Here’s a mind-blowing nugget of truth that y’all probably already know, Pandas: life in different countries is, well, different. Shocker, right? But the fact of the matter is that we can’t expect everyone to behave and communicate the same way as the folks in our comfort zone, social circle, and hometown. When you go abroad, there’s a whole set of hidden rules you have to abide by. Obviously, it’s hard to even be aware of what you might be doing wrong at the start.
Luckily for us, the r/AskEurope online community over on Reddit has spelled it out loud and clear in two threads. The locals from various European countries shared the ‘faux pas’ that some visitors do and stressed what behaviors you should avoid and what you should never ever say. It’s educational. It’s fun. It’s going to go great with a cup of coffee. And it’s a great reminder to never call someone from Scotland “English.”
Remember to upvote the best responses as you scroll down, and tell us all about what tourists shouldn’t ever do when visiting your home country in the comments, Pandas. Think of it as a gentle way to remind everyone to be on their best behavior. Meanwhile, check out Bored Panda’s interview about what to never do when visiting the United Kingdom with comedy writer and self-proclaimed Insta story addict Ariane Sherine from London. (Pssst, she also revealed what’d happen if you actually do end up calling someone from Scotland “English.”)
#1
Germany: Asking about someone’s well being just for small talk is rude. When you ask how people feel, be willing to listen.
Image credits: tschiep_voegelchen
#2
Ireland: Don’t say no to an old woman who is offering you a cup of tea.
Image credits: Gallalad
#3
Don’t say that Ukraine is part of Russia.
Don’t call us russians when you hear our language or see Cyrillic.
Image credits: DiggimonUKR
#4
Never, ever call anyone from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland “English”.
Image credits: Cobbler91
#5
Denmark: Not a **huge** no, but please don’t call people Mr/Ms [LastName] unless they’re old enough to have experienced the Napoleonic wars.
Practically everyone in Denmark is on a first name basis, up to and including the prime minister. Different rules for the Queen, but if you chance upon the Crown Prince in an informal setting, he prefers the informal tone, too.
Image credits: ScriptThat
#6
Ireland: Never get off a bus without thanking the driver is a big one here that has got me the occasional odd look when outside of Ireland.
Image credits: caighdean
#7
Sweden: Go into someone’s house with your outdoor footwear on.
Image credits: RegalSniper
#8
Finland: Violating personal space. Like sitting next to someone in the bus if there are empty seat rows. Being closer than like 2 meters to someone at a bus stop without a reason. Talking to strangers with no apparent motivation or reason.
Bad behavior in Sauna. There should be no arguing and provocations, no sexual approaches, no farting.
Thinking we are Russians. This happens more with foreigners who have very little knowledge about Finland. And it’s not that Finnish people dislike Russian people, but our entire history has been defined by trying to be distinct from Russia. First being a buffer zone of Sweden against Novgorod/Russia, then trying to be independent of Russian Empire and then trying to defend ourselves against Soviet Union. Saying we are Russians is like erasing much of our history.
Image credits: Toby_Forrester
#9
Italy: Please don’t sing Bella Ciao in a joking way. It’s a serious song about Resistence against the fascists. La Casa de Papel did a disaster with that song.
Please don’t call us mafiosi, even if you’re joking, much less if you use the Godfather as a major source of info about italians.
Italians are very talkative people so if you’re not used to strangers approaching you it may shock you a little. Don’t be scared tho, many italians are just curious about tourists and would be pretty offended if you just ignored them!
This is what comes to my mind at least
Image credits: randascuriosity
#10
In Ireland if you are out to lunch or dinner with family you must literally fight or deceive them so that you can pay for it. If you don’t try then you are a bad person. In England I found that people thought it was rude and awkward when I kept trying to pay!
My granny is a pro at this. One time when we were eating dinner in a restaurant, she went to the bathroom during the meal. I saw my chance, and ran to the cashier to pay. I was stonewalled. My granny had already told the staff in her local restaurant not to let me pay. Absolute pro.
Also on another occasion my mother literally fell over and hurt her knee because she was racing her sister to the cashier.
Image credits: Burglekat
#11
In France: not saying hello to the shopkeeper/ the other clients in small shops. This is particularly true in smaller cities.
I’ve seen many tourists forget to do this and they usually end up receiving poor customer service.
Image credits: Heure-parme
#12
Estonia: Associating us with today’s Russia or the old Soviet Russia. Bad memories.
Image credits: Prygikutt
#13
Spain: do not assume that flamenco is the national culture. IT IS A SOUTHERN THING. In absolutely every TV show in the UK that takes place in Spain (and there are many) they insist on playing flamenco sounding music even when the show is about Catalonia, Galicia or the Basque Country, for example. It is infuriating.
Image credits: Mantis_Ateista
#14
Romania: Not giving the old people your seat in the bus/tram.
Image credits: Rioma117
#15
Most countries are: do not mistake us for a different nationality, do not mention bad parts of our history
Italians: DO NOT PUT THE WRONG STUFF ON TOP OF OUR FOOD
Image credits: AL_O0
#16
Queuing is the obvious one in the UK. Not understand our (apparently complicated) queuing systems is generally taken as being a faux pas. To Brits all the rules are just obvious but apparently the little things beyond “stand in the line and wait your turn” are hard for some foreigners.
Another would be, if you bump into someone there’s a good chance they will apologise. You do not accept this, you apologise back. Everyone knows it’s your fault, but you will probably both apologise. This does not mean the other person believes they are at fault.
Image credits: specofdust
#17
Wearing your outside shoes indoors, seriously who does that? Calling the icelandic horse a pony just because it’s small, that might not be true for everyone though just people that are into horses. Jokes about accidentally sleeping with your cousin, we have a small population but we know our cousins.
Edit to add:
Off-road driving is illegal and people have been fined and made to fix what they ruined. The landscape is delicate and there’s been a lot of work in the last few decades to grow the areas that are full of sand. When icelandic people talk about off-road driving it’s not off-road driving, we follow paths that should be visible to just about anyone.
Image credits: CarolineManihot
#18
Putting sauce on your Schnitzel is considered a hate crime in Austria.
Image credits: marrohr
#19
Saying Holland is the same as the Netherlands
Saying the Netherlands are the same or somehow linked to Belgium
Image credits: bossie-boi
#20
Always, always get your round in. People are not buying you drinks for free; they expect one back.
Image credits: funglegunk
#21
Doing the “Italian accent” like Super Mario. It doesn’t sound like an Italian trying to speak english, it sounds like a very very dumb Italian trying to speak English. It amazes me how much Americans love to mock Italians.
Also pineapple on pizza.
Image credits: barbatex
#22
Turkey: Do NOT say “Oh, i thought you would be speaking arabic.” or ” I didnt know women were allowed to not wear hijabs.”
Image credits: hybeve000
#23
Denmark: Bragging is VERY frowned upon here. Alot will cite the law of Jante should you do it, and even more people will think of it. The law of Jante is basically a long list of sentences which exclaim that you are nothing compared to the collective. Examples. “You are not more than us.” “Don’t think you are smarter than us.” If you think of the ten commandments but all centered around you being small and nothing then you’re more or less there.
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