Innocent gestures can translate poorly, traveler warns

In Sydney, Australia, I simply hailed a taxi, opened the door and jumped in the back seat.

[MVs]

I'm from Malta and the OK sign is certainly not considered to be rude.
What the writer is probably alluding to is those countries which interpret the OK sign to imply that the receiver (male) engages in homosexual sex.
In Malta, that sign is actually an INVERTED OK sign, usually done with a slight jerking of the hand.

[Nyal]

You are a Jerk!!

[Kathy-Arizona]

LOL!

[Chicago]

From a classic edition of Straight Dope:

{In] Bulgaria... a nod [of ones head]means no and a shake means yes. One shudders to think of the implications this has for cross-cultural dating in that country.

The Turks are almost as confusing--they say "yes" by shaking their heads from side to side, and "no" by tossing their heads back and clucking. Head-tossing for "no" is also common in Greece and parts of Italy, such as Naples, that were colonized or heavily influenced by Greeks in ancient times.

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_450b....

[chee chee baiter]

Farting (silently) is considered rude & underhanded in Puerto Rico while a loud fart is greeted by shouts of "bravo, bravo" !

[pakistani]

In Pakistan, shitting on the sidewalk gets you a place in paradise with 72 virgins. Taking a leak on the sidewalk gets you a place in paradise & 40 virgins. Vomiting on the sidewalk gets you a place in paradise with no virgins, but a date with a Taliban leaders 3rd wife.

Carrying a sign on the sidewalk that says "PEACE" gets you planted in the ground, shat, pissed & vomited upon & then stoned to death.

[Kathy-Seattle]

HA,HA,HA,HA,HA,HA, thats pretty wild!LOL!LOL!LOL!

[Michael Anderson]

I'm sorry but I had to tell you that you are wrong - Australia was BUILT on class distinction. It was part of our ancestors upbringing - some convicts even looked down on other convicts! That's how bad it was. And I think you probably just found a grumpy taxi driver - I always sit in the back and have never been looked at in a threatening way by the cabbie. Next time you travel to a country like Morocco to interview a bureaucrat, you might study their nuisances before you leave. Cheers.

[Nial]

pakistani,
Is that really true lol

[dee]

ngali wrote:

In Australia, clenching your fist and showing the back of your extended middle finger, while loudly shouting, "F*ck Off C*ntface" is generally a no-no.

Not if you shout it in a genteel manner - LOL.

[Kathy-Seattle]

Nial
I have a flash back of an incident while sitting at the cafe in Casa VIA-pakistani.We we're just sitting there talking and watching people go by and all of a sudden, this really old man dropped his pants and took aa crap right there on the sidewak, pulled up his pants and walked away!We we're so grossed out that we got up and left to another cafe a few blocks down.It was quit a shock!

[neville]

Kathy-Seattle wrote:

Nial
I have a flash back of an incident while sitting at the cafe in Casa VIA-pakistani.We we're just sitting there talking and watching people go by and all of a sudden, this really old man dropped his pants and took aa crap right there on the sidewak, pulled up his pants and walked away!We we're so grossed out that we got up and left to another cafe a few blocks down.It was quit a shock!

Did he wipe his arse as well?

[Kathy-Seattle]

neville

No, he pulled up his pants and walked away!Gross!Extra points for that one.lol!

[Nial]

Kathy-Seattle wrote:

Nial
I have a flash back of an incident while sitting at the cafe in Casa VIA-pakistani.We we're just sitting there talking and watching people go by and all of a sudden, this really old man dropped his pants and took aa crap right there on the sidewak, pulled up his pants and walked away!We we're so grossed out that we got up and left to another cafe a few blocks down.It was quit a shock!

OMG is that really true then, wonder how their houses would look like..lol

[Nial]

Did you know in Morocco we show fingers in different way we keep our palm and fingers flat and turn only the middle finger!

And if the meal you are offering to your guest doesn't contain meat they may be offended because it’s a sign that either the host is mean or he doesn't give a damn about his guest!

[Kathy-Seattle]

Nial
I would think it's because they don't have enough money to buy the meat for the meal!

[Mr Perfect]

OMG I would be a wreck anywhere but home. The oposite foe yes and no, The F-off C-Face, And the piesta resistaunce. Making pudding right there on the sidewalk!? I would loose my mind. I would laugh until I passed out and died right there on the spot! Then again,,, Where do I pick up these 70 virgins?

[Nial]

For 70 virgin I will shit me Intestine out lol

[Nial]

Kathy,
That's the straight forward feedback you would expect from any sane person.. However, lol Mroccan got used to the idea of the hosts have to offer the best they can. I know some people took a small loan just to feed their guests

[slow]

i'am from marrakech and i can say you that you don't know morocco yet