Different countries – different cultures Read the situations 1–5 and talk together. What could be the reason for locals to be unhappy with your behaviour? What do you think you should do differently? 1 Spain, eating lunch: you are wearing shorts, a T-shirt and your baseball cap. You’re getting some funny looks. 4 England: you are on public transport having a great time with your friends, exchanging stories, laughing. The people around you don’t look happy. 2 Italy: you get a cappuccino to go after lunch; your Italian friends are bemused. 5 The Netherlands: you really like your Dutch colleague’s hairstyle and outfit and compliment her 3 Greece: waving to your tour guide and indicating you will be back in five minutes seems to upset him/her. on it. She does not seem pleased at all. Example: I’d probably change into long trousers for lunch. Maybe it is improper to wear shorts for meals in Spain. Tell the class. Would you do the same or different things? Read the article on proper behaviour for tourists in Thailand. Would you have made similar mistakes? a Reading 6 b 7 a Cultural etiquette in Thailand Thailand is known as the ‘Land of smiles’, but to keep the locals smiling it helps to have some previous knowledge. With the following examples we would like to raise your awareness and point out what the travellers should have done instead. Don’t point: In a group of tourists from Europe a man used his hands to point out to his girlfriend where their guide was. The guide saw that and got very upset as pointing at someone is considered rude in Thailand. If the tourist had simply lifted his chin in the direction of the guide, it wouldn’t have been a problem. Also, when motioning for someone to come over, don’t use fingers pointed upward; keep your fingers straight and palm towards the ground. The young man could have used his fingers to point out an object or animal, which is acceptable, but it’s more polite to point with your entire hand rather than one finger. Don’t touch someone’s head: A few Thai children were at a temple when a group of American tourists entered. A lady clearly lacked information about local culture when she offered a little girl some sweets and lovingly touched her head. The girl jumped back a metre and started crying. What had happened? If the tourist had understood that the head is seen as the most sacred part of the body, she would not have touched the child. She should have known that Thai people regard their bodies from the lowest and dirtiest part, i.e. the feet, up to the cleanest part, their heads. So, be careful and don’t raise your feet above someone’s head; avoid stepping over people sitting or sleeping on the ground. Don’t disrespect the king: Two travellers were waiting for a lift to come down, and meanwhile they were counting their loose change. As the doors began to open, one of the tourists dropped a coin, and it began rolling towards the gap of the lift. Instinctively, he stepped on the coin to stop it. That was a big no-no. The coins show the King’s face. He could have picked up the coin with his hands, but putting a foot on the King’s face is a terrible insult. They wouldn’t have got dirty looks from everyone around if they had shown proper respect for the King’s image. In fact, open disrespect towards the King can actually land you in prison! People have received prison sentences for Facebook posts that criticise the monarchy. Don’t show the bottoms of your feet: A group of backpackers were sitting in front of a Buddha statue when a local guide came running shouting angrily. What was the problem? They were sitting on the ground cross-legged. They shouldn’t have shown the soles of their feet, which are considered the dirtiest parts of the body. Anything that involves using your feet should be avoided when in Thailand. Pointing your feet at someone, raising your feet higher than someone’s head, or simply putting your feet on a desk or chair is considered extremely rude. The backpackers were lucky that the guide warned them. If a policeman had seen them, they would have been in serious trouble! We should always aim at being cultural travellers rather than mere tourists only interested in cheap shopping, famous sights or idyllic beaches. So get information on local etiquette before starting your trip. Observing and respecting local culture would have greatly benefitted the tourists in Thailand. Language skills Extras Explore 9 Living and working together 113 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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