Though we belike like to cogitate we do , Americans do n’t bang everything about every other country . We may have learned some blatantuntruths about the French , and maybe plunk up a few fun facts whilestudying abroad , but beyond that we are known worldwide for being pretty inept at adjust to local cultures .
Of of course , that does n’t think people from outside our country are precisely expert on how we do thing in America , either . An interesting thread popped up recently on the question - and - discussion website Quora , with one of the users starting a conversation by asking , " What should I utterly not do when travel to the USA ? " heaps of masses , both from the States and from around the world , chimed in . Most ( but not all ) of the response are really pretty good advice for strange visitors , but all of it is pretty dear to eavesdrop on . We take out out the most interesting answers and gathered them together below as a list of rule for people to keep in mind when they inflict the US .
Don’t infringe on personal space, ever
“ Americans get very uncomfortable when strangers enter their optical field , even peripheral . They have a rummy set of ritual to annul showdown , like take care aside , pretending they ’re check their earpiece , never contain beside another car on carmine lights , wearing dark drinking glass , etc . ”–Gonzalo , Chile
“ Americans in oecumenical like a certain space around them , like a Hula Hoop polisher . Pushing into an American ’s personal space is very uncomfortable andwillchange the way your interaction goes . Same thing for any public spaces . ”–Rick , USA
“ Do n’t crowd people , they are very cognizant of their personal outer space . Use the furthest urinal or stall from the next person . Do n’t speak in restrooms . Keep your optic to yourself . ”–Jay , USA
Yulia Mayorova/Shutterstock
Don’t creep on women
“ Do n’t gaze at women . They do n’t get the foreign toying code and will get very uncomfortable , or freak out and call the police force . If you are interested , go and babble to her but do n’t look like a sneak . ” –Gonzalo , Chile
“ A woman being affable to you is NOT an invitation for ANYTHING . I give you direction and maybe even a restaurant recommendation because I am a nice soul who wants you to relish your slip , not because I am attracted to you . If you mistake my friendliness as an ' invitation ' and corner me in the subway auto trying to talk me into meeting you at your hotel later , well , refer to the advice that many Americans may be arm . ” –Joey , USA
Better not to compare your country to America
“ Americans think their body politic is top - notch and the honorable in everything , even when they do n’t say it or say otherwise . The teachers who sound off about how the US ranks 27th in Mathematics will still finger disgruntled when you appear to apportion your disbelief at the wreck that is the Common Core . Americans are especially touchy about this , so keep your opinions to yourself . ”–Nguyen , Vietnam
“ Do n’t talk about how much better this thing or that thing is in your country . Someone might just order you to go back there . ”–Jay , USA
Always, ALWAYS keep it moving
“ The typical custom is to move to the side if you ’re not moving with the menses . Americans do n’t finger they should move around you , rather the focus should be on the movement of all . There is no prompt way of pissing off an American that block their progress or pushing into their personal distance . ”–Rick , USA
" Do not walk on the left side of the aisle way , hallway , pavement , through doorways , around recession , etc . Stay to the right , people draw near you will tend to try out and pass away you on your left , stay put to that habit . " –Ted , USA
" While on this topic , do n’t block the total sidewalk by walking side by side with your kinsfolk . take the air in a blood line rather , and on the right hand side . ”–Dean , USA
Jakub Zak/Shutterstock
Don’t even try to explain your “football”
“ Please do n’t bawl out us regarding the virtues of ‘ football game . ’ Yeah , we get it . It ’s unfortunate that both sports share a name but that is n’t operate to make us enjoy observe the Dallas Cowboys get dumbfound any less . ”–Ted , USA
“ Do n’t talk about how superior soccer is to American football game . You ’ll most probable just be looked at with contempt and commiseration . ”–Jay , USA
“ Do n’t show the uncanny face when Americans go overboard about hockey , baseball , basketball game or the Super Bowl . Even the most loose - minded prof I know turns into a hard-core Patriots fan when cornered . ”–Nguyen , Vietnam
Shutterstock/blvdone
Terrorism isn’t funny
“ Do n’t joke about terrorism . This is a rule for obvious reasons . “–Brigitte , Greenland
“ Never make jokes about bombs , guns , or terrorist attacks in front of alien . Americans are very literal about this . ”–Gonzalo , Chile
Tipping is really important
" I never tip in my country , waitresses and waiters where I ’m from get paid enough and you should only lean when you ’re being cover especially well ! In the US , the issue is a bit puddle - server are not yield comfortably to know without tips in most places , and … it is in general expected that you tip disregarding . ” –Nguyen , Vietnam
" 20 % is satisfactory . miserable is all right for bad service , just keep in mind if you do n’t tip well , or do n’t topple at all , you are sending a message that you were extremely dissatisfied with the divine service and/or eating place . If that ’s the message you need to send , no job . But if it ’s not , do n’t say it incidentally by under - tipping . " –Steve , USA
" Do n’t try out to come up the server / waitress with a snap or eruption or call out or anything like that . If you are being serve by a server or waitress at a restaurant stay at your table and endeavour to make eye contact to get divine service . “–Heidi , Scotland
Patrick T. Power/Shutterstock
Americans do not like to be touched
“ Do n’t concern multitude you do n’t in person jazz . Hand shake are just fine but do n’t embrace or buss , and be heedful of your branch when in a crowded bus or train . ” –Dean , USA
“ Do n’t assume we wish to embrace all the metre . Do so only if you know the person well , or you know the person is fine with it … If you see us take a thin back or step back , it ’s a hint that you ’re a minute too close . A distance of around .75 - 1 m is passably comely if you ’re in a line or waiting line . And of grade , if someone enjoin something about your space , I recommend you ill-treat back or you ’re going to get dinge as a creep . ”–Joan , USA
Do not talk about politics
" Do n’t talk about politics . Do not mention political candidates . I trust I ’ve made this clear . “–Kyle , USA
“ Do n’t take a side politically , racially , sacredly , or sexually . It ’s fine to hash out these issues with people you lie with well enough but if you take a strong position on one of these hot button issues , you may be seen as an another outsider stress to force their ' more sophisticated ' judgment on us . Just enjoy the conversation for what it is , conversation . ”–Ted , USA
Also, don’t discuss race, gender, or obesity
" talk about sound eating and exercise wont with a mixed radical is like talking about politics or religion , someone is bound to get violate . Save it for people you know well . " –Steve , USA
" In your country , fatty hoi polloi might be shunned , and corpulency is wide accepted as a wellness problem . In America , there ’s an odd duality of ' love your image ' and ' scrawny is safe ' . Being vocal about folks in Wal - Mart will almost surely earn you looks - you ’re either a bigot or a trivial hater . Do n’t say that ' I ’m not hating the mortal , I just think being fat is a serious wellness issue ' . Just be mama about it . " –Nguyen , Vietnam
Never interact with strange children
“ Do n’t extract the cheeks / clinch / peck a nipper which is not yours . Its a big no - no to shower heart on someone ’s baby without their consent ( quite common in Asian countries).”–Rahul , India
“ Do n’t stare or spill the beans to children . If they talk to or want to recreate with you , postulate them where are their parents . If you just want to be overnice , make certain their parent are there and are to the full aware you are just kidding with them and not a pedo . ”–Gonzalo , Chile
“ Do n’t get too familiar with children you do n’t bonk . People here are paranoid of alien and pedophiles and you could easily be looked at in a very , very bad light . ”–Jay , USA
XiXinXing/Shutterstock
Americans are uncomfortable with silence
“ Avoid silences . Americans have a eldritch obsession with keep a conversation course . Silences longer than 3 moment are look at weird and tend to freak them out , so if you are struggle with English or sort out your thoughts , use fillers like ' yea , ' ' so .. , ' ' uh , ' etc . ”–Gonzalo , Chile
Don’t underestimate how huge this country is
“ I ’ve check a lot of visitors follow here and consider that America is * only * New York City and Los Angeles ( and on a respectable daytime , Las Vegas and Texas ) just to go into shock how full-grown America is once they take a road misstep . America is a gigantic state , traverse eight clip zones ( if you let in Hawaii and Alaska ) with people who survive literally in cities all across it . ”–JJ , USA
” Do n’t endeavor to see the whole area in one trip . This is often an outlet for hoi polloi from Europe who have trouble understanding how big and disseminate out the U.S. is – the distance from New York to San Francisco is farther than Lisbon to Moscow . Pick a region of the U.S. and bring down it , or perhaps two neighborhood with an air trip between them . you could reasonably travel to the northeast from Boston to Washington in a twain of weeks . Or Florida , Orlando to Miami and the Keys , or California , San Francisco to Los Angeles and San Diego . " –John , USA
“ Do not rely on public transportation ! The US is a beautiful country that is well seen while drive . see as many national park as you could!”–Tyler , USA
Flickr/valeriebb
Sign up herefor our everyday Thrillist email , and get your fix of the best in intellectual nourishment / swallow / playfulness .
Johnny Adolphson/Shutterstock
