#1
#2
"The '-burgh' at the end of a place name is pronounced '-burra,' as in 'Edinburra,' not 'Edinberg'."
#3
"When someone walks into the coffee shop on the corner with a perfect tan, shorts, a t-shirt, and actually looks like they've seen light before, we all know they aren't from around here."
According to Professor Vogt from ASU, some of the local customs can include how to dress, eat, the etiquette of using a cellphone, among many other things.
"Local customs can include how a traveler dresses, eats, uses a cell phone, etc. When a traveler is out in a community such as walking in a downtown area or eating in a restaurant, these local customs can come into play. For example, in Buddhist countries, a woman who has not covered her shoulders or legs may not be allowed into temples or even a restaurant. Learn as many local customs as you can and a few key words to enhance your experience," Professor Vogt explained to Bored Panda that adhering to customs can enhance not only the experience of your trip but also help show the proper respect for traditions.
In other words, putting in the effort is a win-win. For you. For the locals, too.
#4
1. Most tourists go to pubs to get the full Irish experience (for good reasons). Now the thing about Irish pubs, besides the good beer, is that pubs are very good places for socialising. It happens quite often that someone overhears your discussion and might join in (politely) and then you have a pint together (or more).
Let me tell you about the word ‘craic’. It is pronounced /kræk/ (same as crack cocaine) and it means fun, good times, news and a couple of other things.
3. Lastly, the weather.
#5
"Wearing a suit as business attire, even to job interviews, communicates that either 1. You are not from here or 2. You are selling something. Most tech employees, including many execs, wear anything ranging from business casual (khakis and a button-down shirt) to sandals and jeans, or even shorts, for day-to-day office activity."
#6
We were also curious to find out whether the Covid-19 pandemic had made countries warier of tourists or quite the opposite—more welcoming. According to Professor Vogt, the countries and places in the United States that have been hit hardest by the novel coronavirus or have public health as their priority "may have pulled all marketing to attract tourists" and have also made it harder to visit by adding restrictions. Among these are visa restrictions, mandatory testing for Covid, and self-funded quarantines.
However, this isn't the case everywhere. Some areas are desperate to recoup losses and improve financial streams they'd usually get from tourism. "Unfortunately, many places in the US continue to want a rebounding tourism industry and promote themselves as open for tourism. It is critical that these open destinations are also practicing the appropriate health and safety protocols," Professor Vogt said.
#7
#8
"Don't feed our wildlife or treat them like they are pets. Respect them, and their space. Personally, I think we should just feed the tourists that do this to the problem bears. Kind of a win-win."
#9
2. Going on massive shopping sprees in the shopping malls. This mostly apply to tourists from mainland China, but also from some gwai lo (aka foreigners) as well. They would go into some Chanel store and come out with 15 bags of cosmetics etc. HK stuff are somewhat cheap compared to other countries, so it’s only natural that tourists will bulk buy.
3. Taking selfies and pictures in those run-down restaurants in crowded, stinky alleys. Those restaurants are usually cheap and the quality of their food isn’t the best, but they are what most locals eat when they don’t feel like having anything fancy for lunch. Tourists are the kind that take selfies of themselves in the crowded restaurant and snapping pictures of their food (which is just fried toast with honey, or maybe instant noodles with an egg on top). We just eat there, because we don’t find the food as special.
4. Trying to speak Mandarin. A lot of locals do know Mandarin, but it’s not our main language. Our main language is Cantonese, and some of the locals do get offended if tourists come and confuse our language with another.
5. Assuming that Mandarin and Cantonese are the same. Please, please don’t say that. We use the same characters, but the way we use them are very different. Mandarin is a really recent and simplified version of Cantonese, while Cantonese is arguably one of the most ancient languages in the world. And please don’t just say “nah, they are the same to me”, because they are so different to us.
Bored Panda also wanted to hear Professor Vogt's take on how to protect historic sites and artifacts from tourists with itchy hands. She said that some of the best ways to ensure that artifacts stay where they should be is to post the penalties for stealing, setting up signs discouraging thievery, and using cameras to catch those who break the rules.
She also suggested setting up a display of items that have been returned and pointed out that the Petrified Forest National Park in Eastern Arizona has just such a display. That's the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that we can get behind. And it makes us hopeful that even the rudest tourists can eventually have a change of heart and try to make amends.
#10
"It is illegal for chewing gum to be sold in Singapore and Singaporeans are notoriously afraid of violating the rules."
#11
"Bargaining is so extreme in Iran that supermarkets have actually raised their prices by a lot to keep their old profit margins."
#12
"Okay foreigners, it's time to get this straight: THESE ARE TWO THONGS! And calm down England, we are not walking around commenting on revealing underwear all the time."
Words of wisdom to go by are to leave the place you visit better than when you came. It’s a great tip for life in general, too!
That can mean anything from picking up a piece of litter if you see any lying around to not stealing artifacts from historical sites to keep as souvenirs. Not stealing things sounds obvious, but far too many tourists do this and some discover that their lives suddenly become… ‘cursed,’ like the BBC reports.
If you’re ever confused about what (not) to do and you’ve forgotten to brush up on local customs, remember to err on the side of politeness. Be open to learning new things. Apologize if you’ve offended someone. Be a decent human being, not a belligerent brat, and you’ll find that the entire world’s your back yard.
#13
#14
#15
"Locals would not be caught dead hanging out here."
But above all else, don’t expect foreign countries to be exactly like your home town. We might travel to relax, expand our minds, or discover ourselves, but it’s not so that we can experience the exact same everyday life we do at home. If something’s different, accept it. Admire it. Then, adapt.
Soon enough, you’ll be just like the locals—poking fun at loud tourists with flip-flops, fanny-packs, and selfie-sticks who complain that they’re outside of their comfort zones.
#16
"I don't know what it is but for some reason, a lot of tourists walk around like they're about to go on some super dangerous, ultra important journey through a jungle. They wear big hiking boots, thermal backpacks, etc. They also wear very camouflagey stuff."
#17
#18
Disclaimer: Note that some of these bullet points are just generalizations based on my experience living here as a foreigner for 6 years. Some locals do/don't follow the rules, but the Russians know they are generally accurate.
#19
"We are well aware that it's our meal times that are unusual, but they are very culturally ingrained and expected to be followed. In big companies where there is an office cafeteria, or in schools, 1pm is a normal time for lunch — it's considered earlyish but more or less in the middle of the work day. Otherwise the normal time is 2pm, or even 3pm on weekends."
#20
