Dressing and acting like a tourist
Traveling is one time when it's actually cool to be a poseur. Try your best to fit in with a country's style of dress and customs by ditching the fanny packs, visors, dark socks with sandals, and Hawaiian shirts and not using your outdoor voice. The golden rule of travel is that blending in and conformity are a form of flattery. Most countries will not expect you to be an expert on the nuances of their culture, but they will appreciate a show of interest in matters of importance to them. Taking your usual gregarious behavior down a notch is a good idea too. People of other nationalities are more reserved than we are, so it's important not to come across as the ugly American: overbearing, overly familiar and loud.
Flashing money around
Peeling bills off of wads of cash won't endear you to the locals nor does it curry much favor here in the USA but showing the contents of your wallet and taking copious amounts of money out of foreign ATMs in full view of everyone will make you popular with pickpockets. The cash machine itself could be a thief in disguise too. Look closely at an ATM before using it, as criminals have been known to place 'skimmers' on the machines, especially in areas frequented by tourists.
Assuming everyone's there to wait on them
Just like money doesn't buy taste or love, having vacation savings to burn doesn't guarantee the royal treatment everywhere you go. There are two keys to not being an American jerk: Being a little bit patient and not assuming that everybody here is here to clamor over your tourist dollars. We Americans have swarmed over the face of the world, taking it for granted that the earth's surface belongs to us because we can pay for it. Try to buck those stereotypes.
Ordering American food abroad
Don't be that person who orders French fries in the middle of Italy. The absolute worst thing you can do is to ignore the local food in favor of what's familiar to you. Not sampling exotic food means you'll miss a large chunk of the area's culture that will enrich your travel experience. That said, everyone has heard at least one horror story about getting food poisoning abroad. Wash your hands a lot and be smart about the basic things: avoid tap water and ice and unpeeled fruits and vegetables and you can eat plenty of local food.
Not bothering to learn basic foreign phrases
English is indeed widely spoken all over the world, but not making any effort will just make everyone hate you. If at all possible, at least say a greeting in the other person's language, and then say, 'Do you speak English?' right after that. One thing that grates is to just start speaking English in a foreign county. It's likely that a lot of people, especially in touristy spots, will speak English, but the presumption that they do is really obnoxious. No need to bust out an entire language dictionary either. Learning how to say hello, thank you, and please, will be enough to show people you respect there language and culture.
Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!
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Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
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