6 Customs Canadians Should Know Before Travelling Abroad So They Don't Embarrass Themselves
While travelling abroad is a super exciting time for anyone, it can be tricky to acclimate yourself to a ton of unwritten travel rules and new customs. Who hasn't embarrassed themselves on vacation, seriously?
From what you should – or more importantly, shouldn't – be doing when you go out for a meal to the dreaded question of how many cheek kisses are an appropriate greeting in different European countries, there are a lot of customs seen in places around the world that are so different to Canada.
If you want to avoid any awkward encounters, brushing up on some common customs you might not have thought of before you head abroad is never a bad idea to save any future embarrassment. You'll thank yourself later!
How many cheek kisses are too many cheek kisses?
For a lot of North Americans, a trip to Europe may mean contending with the dreaded internal questions about cheek kissing. How many cheek kisses should you be planning for?
Unfortunately, there isn't an easy answer. In a web survey of French citizens, the number of kisses given varied between one and four in certain parts of the country. However, two seemed to be most common.
France isn't the only country around the world where you're likely to encounter cheek kissing. According to Conde Nast Traveller, one kiss on the cheek is common in Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru and the Philippines.
Two kisses are more common in Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia, Brazil and some Middle Eastern countries (but not between opposite sexes).
In some other European countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, you can expect three kisses.
Eat up – or don't!
If you're on vacation, chances are you're going to be heading out to a restaurant at least once while you're on your travels, but did you know that the amount of food you eat on your plate could actually be considered rude in some countries?
In Japan, it can be considered rude if you don't finish everything on your plate when eating in a restaurant or with guests. According to Travel Japan, table etiquette in the country is based on guests "showing appreciation for the efforts taken by the hosts."
On that note, if you're eating noodles, feel free to slurp them!
According to Culture Trip, India is another spot where you'll need to finish everything on your plate. You also should be wary of eating too fast or too slow as it could be seen as a sign that you aren't enjoying your meal.
However, in China, you're likely to want to leave a little bit of food on your plate to signal that you've been fed enough, according to Thrillist.
Avoid using your left hand in India
While most of us in the Western world are pretty accustomed to using both hands for most things, using your left hand to eat or greet people in other countries can actually be an issue.
According to Holbrook Travel, the left hand is usually considered unclean in Indian culture, and it's thought to be the hand used when using the bathroom or cleaning your feet. So if you're going out for dinner or meeting someone, always use your right hand to avoid looking "unsanitary and unhygienic."
Thoroughly research tipping rules
Tipping culture is widely accepted in North America, but rules vary from country to country, so you'll want to brush up on where and where to leave some extra cash for service.
In North, Central and South America, tipping is widely part of the culture, so you should always plan to tip in any of these countries, according to Western Union. In the U.S., Canada and Colombia, it's usually around 15-20% of your bill. Meanwhile, in Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru, around 5 to 10% is normal.
European countries don't have as much of a tipping culture, as a lot of places already have laws in place to accommodate gratuity. Countries including France, Spain and Sweden often add a service charge to bills, but you can leave a small tip on top if you want.
In Austria, Russia and Italy, tipping isn't as common, but you can round up your bill since wages are usually low in these countries.
The Middle East and parts of Africa have similar tipping guidelines to North America. In Dubai, restaurants will add a 10% service charge, but you'll still need to tip an additional 15 to 20%.
Meanwhile, in East Asia and the South Pacific, tipping isn't expected though some restaurants may accept tips.
Pay attention to your hand shake
When you're meeting new people, there's usually no safer greeting than the old faithful handshake, but how you go about it will definitely vary between countries.
According to The Emily Post Institute, North Americans and Europeans favour a firm handshake as a greeting, but in Asia and the Middle East, you can loosen your grip a little bit.
In South America, Spain and Italy, your handshake may also be combined with a touch on the elbow or the forearm, so don't be surprised.
In other Asian countries like Japan, a bow is the equivalent of a handshake. In India and Thailand, people may place their hands together at chest level and bow.
It's rude to point
If your mom ever told you it's rude to point, she was definitely on to something. While in North America, pointing at something with your index finger is pretty common, it's considered pretty rude in a lot of countries.
According to the Huffington Post, you should never point with your index finger in China, Japan or Latin America, and in Europe, it's also considered impolite.
In a lot of African countries, you can use your index finger to point at inanimate objects but never, ever point at people.
A far safer bet across the board is to use your entire hand and fingers together if you really need to point something out.
