After smartly planning for a trip abroad by thoroughly reviewing cheap traveloptions including cheap airplanetickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap vacation packages, itwould be a shame to later run into problems because you used a certain gesturethat is totally innocent in the U.S. but means something completely differentand offensive overseas.
The following are hand signals to avoid when travelingabroad, according to Caroline Morse:
If you give someone thepeace sign with your palm facing inward in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, orthe United Kingdom you are giving someone the equivalent of your middle finger.
While two thumbs up isa sign of approval in the U.S., in Afghanistan, Greece, Iran, and parts ofItaly it signifies up yours.
Making a circle withyour index finger and thumb is not OK in certain countries. For example, in France it means zero orworthless. In Brazil, Turkey, andVenezuela, it is a vulgar slang that will offend anyone who sees it.
Finger summoning mightbe OK to signal someone in the U.S. to come over to you, but in the Philippinesusing your curled index finger is reserved for calling dogs and is consideredvery rude. In Japan and Singapore themotion signifies death.
Using your left hand toeat is viewed as inappropriate in Africa, India, the Middle East, and Sri Lankabecause the left hand is traditionally viewed as unclean since it is associatedwith cleaning yourself after using a toilet.
The palm out, fingersup stop sign in Greece may result in someone punching you in the face. This is a gesture used to insult Greeks anddates back to Byzantine times, when shackled criminals were paraded through thestreet and gawkers were allowed to smear charcoal or excrement in their facesusing their open palms.
While crossing yourindex and middle fingers is one used in America as an indication of hope, inVietnam crossed fingers symbolize a part of the female anatomy and isconsidered very rude when flashed at someone.
Displaying devil horns(with your hand in a fist and index and pinky finger extended) is fine at aUniversity of Texas game but not in Brazil, Colombia, Portugal or Spain. In these countries this gesture is used tosuggest that someones wife has been unfaithful.
Hailing a taxi by waivingyour arm is common in the U.S. but in Korea it is how people summon theirdogs.
Patting someone elseshead or hair for a job well done is a definite faux pas in Thailand. In the Buddhist faith the head is the mostsacred part of the body and is where the spirit lives.
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