Blowing Your Nose-In Japan, blowing your nose in public is a big no-no! From the Japanese point of view, it doesn’t matter from what orifice a bodily effluent comes out of. Blowing your nose is just as bad as burping or farting in public, and you definitely want to avoid that!

Showing the bottom of your feet-Don’t put your legs up when in an Arabic country! It’s considered a big insult to show the soles of your feet. It’s a rude gesture because the bottoms of feet are typically considered to be unclean. If you show them to an Arab, they’d probably be offended.

Asking what somebody does for a living (everywhere else)-In the U.S., it’s normal to ask somebody, “What do you do for a living?” But, in pretty much every other country, it’s just like asking somebody how much money they make. In most countries, it’s considered rude to ask personal questions.

Giving somebody their check before they ask (European countries)-In Europe, if you hand someone their bill before they ask for it, it’s the equivalent of saying, “Hey bud, we want you out, and we want you out now!” However, it’s okay to stick around for a while, as waiters in Europe are paid fair wages, so they are not so dependent on tip.

Asking someone how they’re doing (everywhere else)-In America, it’s quite common to ask somebody, “Hey, how are you doing?” “How are you?” is a super common greeting that many of us are used to hearing, but be wary about asking it in any other country, because your question will be taken quite literally!

Giving your server a tip (Japan)-Who knew tipping a waiter causes so much controversy? Tipping in Japan is not mandatory, nor is it anywhere near a common practice to do. If you do try to tip, it is likely that your tip will be refused, so don’t be alarmed! If you absolutely feel it necessary to tip, wrap it in paper or put it in an envelope.

Cleaning your plate (Asian countries)-In certain Asian cultures, it is seen as a rude gesture to eat everything on your plate, because it implies that the host was incapable of providing you with enough to eat to satiate your appetite, and you definitely don’t want to do that!

Talking to strangers (Europe)-In the United States, it’s pretty normal to talk to strangers, especially in the Southern states. These conversations are kept casual, of course – anything like “Nice shirt” to “Have a nice day!” is perfectly normal. In many European countries, people are more reserved, however!

Entering a home with your shoes on-In many countries besides the United States, it’s very important to take your shoes off before walking into somebody’s household. Not taking your dirty old shoes off will be considered a sign of disrespect!

Complaining about bad service (European countries)-Here in the United States, the phrase “Customer is King” is a rather common phrase, especially in the world of business. It means that customers are paying for a certain standard of service, so they are entitled to the best. However, in Europe, this phrase isn’t a thing.

Being patriotic (European countries)-Patriotism runs rampant in America. It doesn’t even need to be the 4th of July – Americans will find a way to flaunt their nationality. In Europe, however, this is a big no-no. Being overly patriotic is considered to be a reminder of fascist regimes and nationalism.

Peace signs (UK)-In the UK, what Americans consider to be a peace sign, can actually be misconstrued as flipping the bird. If you make the sign with your palm facing away from you, you’re good. This version of the sign doesn’t really mean anything, however,If you make the sign with your palm facing towards you, this is the UK equivalent of flipping the bird. Don’t say you weren't warned!

Not offering your guests anything (everywhere else)-To be fair, it’s even considered a little rude in the United States if someone is in your household and you don’t offer them anything, not even a glass of water to drink. Pretty much everywhere else in the world, however, it’s commonplace to offer some form of drink.

Saying thank you (Asian countries) In the United States, it’s perfectly normal, and even polite, to tell somebody “Thank you” after they’ve done something for you. In many Asian countries, however, saying “thank you” to close friends or family comes across as too formal!

Jaywalking (European countries) Make sure to wait for the crossing signal before crossing the street in Europe! In Europe, especially northern Europe, you will get some very bad glances if you even think to cross the street before the crossing signal has lit up.

Fashionable lateness (Germany) In America, it’s customary – and even cool – to arrive 5 minutes late to everything. It’s called being “fashionably late.” However, in Germany, if you tell somebody you’re going to meet them at 5:00 o’clock, you better be there at 5:00 o’clock sharp!

Saying you’re American (South America) So, yeah… People from the United States love to say that they’re American, which is true, but this isn’t the only America. If you say you’re from America while you’re in South America, they’re going to get offended because that’s making it sound like they’re not from America!

Turning down food (Arab countries) In most Arab countries, it is very impolite to refuse food from somebody! In the United States, many times somebody will turn down food so as to not inconvenience the host that is offering, but in many Arab countries, this would be incredibly rude!

Not declining a gift (Asian countries) In the United States, if somebody is trying to give you a gift, it would be rude to refuse it. In many Asian countries, however, it is customary to decline a gift or favor several times before finally accepting it. This doesn’t mean that you have to actually decline the gift, it is simply customary to do so.

Eating in a place where food isn’t served (everywhere else) In many countries outside of the United States, it is considered to be very rude to those around you to eat food at any place that doesn’t explicitly serve food, such as in public transportation. In Japan, it’s even considered rude to eat food while walking down the street!

Using superlatives excessively (everywhere else) Come to the United States and you’ll hear lots of people saying things like “this is the best thing ever” or “this is the greatest.” While this tendency to positively over-describe is fine in the U.S., don’t do this anywhere else or you’ll come across as insincere!

Putting one hand in your pockets (Turkey and South Korea) In the U.S., you can put one of your hands in a pocket and it’s chill. It’s no big deal and can even send off vibes of being cool with a little bit of swagger. In Turkey and South Korea, though, doing this is not only considered arrogant, it’s very rude!

Immediately opening a present (China and Japan) While everybody in the U.S. has their own set of rules when it comes to giving and opening presents, things are a little more specific in some Asian countries. In certain Asian countries, especially China and Japan, immediately opening your presents will present you as a greedy person with no self control

Adding extra seasonings to food (European countries) In pretty much every restaurant in the United States, you’ll see an extra salt and pepper shaker at every table, and sometimes various other condiments. In Europe, however, you should always check your table to see if there are any condiments, and if not, don’t ask for any.

Big talk (everywhere else) In most cultures, it is proper etiquette to be a little bit self-deprecating. It doesn’t have to be a lot, it’s just considered to be in good form. Of course, here in the U.S., self-deprecation is something that doesn’t often happen!