Putting Your Best
Foot Forward
By GORP Travel Expert Rob Sangster
In the ninth inning of an Olympic baseball playoff game, the batter on the
Japanese team cracked a towering fly ball deep into left field. It dropped
just short of the low fence but then bounced over. When the runner pulled up
at second base, half the crowd rose to its feet, screaming for him to keep
going around the bases.
He stopped because he knew that the ground rules limited him to a double.
Think how foolish he would have appeared if he had kept running or argued
with the umpire.
In the same way, it's the job of every traveler to learn the local ground
rules. Here are some useful examples:
Gestures
Some of our familiar gestures don't travel well. For example, the thumb
touching forefinger"OK" sign is a friendly gesture in Atlanta but in Brazil
it refers to an intimate part of the anatomy. In England, giving someone a
"V" sign with your palm facing inward is the equivalent of the middle-finger
sign in the USA. In Peru, as in Europe, someone pointing to the corner of her
eye is warning you: "Danger. Be alert. Keep your eyes open," often referring
to the presence of pickpockets.
Beckoning someone by crooking your finger at them can be an insult in
Asia and the Middle East. In parts of South America and Europe, slapping the
back of one fist with the other hand conveys your wish that the other person
engage in an improbable activity.
In Greece an upward nod of the head means "No," while tilting the head to one
side means "Yes." If you raise an open hand to refuse something offered to
you in Greece, your gesture may be understood as "go to hell." In that
connection, be warned that a Greek may smile when very angry.
In India, emphatic wagging of the head side-to-side might mean "Yes" or any
number of other things. What you need to know is that it doesn't mean "No."
In parts of Southeast Asia, standing with hands on hips as you address
someone projects hostility. That makes it a good posture to avoid when
dealing with an armed official.
Hospitality
In many places, and Arabic cultures are good examples, hospitality is
taken very seriously. You risk giving offense if you don't accept a sincere
offer of food, shelter, or assistance. At the same time, males must be
circumspect when talking to or about someone's wife or female relative.
Hospitality does not extend that far. If the penalty for thieves is losing a
hand . . . well, think about it. Also be cautious about expressing excessive admiration for someone's
property, say a piece or jewelry or artwork. The owner may insist that you
accept it as a gift. If you refuse, you risk giving offense. If you accept,
you may be expected to reciprocate.
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