出國要小心的五個地方

Cultural practices, cultural differences, local manners, and mores: traveling the globe can be a behavioral minefield, even when you have the best intentions. Everything from greeting to eating can be an opportunity to do the wrong thing, and not only embarrass yourself, but offend your host countrymen. Look out for the following cultural mistakes and try to avoid them while going abroad.

文化習慣、文化差異、當地禮儀和風俗：即使你懷著良好的意愿，這些文化陷阱也可能讓你的環球旅游險象環生。從問候到飲食，稍不留神就會出差錯，不僅讓自己難堪，還有可能冒犯東道主。到國外時要特別留心并盡量避免誤入以下幾種文化陷阱。

1.Touching Someone 觸摸他人

Where It's Offensive: Korea, Thailand, China, Europe, the Middle East.

禁忌地：韓國、泰國、歐洲、中東

What's Offensive 禁忌:

Personal space varies as you travel the globe. In Mediterranean countries, if you refrain from touching someone's arm when talking to them or if you don't greet them with kisses or a warm embrace, you'll be considered cold. But backslap someone who isn't a family member or a good friend in Korea, and you'll make them uncomfortable. In Thailand, the head is considered sacred--never even pat a child on the head.

個人空間的概念因地而異。在地中海國家，如果你和別人交談時沒有碰對方的手臂，或見面問候時沒和對方親吻擁抱，別人會認為你不熱情。但在韓國，拍別人的背會讓對方感覺不安，除非此人是你的家庭成員或好友。在泰國，頭是很神圣的部位——就算是小孩子的頭也不要隨便亂拍。

What You Should Do Instead 對策:

Observe what locals are doing and follow suit. In Eastern countries remember that touching and public displays of affection are unacceptable. In places like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, men and women are forbidden from interacting, let along touching.

觀察當地人的一舉一動并照著做。記住，在東方國家，身體接觸或在公眾場合流露感情往往不被人接受。在卡塔爾和沙特阿拉伯這樣的地方，男女交往都被禁止，更不要說身體接觸了。

2.Blowing Your Nose 擤鼻涕

Where It's Offensive: Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, France.

禁忌地：日本、沙特阿拉伯、法國

What's Offensive 禁忌:

Some cultures find it disgusting to blow your nose in public--especially at the table. The Japanese and Chinese are also repelled by the idea of a handkerchief.

有些文化認為當眾擤鼻涕是讓人厭惡的行為——尤其在餐桌上。日本人還排斥使用手帕。

What You Should Do Instead 對策:

If traveling through Eastern and Asian countries, leave the hankies at home and opt for disposable tissues instead. In France as well as in Eastern countries, if you're dining and need to clear your nasal passages, excuse yourself and head to the restroom. Worst-case scenario: make an exaggerated effort to steer away from the table. Let's hope you don't have a cold.

到東方或亞洲國家旅游時，把手帕留在家中，選擇用一次性紙巾吧！在法國以及一些東方國家，如果在就餐過程中你需要擤鼻涕，要先說聲“請原諒”再去洗手間。最糟糕的情景是：極為夸張地從餐桌上扭過頭去擤鼻涕。還是祈禱自己不要感冒吧！

3.Talking Over Dinner 就餐時談話

Where It's Offensive: Africa, Japan, Thailand, China, Finland.

禁忌地：非洲、日本、泰國、芬蘭

What's Offensive 禁忌:

In some countries, like China, Japan, and some African nations, the food's the thing, so don't start chatting about your day's adventures while everyone else is digging into dinner. You'll likely be met with silence--not because your group is unfriendly, but because mealtimes are for eating, not talking. Also avoid conversations in places a country might consider sacred or reflective--churches in Europe, temples in Thailand, and saunas in Finland.

在日本和一些非洲國家，吃飯就是吃飯，所以當其他人都在大快朵頤時，不要談論你當天的經歷。你可能會遭遇沉默——這并非你的同伴不友好，而是因為就餐時間只應吃飯，無需交談。也要避免在一些被認為是神圣或需要沉思的地方談話——比如歐洲的教堂、泰國的廟宇和芬蘭的桑拿浴室。

What You Should Do Instead 對策:

Keep quiet! 保持沉默！

4.Removing Your Shoes…or Not 脫鞋......與否

Where It's Offensive: Hawaii, the South Pacific, Korea, China, Thailand.

禁忌地：夏威夷、太平洋群島、韓國、泰國

What's Offensive 禁忌:

Take off your shoes when arriving at the door of a London dinner party and the hostess will find you uncivilized, but fail to remove your shoes before entering a home in Asia, Hawaii, or the Pacific Islands and you'll be considered disrespectful. Not only does shoe removal very practically keeps sand and dirt out of the house, it's a sign of leaving the outside world behind.

到倫敦人家里參加宴會時脫掉鞋子，女主人會認為你不文明，但去亞洲、夏威夷或太平洋群島的居民家中不脫鞋卻被認為失禮。脫掉鞋子不僅把沙粒與塵土留在了門外，更意味著把外面的世界拋之腦后。

What You Should Do Instead 對策:

If you see a row of shoes at the door, start undoing your laces. If not, keep the shoes on.

如果你在門口看到一排鞋子，就解開自己的鞋帶。否則，就穿鞋進去吧！

5.Knowing Your Right from Your Left 分清左右手

Where It's Offensive: India, Morocco, Africa, the Middle East.

禁忌地：印度、非洲、中東

What's Offensive 禁忌:

Many cultures still prefer to eat using traditional methods--their hands. In these cases, food is often offered communally, which is why it's important to wash your hands before eating and observe the right-hand-is-for-eating and the left-hand-is-for-other-duties rule. If you eat with your left hand, expect your fellow diners to be mortified. And when partaking from a communal bowl, stick to a portion that's closest to you. Do not get greedy and plunge your hand into the center.

許多文化依然推崇傳統的進食方式——用手吃。在這種情況下，食物往往是眾人一起分享的，因此飯前洗手很重要，而且要遵守用右手吃東西的習俗（左手往往有其他用途）。如果你用左手吃，同伴會感覺蒙受羞辱。當大家一起從公共的碗里取食時，就吃離你最近的那部分吧，不要貪婪地把手伸向飯碗中央。

What You Should Do Instead 對策:

Left-handed? Attempt to be ambidextrous--even children who are left-handed in these cultures are taught to eat with their right hand--or at least explain yourself to your fellow diners before plunging in.

你是左撇子嗎？還是努力讓自己的雙手都靈巧吧——在這些文化里，即使是左撇子的孩子也被教會用右手吃飯——或者至少吃飯前向同伴解釋一下。

Once you are on the ground of a different country, remain highly sensitive to native behavior. Never be completely surprised by anything; try to take it in stride, and don't feel offended if something seems offensive--like queue jumping. After all, this is a global village, and we are all very different.

一旦你踏上異國的土地，就要對當地人的一舉一動高度敏感。千萬不要大驚小怪，盡量使自己泰然自若，對一些看似無禮的行為也不要惱火——比如插隊。畢竟，我們生活在一個地球村，不同的文化構成了我們共同的家園。