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Ginsberg quotes one Swede as saying: \u201cWe don\u2019t talk to people here.\u201d Americans are known for having a friendly disposition, but that mindset doesn\u2019t always fare well in other countries.<\/p>\n
NEXT: It looks tacky and takes up too much space. So, just stop.<\/strong><\/p>\nBusting Out The Dreaded Selfie Stick<\/h2>\n Selfie sticks may be useful for, well, taking selfies, but they\u2019re equally hated around the world. Tourists are already more likely to take up too much space, so practicing self-awareness with those selfie sticks before you put someone\u2019s eye out is a good idea.<\/p>\n
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PublicDomainPictures.net<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Millennial Magazine has several tips for proper selfie etiquette: 1) Watch where you stick your stick. 2) Don\u2019t take selfies while walking. 3) Be aware if your selfie stick annoys others. 4) Don\u2019t selfie in dangerous situations.<\/p>\n
NEXT: Leave this at home.<\/strong><\/p>\nEngaging In Major PDA<\/h2>\n This is tacky even in the U.S., but in some countries, you can even be arrested for it. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for instance, \u201cPublic displays of affection are frowned upon, and there have been several arrests for kissing in public,\u201d reads the U.K. government\u2019s travel advice.<\/p>\n
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Piqsels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Being in love is cool, but being in a foreign jail isn\u2019t. In U.A.E. and other Middle Eastern countries, staying with your significant other in the same hotel room if you\u2019re not married is a major no-no as well.<\/p>\n
NEXT: Some places run on cash.<\/strong><\/p>\nUsing Your Credit Card For Everything<\/h2>\n \u201cCredit cards are not widely accepted in some countries,\u201d Elizabeth Finan of the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs tells Budget Travel. \u201cAlthough it is a good idea to bring a credit card or two, leave all unnecessary credit cards at home.\u201d That being said, bring cash!<\/p>\n
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Aaron Montoya\/U.S. Air Force<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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This should be obvious, but don\u2019t bring only U.S. dollars; other countries have different currencies from us. Usually, airports have currency exchanges or you can exchange some dough at currency exchanges at your local mall.<\/p>\n
NEXT: A French person tells Thrillist about his interaction with American tourists.<\/strong><\/p>\nBeing Ignorant<\/h2>\n \u201cI generally find the stereotype about Americans being uncouth and ignorant a bit tired, but their behavior abroad often seems to confirm it,\u201d Jean-Luc from France told Brooke Sage from Thrillist. One time, a voluble American couple was on the Metro, and the husband asked the wife the same question each time they crawled into a station.<\/p>\n
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Tim Flack\/U.S. Air Force<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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\u201c\u2018Why is every station in this city called sortie?\u2019 He had to be politely told that \u2018sortie\u2019 means \u2018exit\u2019 in French.\u201d moral of the story is: Try to understand a little bit about the country you\u2019re going to before boarding that flight.<\/p>\n
NEXT: This relates to our McDonald\u2019s slide.<\/strong><\/p>\nOrdering American Food Abroad<\/h2>\n Like you should resist the urge to eat at McDonald\u2019s every darn meal, you should try something else besides ordering the food from back home you know so well (i.e., hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, french fries, etc.). Why not try a nice borscht soup in Russia or sushi in Japan?<\/p>\n
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Trista Whited\/U.S. Marine Corps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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It\u2019s a good idea to blend in while traveling to become less of a target and less of a nuisance. Ordering what\u2019s considered a \u201cstereotypical American meal\u201d could be one of those things that makes you stand out to the discerning restaurant patron.<\/p>\n
NEXT: Now this is rude in the U.S. and other countries.<\/strong><\/p>\nLeaving A Mess In Your Hotel Or Rental Accommodations<\/h2>\n Sure, you might never see the people that work in the hotel that you\u2019re staying at ever again, but leaving a giant mess behind might shape their view of American tourists. (Don\u2019t you want to be liked?!) When it comes to Airbnb, there\u2019s a benefit to being tidy.<\/p>\n
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anutkak43<\/a>\u00a0via Flickr\/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Not only can you leave a review for Airbnbs that you stay at, but Airbnb hosts can also review\u00a0you<\/em>. That review goes on your profile for other Airbnb-ers to see.<\/p>\nNEXT: This is often one of the first things they bring you in a U.S. restaurant \u2014 not in many restaurants around the world!<\/strong><\/p>\nAsking for tap water<\/h2>\n Restaurants outside of the U.S. typically don\u2019t bring tap water as soon as you sit down at a restaurant. In some countries, they might not even serve you tap water. \u201cIt\u2019s simply not part of the culture,\u201d a Dutch citizen told writer Leah Ginsberg from Yahoo! Travel.<\/p>\n
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Adventurejay\/Public Domain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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If you want water in Europe, for instance, they might ask you if you want \u201csparkling\u201d or \u201cflat.\u201d That means exactly what it sounds like \u2014 either sparkling water or just plain, flat water. Both will come in a bottle.<\/p>\n
NEXT: You can be arrested for this in Singapore.<\/strong><\/p>\nLittering<\/h2>\n You shouldn\u2019t do this in any country, but in some countries, it can get you a crazy fine. (Destroy the environment and your wallet.)? No thanks!) \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t litter in any country and it isn\u2019t uncommon for littering to be against the law,\u201d writes Talia Avakian in Business Insider.<\/p>\n
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Ryan Labadens\/U.S. Air Force<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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\u201cBut in Singapore, you\u2019ll find yourself paying a $1,000 fine for it.\u201d Add the confusing aspects of dealing with paying fines abroad and you\u2019ll find it\u2019s just not worth the risks.<\/p>\n
NEXT: This isn\u2019t commonplace in restaurants outside of the U.S.<\/strong><\/p>\nAsking For Drinks With Ice<\/h2>\n True story: I once ordered an \u201ciced coffee\u201d in Berlin, Germany, and received a coffee with ice cream in it. That\u2019s a real dish you can order \u2014 an affogato \u2014 but when it\u2019s 8:00 in the morning, few people might want to eat such a dessert.<\/p>\n
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Kaitlyn Brewer\/U.S. Air Force<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Ice isn\u2019t a common thing for restaurants in Europe to have on deck. Other places, like countries in Southeast Asia, put ice in drinks WE normally wouldn\u2019t put ice in (e.g., ice in beer).<\/p>\n
NEXT: Research this before boarding a plane into and out of your destination.<\/strong><\/p>\nFailing To Understand Import Or Export Restrictions<\/h2>\n Different countries will have different import and export restrictions, writes Alex Miller in UpgradedPoints.com. Research countries\u2019 requirements before boarding that airplane. If you bring something you\u2019re not supposed to, it can get thrown away.<\/p>\n
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TSA\/Instagram via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Miller writes that these are commonly restricted items: religious artifacts, precious metals, ivory, animal skins, antiques, fresh produce, certain medications, etc.<\/p>\n
NEXT: Click \u201cNext\u201d if you care what the rest of the world thinks of the U.S.<\/strong><\/p>\n