As travellers move across the world to countries they’re visiting for the first time, their thoughts frequently direct towards local customs and cultural awareness in the country they’re visiting. Some first time travellers may worry about “how to get along” in restaurants, bars and shops, perhaps feeling inadequate and out of place with their limited, if any, vocabulary and understanding. Some travelers become awe struck at such a big change in culinary styles from that which they are used to; others being shocked by the openness of extrovert behaviour when compared to the timidity of their home country lifestyles. Some others, still, even while visiting another country wonder why the indigenous population don’t behave like they do or even why they don’t speak their language. Many British hold this attitude.
On the whole, most travellers to intentional destinations are quite content to adapt to local practices and cultures, even to the extremes of religious worship.
Cultural diversity also presents itself in business and quite often a deal could be won on the basis of acceptance of cultural practices or even lending oneself to partaking in certain practices which amuse the indigenous onlookers, for example the wearing of local costumes, head scarves, taking shoes off, etc, perhaps even sharing a drink from the same glass of soft or alcohol beverage.
Some good examples of diversity of common practices are in greeting people where some cultures see physical contact as impolite. This is prevalent in Asian countries. On the other hand, it’s a common greeting practice in Hispanic countries, some Eastern European nations and a few European and Arab countries to hug and kiss at first greeting, even several times.
In Italy, Mexico and some Asian countries, university graduates expect to be addressed by their title, for example doctor, professor, licenciado and dottore. Family greetings also incorporate signs of verbal respect with elder relatives and older people generally being acknowledged with some physical accompaniment other than the proverbial handshake.
In some countries it’s common to eat several times a day with an abundance of low cost cuisines available late into the early hours of the morning, daily.
Very often, people who travel to the United States forget to tip. It’s usual, for example to tip waiters, porters and taxi drivers.
In England it’s polite to stand in line (queue) and make quite conversation, perhaps about their favourite topic “the weather”. In Asian and Indian countries, standing in line just doesn't exist. It doesn't work and usually its first come first served and it works too.
In Japan when they exchange personal or business cards, it’s polite to look at the cards and don’t just put it away.
In every country, be careful with eye contact. Some cultures are offended by eye contact where others are offended with lack of eye contact. Playing it by ear is the best.
The foregoing samples of cultural differences are by no means exhaustive so we should always try to find out what local customs are before we travel to a country, particularly if you plan to work or study there. We should try to adapt our thinking to incorporate local practices and make allowances for customs that we are not quite familiar with or that we might find hard to adjust to.
