Friday, May 23, 2008

The World Is More Than The USA

I find it funny how some Americans and I'm sure people from other countries too sometimes live in a bubble.

What I mean is, not all people realize that there is more to the world than the US Mainland. During flight attendant training we had to learn to be sensitive to other cultures. I always thought I was pretty sensitive to the Japanese and my eye contact to be polite, but I didn't realize there were so many things I could do that could be interpreted as rude!

Did you know:
In the USA & the UK the thumbs up sign means OK, good job, everything is great?
Well, in Greece, Australia, Nigeria and some other countries it means "Up Yours!"

In the US the OK sign with your hands means everything is cool, it's OK.
In Nigeria, you are calling someone an A hole. Ooops! I won't do that one on the plane.

In Italy, to show something is sweet they put their pointer finger in their cheek and and turn. When I first saw that one I was like "Gelato gives you dimples?"

In Saudi Arabia do not show the sole of your shoe or the bottom of your foot for it is very offensive.

In the US, men make cat calls by whistling. In Mexico you'll hear psst psst.

While working a flight to India, don't touch the passenger's left hand. The left hand is used to wipe and the right hand is used for food. Of course not all Indian people don't use toilet paper, but you never know so...

There were a bunch of Flight Attendants sitting around the back galley of the plane to Mumbai, and someone says, "It smells like feces back here". She kept saying it and everyone agreed. She looked at her uniform, and it turned out the little old lady she helped out of the lavatory held onto her sweater with her left hand leaving behind feces! Yeah, so don't take any chances.

In Japan, Hawaii (and in my house too) do not walk on the carpet with your shoes, it is considered very rude! Not to mention how dirty it is. You walk in public restrooms, the street, and who knows where else and then you walk on the carpet with those shoes ewwww.

I'm sure there are many more, but that's all I can think of for now.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ohhhh.....I never knew that about people from India....ewwwww: )Nice Blogs!

Deanna said...

Thanks.

Just to clarify, it's not everyone from India! (Hopefully without sounding rude) it's just a certain class of people. I have many Indian friends/aquaintences who do NOT do that.

Anonymous said...

hello... hapi blogging... have a nice day! just visiting here....

Bobby - Make Money Online Free Tips said...

I really agreed with your title of this post.

nipun said...

nice blog...unfortunately i'm from india. but fortunately i use toilet paper....

Deanna said...

Thanks nipun :)

Moby Homemaker said...

Good job (or up yours??) on the post!!!!

Anonymous said...

Just came across this post and I've lived in Australia all my life and it's the first time I've ever heard that thumbs up means up yours. Usually it means good job, it's working, it's okay etc.

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