Comments on: 5 Surefire Ways to Offend the Locals http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:25:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Erica Johansson http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-107456 Erica Johansson Sat, 05 Mar 2011 17:05:08 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-107456 It can surely offend people but not everyone is offended by it. If I'd have a guest over for dinner who doesn't try a certain dish because of personal, religious or other reasons, no big deal! We're all different. As a vegan I'm bound to not try all local cuisines myself and if someone is offended by that, even if I politely decline, then it's their problem. It can surely offend people but not everyone is offended by it. If I’d have a guest over for dinner who doesn’t try a certain dish because of personal, religious or other reasons, no big deal! We’re all different. As a vegan I’m bound to not try all local cuisines myself and if someone is offended by that, even if I politely decline, then it’s their problem.

]]> By: Asia Singapore http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-104210 Asia Singapore Mon, 28 Feb 2011 05:03:20 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-104210 Not trying the local cuisine when it is offered to you really offends people. Not trying the local cuisine when it is offered to you really offends people.

]]> By: Erica Johansson http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-65731 Erica Johansson Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:39:20 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-65731 It does help, Priyank. Thanks for clarifying! It does help, Priyank. Thanks for clarifying!

]]> By: Priyank http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-65714 Priyank Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:40:33 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-65714 Ah! Most Indian languages tend to skip sorries and thankyous although words exist in official communication. Instead we change the verb to indicate request or gratitude. For example, if you want to say "Give me water" as a request, in English you'd add "please", but in Indian languages we would just modify the verb "give". Does that help? :-) Ah!
Most Indian languages tend to skip sorries and thankyous although words exist in official communication. Instead we change the verb to indicate request or gratitude. For example, if you want to say “Give me water” as a request, in English you’d add “please”, but in Indian languages we would just modify the verb “give”. Does that help? :-)
Priyank´s last [type] ..Between High School and a Hard Place

]]> By: Kim http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-13483 Kim Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:40:08 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-13483 It is a great post. I always try to remember that I am a guest in their country and treat it as I would if I were visiting back home. And these tips prove doubly important if you're actually living in a foreign country. Cheers Kim .-= Kim´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MeasureOfAllThings/~3/xDAdqC8fJis/north-korea-vietnam-and-china-communist_24.html" rel="nofollow">North Korea, Vietnam and China - The Communist Tour</a> =-. It is a great post. I always try to remember that I am a guest in their country and treat it as I would if I were visiting back home. And these tips prove doubly important if you’re actually living in a foreign country.
Cheers
Kim
.-= Kim´s last blog ..North Korea, Vietnam and China – The Communist Tour =-.

]]> By: Erica Johansson http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12402 Erica Johansson Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:28:13 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12402 Good to see you here, Lara. And yes, I did change AGAIN. When I found this new theme I just couldn't resist it :) Good to see you here, Lara. And yes, I did change AGAIN. When I found this new theme I just couldn’t resist it :)

]]> By: lara dunston http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12335 lara dunston Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:25:44 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12335 An insightful post, Erica! And you've changed your site again! I wasn't sure if I was at the right place for a while! :) Good to catch up on you! .-= lara dunston´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CoolTravelGuide/~3/zgue_PERxUA/reflections-on-mallorca-part-1.html" rel="nofollow">Musings on Mallorca: part 1</a> =-. An insightful post, Erica!

And you’ve changed your site again! I wasn’t sure if I was at the right place for a while! :) Good to catch up on you!
.-= lara dunston´s last blog ..Musings on Mallorca: part 1 =-.

]]> By: Erica Johansson http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12277 Erica Johansson Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:29:36 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12277 I think some travelers may take it too far/seriously (and get over-analytical), while others - like you - are more laid back about it. I think some travelers may take it too far/seriously (and get over-analytical), while others – like you – are more laid back about it.

]]> By: Erica Johansson http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12276 Erica Johansson Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:26:16 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12276 Good to hear that you enjoyed Anil's post. Great idea to learn a bit of your guests' own languages. I had no idea that languages with no words for thank you or please even existed. What languages are you referring to? Good to hear that you enjoyed Anil’s post.

Great idea to learn a bit of your guests’ own languages. I had no idea that languages with no words for thank you or please even existed. What languages are you referring to?

]]> By: Josiah http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12267 Josiah Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:19:46 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12267 Do you think we as travelers take this a little bit too seriously? Of course, I don't want to offend anyone anywhere, but I think we can tend to over-think this. From my own perspective as a 'local' in a city many tourists visit - San Francisco - I really don't care how they behave. Whether or not they 'learn the local customs,' bring up sensitive topics or history - doesn't bother me in the least. This just seems a little fake to me. Respect others, but be yourself! Do you think we as travelers take this a little bit too seriously? Of course, I don’t want to offend anyone anywhere, but I think we can tend to over-think this.

From my own perspective as a ‘local’ in a city many tourists visit – San Francisco – I really don’t care how they behave. Whether or not they ‘learn the local customs,’ bring up sensitive topics or history – doesn’t bother me in the least.

This just seems a little fake to me. Respect others, but be yourself!

]]> By: Monica http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12265 Monica Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:43:11 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12265 Loved this list! I own a B&B and we frequently have guests here from around the world. They almost ALL want to talk about politics and want to know our opinions on how our government works. Being open and knowing you're giving them an insight into how the 'little people' think is one of the best parts about talking about our political system to other people. Good idea to at least know those 'pleasantry' words in another language when traveling. I also found knowing how to say, 'Do you speak English?' helped me a lot when traveling as many people wanted to practice speaking English if they knew the language at all. We try to take it a step further here and learn the words and use them with guests here to make their stay a little more 'homey'. So, I'll ask each new guest how to say please, thank you, good morning and goodbye in their language. What is interesting is that several languages do not have words for please or thank you. Last summer we had such a large number of Italian guests I learned how to say all of the jam flavors just so they would know what I was offering them. I also ask how to say lobster as that is the big food item around here. And now I have a small poster in the dining room with all of the different ways to say, and write, lobster in a variety of languages including Mongolian, Arabic and Hebrew! Great article! Thanks. .-= Monica´s last blog ..<a href="http://whitecedarinn.blogspot.com/2009/07/readers-guide-to-maine.html" rel="nofollow">A Reader's Guide to Maine</a> =-. Loved this list! I own a B&B and we frequently have guests here from around the world. They almost ALL want to talk about politics and want to know our opinions on how our government works. Being open and knowing you’re giving them an insight into how the ‘little people’ think is one of the best parts about talking about our political system to other people.

Good idea to at least know those ‘pleasantry’ words in another language when traveling. I also found knowing how to say, ‘Do you speak English?’ helped me a lot when traveling as many people wanted to practice speaking English if they knew the language at all.

We try to take it a step further here and learn the words and use them with guests here to make their stay a little more ‘homey’. So, I’ll ask each new guest how to say please, thank you, good morning and goodbye in their language. What is interesting is that several languages do not have words for please or thank you.

Last summer we had such a large number of Italian guests I learned how to say all of the jam flavors just so they would know what I was offering them.

I also ask how to say lobster as that is the big food item around here. And now I have a small poster in the dining room with all of the different ways to say, and write, lobster in a variety of languages including Mongolian, Arabic and Hebrew!

Great article! Thanks.
.-= Monica´s last blog ..A Reader’s Guide to Maine =-.

]]> By: Accommn Broome http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12197 Accommn Broome Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:16:19 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12197 Agreed, if you can't be bothered learning a greeting and please/thank you in the local language you probably aren't going to have the best experience. Also agree about bagging your home country, why would you do that - and never,ever bag the country you are visiting to the locals. Agreed, if you can’t be bothered learning a greeting and please/thank you in the local language you probably aren’t going to have the best experience. Also agree about bagging your home country, why would you do that – and never,ever bag the country you are visiting to the locals.

]]> By: Erica Johansson http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12164 Erica Johansson Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:22:27 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12164 Sorry about the delay in approving comments. (Didn't have any internet access yesterday.) Thanks all for your great feedback! Sorry about the delay in approving comments. (Didn’t have any internet access yesterday.)

Thanks all for your great feedback!

]]> By: Anil http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12163 Anil Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:14:08 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12163 It's a strange thing for others to hear you bash where you're from since for them you're a living representation of that place. .-= Anil´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.foxnomad.com/2009/07/20/the-cheesiest-travel-photo-contest/" rel="nofollow">The Cheesiest Travel Photo Contest</a> =-. It’s a strange thing for others to hear you bash where you’re from since for them you’re a living representation of that place.
.-= Anil´s last blog ..The Cheesiest Travel Photo Contest =-.

]]> By: Anil http://www.travelblissful.com/5-surefire-ways-offend-locals/#comment-12162 Anil Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:10:26 +0000 http://www.travelblissful.com/?p=8561#comment-12162 I read about those incidents. Not sure what happened after that couple in Dubai was arrested but certainly not a good place to break indecency laws. .-= Anil´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.foxnomad.com/2009/07/20/the-cheesiest-travel-photo-contest/" rel="nofollow">The Cheesiest Travel Photo Contest</a> =-. I read about those incidents. Not sure what happened after that couple in Dubai was arrested but certainly not a good place to break indecency laws.
.-= Anil´s last blog ..The Cheesiest Travel Photo Contest =-.

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