I understand the frustration of having rude house visitors who make you want them to go. When I travel abroad, I never want to be that person.
Almost as long as I’ve been alive, I’ve been traveling. I have traveled to 47 U.S. states, 70 countries, and all seven continents. I’ve discovered along the way how important it is to state things clearly and concisely, especially when interacting with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
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For instance, in nations still overcoming the effects of colonization, terms like “conquer,” “explore,” and “discover” may not be acceptable due to their colonial connotations. The term “unspoiled” might obliterate a place’s indigenous past.
Being called an annoying American is the last thing I want when I’m overseas. As an experienced professional traveler, I’ve discovered that the best defense against that is to avoid saying anything that can be interpreted as impolite, disrespectful, or uninformed.
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I would never suggest that Americans frequently utilize the following seven phrases when visiting overseas:
The number of times I’ve witnessed an American pull out their dollar bills at a foreign market and be met with a puzzled face from a shopkeeper is too numerous to count. There are other currencies in the globe besides the US dollar. By pretending otherwise or insisting that locals tell you the price of something in “real money” or dollars, you can come across as naive and egotistical.
Before traveling to a place, research its currency and use a currency conversion tool to monitor your expenditures.
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You might as well wear a hoodie that reads “entitled and privileged.” Other nations may be more affordable than your home country for a variety of reasons, many of which include exploitation, violence, and structures intended to maintain global disparity.
Provinces exist in Canada. The city-states of Monaco and Singapore are not separated into smaller regions. You can quickly demonstrate that you haven’t done your homework or that you don’t understand that things are different in other countries by asking someone from outside the United States what state they’re from.
You lose out on the chance to support local businesses and experience something new when you travel abroad in search of corporate chains. On a trip to Athens a few years ago, I could have bought Starbucks, but I would not have had the opportunity to visit a number of adorable cafés that I aspire to return to someday, or taste amazing Greek coffee.
I did make a visit at Starbucks on a subsequent trip to Mexico City because it was the nearest coffee shop to my hotel and I knew I could get a cold brew there on a hot day. My pals gave me a lot of side-eye and asked me why I didn’t choose better coffee while boosting the local economy.
I’ll keep my own counsel in mind the next time.
With an estimated 1.5 billion speakers worldwide, English is the most widely spoken language in the world.In the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, Singapore, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and a number of Caribbean islands and African nations, it is either an official language or one that is widely spoken.
In a nation where English is the primary language, it should never be shocking to meet someone who speaks the language flawlessly. However, I can’t remember how many times I’ve heard that in the United States, and I dread every time I hear it when I’m on the road.
It can come across as judgmental to refer to a country, especially one you are visiting, as a “third-world” one. I substitute the term “developing country,” which has several meanings. Judging a place whose residents I hope will accept me just doesn’t feel right.
I once received an invitation to a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris for a dinner tasting menu. An American at our table interrupted the meal after the second or third dish to ask for a green salad, just like he does at home. It’s the most horrified waiter I’ve ever seen, and I doubt the chef ever followed through on the order.
Traveling exposes you to other ways of thinking and doing things, which is one of its best features. The transforming effect can be lessened by concentrating on how it’s done at home.
I’ve been exposed to a wide variety of lifestyles by traveling to different nations, and it’s precisely this transformative experience that has me eager to plan my next vacation.
Currently residing in Chicago, Meena Thiruvengadam works as an editing consultant and travel writer. In addition to contributing to magazines including Travel+Leisure, Cond Nast Traveler, The Wall Street Journal, and Lonely Planet, she is the creator of the travel website TravelwithMeena.com. Meena was the head of audience growth for Bloomberg and Business Insider before joining Yahoo Finance as an editor. You may find her on Instagram and TikTok.
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