Greetings & Communication
Dealing With Different Customs & Cultures
The world is a funny place, and before you get us wrong that is a grand thing! Just step out of your own back yard, and you are in a different realm; but step out into another country, and the sudden culture shock could leave your head spinning and slack jaw dragging the ground for days!
The great thing about the thousands of peoples around the globe, all with their own lives, religion, history, geography and languages, is that all this combined has created such an amazing array of colorful cultures and unique traditions that will keep the happy-go-lucky backpacker forever able to pick from the metaphysical box of chocolates and never get the same sample twice.
But with all these differences, it does lead to a lot of confusion, faux pas, misunderstandings and the occasional all out war! So, without further adieu, we present you with a few of the more common blunders made by travelers in the hope that you never have to see an angry mob running after you.
Greetings & Communication
Americans might greet with a handshake; however, there are other greetings out there of which you should be aware. For example, in Japan, people bow, and in Italy and some Slavic countries, people kiss cheeks … and then if you are a member of the Freemasons, well, that gets too complex for us to go into in this guide.The handshake
In parts of Northern Europe, a quick, firm handshake is the norm, but in parts of Southern Europe, Central and South America, a handshake is longer and warmer. Beware that in Turkey, a firm handshake is considered rude and aggressive, and in certain African countries, a limp handshake is normal. In Islamic countries, men should generally never shake the hands of women.
Eye contact
In the Czech Republic and parts of Germany, it is considered a lack of respect to not look each other in the eye when toasting with an alcoholic beverage … and not just the first toast, but EVERY single time you clink those glasses together! So, be prepared to know your new friends’ eye color quite well by the end of a long night out. In the United States and Canada, intermittent eye contact is extremely important in conveying interest and attention.In many Middle Eastern cultures, intense eye contact between the same genders is often a symbol of trust and sincerity; however, between opposite genders, especially in Muslim cultures, anything more than BRIEF eye contact is considered inappropriate. Additionally, in Asian, African, and Latin American cultures, extended eye contact is considered a “challenge”. The Japanese tend to consider even brief eye contact uncomfortable. And, in some cultures, a woman should look down when talking to a man.
Source: https://www.backpackertravel.org/backpacker-101/on-the-road/dealing-different-customs-cultures/