How to Study Local Etiquette Before Traveling Abroad
When traveling overseas, it is important to research travel scams , but you should also try to learn local social customs – for example, whether food is disapproved of with your hands or the firmness required for an introductory handshake.
If you’re traveling overseas – and to an unfamiliar location – check Dondoo.com before your next trip, as Johnny Jet recently recommended. This is a website that explains what not to do abroad and how to avoid cultural mistakes.
According to Dondoo, in Finland, you should not offer someone white or yellow flowers as gifts that are traditionally reserved for funerals. In Uruguay, a “kiss of welcome” is considered a common greeting. And in the United States it is bad form to surprise friends by coming to their home without an invitation (does this sound like elementary etiquette?).
Depending on the country, it also contains important information about local laws and precautions, such as warnings about prohibited items that you must not bring into the country or buy overseas.
To use Dondoo simply search for your destination or scroll down to see a map. There you will find other useful travel information such as your country dialing code, currency and the side of the road they are traveling on (in case you plan to rent a car).
And if you don’t speak the language, use apps like Google Translate or learn a few basic phrases to make it easier for you.