receipts with both hands. Same for business cards and do not put it away if seated, place it on the table until end of interaction.
#53
Don't put your feet up on the train seats in Germany. I guess I should have known better but the train was nearly empty and the seats were hard plastic. Being yelled at in German by a tiny German woman is one of the scarier things I've experienced. I'm not actually sure if that's what I was doing wrong but it's my best guess. In my city of Washington, DC, please don't block the sidewalks in crowded areas, or get in the way on the Metro.
winterwidow87 1 year ago (edited)
Is there any country where is it acceptable to put your shoes on places where people sit?
#54
Give the monkeys fruit.
Lace Neil 1 year ago
If you visit the rock of Gibraltar, there are signs everywhere telling you to not give the monkeys food. The reason is cuz in monkey society, giving food is an expression of submissiveness so you will encourage the monkeys to swarm you as you have demonstrated that you accept them as your overlords.
#55
Expect locals to understand your own language, Ive been embarrassed so many times by other Argentines going to someone in the Netherlands speaking straight Spanish. I see it as a mix of entitlement and lack of empathy.
#56
I don’t know if this is a No No. I was in the Montemartre part of Paris at lunch in a small restaurant. Four women from .I’m guessing Texas, “Do y’all have Dr. Pepper?”, “No? I can’t believe y’all don’t have Dr. Pepper!”.
Auntriarch 1 year ago
Do you have, is okay. How else would you find out. I can't believe you don't have, is where it goes wrong
#57
Loudly pondering why something is done in a particular way merely because it is done differently where the tourist is from.
#58
Taking photos of the locals minding their business but especially in countries in the global south. In the global south, I also find it uncomfortable when wealthier tourists still haggle in markets. As someone else here has said, taking selfies in inappropriate places particularly the Holocaust memorials and sites like concentration camps in Europe. Being rude to locals and disrespecting/not following local customs or openly challenging them too.
StumblingThroughLife 1 year ago (edited)
Or rage-baiting the Police officers in holiday destinations - videoing it at the time, to put on YT/TikTok. Happens a fair bit in the UK, since only a small % of them carry bullet-loading weapons. Usually done by citizens living in places that can own/openly carry them, and assume that our bobbies are pushovers just because they're being polite to tourists.
#59
Reading signs for Historical places out loud while you block everyone else from reading it. Wearing athlesure in cities where it’s not accepted. Talking too loudly. Comp,aiming about prices.
Marianne 1 year ago
I'm not sure what they mean with "no athleisure in cities where it is not accepted". Yes, athleisure isn't typically worn in most places in Europe and if you wear it, we will know that you're an American tourist. However, I don't think that it is culturally inappropriate (except maybe when it's too revealing and you're in a muslim country?).
#60
I see a fair number of people from certain other countries that try to haggle for the price of products in the US and seem upset when it's made clear that prices are firm.
What do you think ?
The Doom Song 1 year ago
Leave the quokkas alone people! Yes they are cute and yes take a picture but please don't touch or feed them.
Alexandra 1 year ago
Most of these posts boil down to bad planning/preparation. If you go to a foreign country that's very unlike your own, always look up the currency, how to get around, when shops are open, what the National Holidays are and what the policies are when visiting museums. I also look up what to avoid at any costs. And, of course, I have the number of my embassy/consulate in my phone and on paper.
BookFanatic 1 year ago
As parents, try to instruct your young kids. I visited the Vietnam Memorial with my parents when I was eight. All I saw was a big black wall surrounding a park that would be great for running around and playing. My dad was in Vietnam, and he and my mom made sure I understood why I had to walk carefully and speak softly.
Apatheist Account2 1 year ago
Maybe don't get overly offended if someone from another country doesn't follow your traditions or culture. Remind them politely rather than aggressively (Eg "Oi mate! We queue in this country!" etc).
JB 1 year ago
In the UK (and possibly Australia) that would be considered a polite reminder.
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The Phantom Stranger 1 year ago
I recently took my wife to France for her 50th birthday. Unfortunately, due to caring for my terminally ill father, my plan to learn French prior to the trip never materialized. I was able to learn one phrase, however, "I apologize, but I'm an ugly American and I don't speak French," (which I've already forgotten!) Fortunately, my wife speaks fluent French, and in spite of my self-deprecating joke, we always try to be respectful of the culture and customs of where we're visiting, and as such we found most of the French people we encountered to be friendly and welcoming (and had a lot of questions about life in the US). It was only when some of the hotel staff offered condolences on the death of my father that I discovered my wife had been telling people behind my back that I hadn't had time to learn French due to my caregiver status.
Zedrapazia 1 year ago
Does someone here perhaps know since when the French insult tourists as rosbif? I've never heard anyone say that before and I can't find the origin of that either on Google.
CanadianDimes 1 year ago
If I’m in Thailand and my money blows away and I need to catch it by stepping on it, so be it. The royal family will live. It’s more disrespectful to myself to lose my money
Lace Neil 1 year ago
Don't ask random people in England if they know your English friend. Don't ask random English people in London for directions, ask a taxi driver.
The Phantom Stranger 1 year ago
I live in the US, but I have a childhood friend from Austria, whose family runs a famous international hotel in Vienna. She never really grasped how big the United States is, so whenever American guests stayed at the hotel, she would always ask if they knew me.
Load More Replies... The Doom Song 1 year ago
Leave the quokkas alone people! Yes they are cute and yes take a picture but please don't touch or feed them.
Alexandra 1 year ago
Most of these posts boil down to bad planning/preparation. If you go to a foreign country that's very unlike your own, always look up the currency, how to get around, when shops are open, what the National Holidays are and what the policies are when visiting museums. I also look up what to avoid at any costs. And, of course, I have the number of my embassy/consulate in my phone and on paper.
BookFanatic 1 year ago
As parents, try to instruct your young kids. I visited the Vietnam Memorial with my parents when I was eight. All I saw was a big black wall surrounding a park that would be great for running around and playing. My dad was in Vietnam, and he and my mom made sure I understood why I had to walk carefully and speak softly.
Apatheist Account2 1 year ago
Maybe don't get overly offended if someone from another country doesn't follow your traditions or culture. Remind them politely rather than aggressively (Eg "Oi mate! We queue in this country!" etc).
JB 1 year ago
In the UK (and possibly Australia) that would be considered a polite reminder.
Load More Replies... The Phantom Stranger 1 year ago
I recently took my wife to France for her 50th birthday. Unfortunately, due to caring for my terminally ill father, my plan to learn French prior to the trip never materialized. I was able to learn one phrase, however, "I apologize, but I'm an ugly American and I don't speak French," (which I've already forgotten!) Fortunately, my wife speaks fluent French, and in spite of my self-deprecating joke, we always try to be respectful of the culture and customs of where we're visiting, and as such we found most of the French people we encountered to be friendly and welcoming (and had a lot of questions about life in the US). It was only when some of the hotel staff offered condolences on the death of my father that I discovered my wife had been telling people behind my back that I hadn't had time to learn French due to my caregiver status.
Zedrapazia 1 year ago
Does someone here perhaps know since when the French insult tourists as rosbif? I've never heard anyone say that before and I can't find the origin of that either on Google.
CanadianDimes 1 year ago
If I’m in Thailand and my money blows away and I need to catch it by stepping on it, so be it. The royal family will live. It’s more disrespectful to myself to lose my money
Lace Neil 1 year ago
Don't ask random people in England if they know your English friend. Don't ask random English people in London for directions, ask a taxi driver.
The Phantom Stranger 1 year ago
I live in the US, but I have a childhood friend from Austria, whose family runs a famous international hotel in Vienna. She never really grasped how big the United States is, so whenever American guests stayed at the hotel, she would always ask if they knew me.
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Jonas Žvilius
Mindaugas Balčiauskas
Mindaugas Balčiauskas
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