People Share The Cultural Faux Pas They Accidentally Committed While Traveling

When you're traveling, you can sometimes forget that other places in the world are different in more ways than the ones that are super obvious.

Some of the things that we think are "normal," like tipping, giving someone a thumbs-up, or even saying "thank you," might seem like strange strange behaviors elsewhere in the world.

They Were Just Trying To Be Nice

someone tipped in Japan which you don't do
Photo Credit: Reddit / Ummerruhhno
Photo Credit: Reddit / Ummerruhhno

Tipping is something that comes as second nature in North America, but in some other places in the world, it just isn't done—and it's sometimes not accepted by the waitstaff at the restaurant.

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I Would Have Died Of Embarrassment

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someone laughed during the toast to the dead
Photo Credit: Reddit / motorcycle-manful541
Photo Credit: Reddit / motorcycle-manful541
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You just know that that person became the guy that no one wanted to invite out anymore because he had a strange sense of humor and thought it was funny when people die.

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Try To Learn Some Of Their Language

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someone was accidentally saying a mean word when they were in Vienna
Photo Credit: Reddit / elijha
Photo Credit: Reddit / elijha
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You obviously can't know everything when you're traveling to a new place, but maybe taking into consideration that different places, no matter how similar they seem, might interpret things a bit differently.

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They Did What Any Of Us Would Do

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someone didn't know that they charge a premium during holidays for a taxi ride
Photo Credit: Reddit / Stup2plending
Photo Credit: Reddit / Stup2plending
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No one likes being taken advantage of, and tourist scams are certainly a thing. However, that doesn't mean that everyone is trying to scam you. Ask questions if you're not sure about something.

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The Audacity

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someone wore the wrong soccer jersey in a city
Photo Credit: Reddit / RelaxRobert
Photo Credit: Reddit / RelaxRobert
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People take their sports teams—especially soccer teams in Europe—very seriously. To some, it could be considered personally offensive if your football views don't align with theirs. Might just be best to avoid it.

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Should It Really Have Been A Struggle?

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someone got on the wrong door of the bus
Photo Credit: Reddit / CheeseWheels38
Photo Credit: Reddit / CheeseWheels38
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When you're in a different country, especially one where you don't speak the language, public transportation can be really stressful and sometimes very confusing. Sometimes, you might not even know what door to go through!

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Those Crazy Canadians

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a Canadian asking about poutine seemed to be asking for Putin
Photo Credit: Reddit / adv3ntur30u5
Photo Credit: Reddit / adv3ntur30u5
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Don't ever forget that no matter where you are from, you have an accent to someone, and that might make it tricky for some people to know what you're saying.

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Someone Could Have Told Him

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someone ate a meal as a sandwich when they should not have
Photo Credit: Reddit / dracosilop
Photo Credit: Reddit / dracosilop
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Although, if you saw someone eating food with their hands that should not be eaten with your hands, you'd probably just leave that person alone, wouldn't you? Everyone probably just thought he was a big weirdo.

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Seems Like A Strange Question

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someone told a Chinese person their fav number is four when it is an unlucky number
Photo Credit: Reddit / FortuneGear09
Photo Credit: Reddit / FortuneGear09
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Numerology is something that some other cultures take very seriously, so it may seem strange to be asked your favorite number, but it's a totally normal question in some places. Just make sure you don't pick one that's unlucky.

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Doesn't Make It Less True

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someone told an older person they looked good for their age in Japan
Photo Credit: Reddit / FortuneGear09
Photo Credit: Reddit / FortuneGear09
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It's a weird Western thing to try not to age and fight against it so hard, at least I think so, anyway. A lot of other places in the world have great respect for aging.

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An Honest Mistake

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someone forgot they were in an English speaking country and asked a cab driver if they spoke English
Photo Credit: Reddit / kwaqiswhack
Photo Credit: Reddit / kwaqiswhack
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If you've been traveling for a long time, asking someone if they speak the same language as you might start to feel like second nature, but maybe stop and think before you speak.

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This Is So Wholesome

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someone actually took a person up on their offer to go for dinner...on another continent
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
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That host probably never tried to make fake plans with someone ever again after this happened to them. They learned their lesson, and that was that someday, someone might take their fake plans seriously.

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An Honest Mistake

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someone gave their Iranian step dad two thumbs up, which is like flipping someone off
Photo Credit: Reddit / RaiseAToast
Photo Credit: Reddit / RaiseAToast
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Let's hope that these two were able to work things out and be clear about what they meant. His intentions were good, even if his thumb gestures were not so good.

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I'd Get Laughed At, Too

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800 x 533 (13)
Photo Credit: Reddit / misstibbs
Photo Credit: Reddit / misstibbs
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To be fair, there is nothing wrong with wanting to put pants on, underwear or otherwise. It's just something that should be done in order to be socially acceptable, you know?

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My Personal Bubble Is Very Large

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Someone refused to kiss strangers on the cheek in France
Photo Credit: Reddit / bigschnittylife
Photo Credit: Reddit / bigschnittylife
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It's hard to know what the line is when it comes to refusing certain traditions. I'm sure people in France were understanding. It makes sense that not everyone there would like kisses all the time.

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Sometimes, People Think Our Customs Are Weird

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someone visiting the US didn't understand that tipping was a thing
Photo Credit: Reddit / markvauxhall
Photo Credit: Reddit / markvauxhall
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Just like we might find it weird that not tipping is a thing, people who visit places like the US and Canada, where tipping is a thing, find it weird. It's all just a learning experience.

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Who Else Hates An Awkward Wait?

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someone in the UK didn't know you have to go up to the bar to order
Photo Credit: Reddit / canucker78
Photo Credit: Reddit / canucker78
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If you're visiting a place that isn't used to having tourists around, there is probably a bit of a learning curve because they won't know to let you know that things are done a little differently.

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Being Too Polite Is A Thing

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someone got in trouble for saying thank you after buying a newspaper in France
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
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I can see both sides. Really, at the end of the day, is someone saying "thank you" to you so bad that you have to get upset about it? I just don't know.

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You Can See His Confusion, Though

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someone accidentally kissed a person they thought they should when they shouldn't have
Photo Credit: Reddit / HarryBlessKnapp
Photo Credit: Reddit / HarryBlessKnapp
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It seems as though people in France like to be kissed on the cheek when you say hello, but only by people that they know, which kind of makes sense.

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It Could Have Been Any Of Us

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someone didn't take the wrapper off something before eating it
Photo Credit: Reddit / youdietonight
Photo Credit: Reddit / youdietonight
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If you've never had it before, how would you know?! At least the wrapping on a tamale is just a corn husk and not anything that you really shouldn't be eating.