113
votes
Accepted
Does wearing imperial beard in the UK attract any ire of general public?
As a British person, I don't think I've ever seen somebody with a beard like that. Some drunk people might be snarky about it but my guess is that you'll get much more attention from people who think ...
- 18.7k
64
votes
Accepted
Would it be ok to eat rice using a spoon in front of Westerners?
It depends on how you define "western countries", but if you think of Western Europe + UK + US/Canada, please rest assured that nobody would care whether you use sticks, fork, spoon or hands (well, ...
- 22.1k
43
votes
Would it be ok to eat rice using a spoon in front of Westerners?
As someone who always used to eat rice with a spoon, the first time I moved to the US for studies and saw people eating rice with a fork, I couldn't stand it.
I tried it myself, but damn it - trying ...
- 39.7k
43
votes
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Why do US hotels sandwich the blanket between two sheets instead of putting it inside a duvet cover?
I think it's just a cultural difference. The "two sheet" system is commonly used in homes in the US. So US hotels use the same system because it's familiar to most of their guests. (The US is a big ...
- 37.7k
40
votes
Is paying for portrait photos good for the people in the community you're photographing?
TL;DR: Yes.
Here's a spin on your question: let's say you asked somebody in the West (say, a street performer) if you can take their photo, and they asked you for money. You would consider if the ...
- 99.1k
38
votes
How to deal with other tourists taking pictures of my children?
Since this question is not tagged for Spain, and it is tagged for cultural-awareness and local-customs, then be aware that in some countries (including England and Wales) photography in a public place ...
- 10.3k
36
votes
How to deal with other tourists taking pictures of my children?
I've been that stranger. I once surreptitiously took a photo of (native) people in a rural Swedish village who I throught were dressed funnily. A young man noticed, and responded with a gesture of ...
- 60.1k
34
votes
Would it be ok to eat rice using a spoon in front of Westerners?
Unless you are in a situation where very specific etiquette is expected, no one will care one bit about which utensil you use.
Such specific etiquette may be expected in diplomatic or high value ...
- 32.8k
29
votes
Accepted
Are non-Muslims allowed to enter mosques in Malaysia?
TL; DR: Yes.
I grew up in Malaysia and I am a non-Muslim. I have been inside Putra Mosque, in the capital city of Putrajaya. It was part of a class field trip I had when I was in school.
However, ...
- 406
24
votes
Accepted
What does this symbol on a door mean? (福)
This is the Chinese character for "Good Fortune" 福. January 28 was the Chinese (Lunar) New Year.
- 1,008
23
votes
Why do hotels have sanitary bags?
It is so that the cleaners do not need to come in contact with trash containing bodily fluids. You could use paper, but many people throw it in the bin directly and do not bother wrapping it up.
Using ...
- 351
22
votes
Is paying for portrait photos good for the people in the community you're photographing?
Yes it is.
On a group safari in Kenya our lorry rolled into a village and stopped to replenish the water tank. Within a few minutes they had dressed up some of the women in their finest clothes and ...
- 12.9k
22
votes
Is it true that "in Singapore, you should assume all rules are implemented at all times"?
Any foreigner newly in a country should always assume all laws and rules can and will be enforced.
This is not particular for any country or city but a worldwide general rule which should be the ...
- 62.6k
19
votes
Does wearing imperial beard in the UK attract any ire of general public?
In the UK any larger town or city you will go about invisible, the smaller the community the more you would stand out... ie a town of a few thousand then you will look different. I have a beard and ...
- 191
19
votes
How to deal with other tourists taking pictures of my children?
Coming from Portugal, where there are very similar laws to Spain, unless you are a well known person in a public place (actors, politicians), you have your right to privacy supported by law against ...
- 2,053
18
votes
Why do hotels have sanitary bags?
When waste is wrapped in sturdy plastic or paper bags, as is the case with the sanitary bags in hotels, the people cleaning out the waste will not have to see the items which are put in the bin.
When ...
- 62.6k
17
votes
Accepted
Asian ladies and older man grabbing cheeks and slapping butts for children
The article Don’t Touch My Child! Lessons from Asia by Cordelia Newlin de Rojas at InCultureParent.com article may be of interest.
I can’t speak for all Asian cultures but in Singapore and Thailand, ...
- 419
16
votes
Accepted
Why do hotels have sanitary bags?
I think the biggest factor here is the biohazardous (bodily fluids, faecal matter etc.) waste factor. Infectious diseases can live in bodily fluids (especially blood) for a very long time such as ...
- 278
15
votes
Accepted
Are there any laws in Italy about head coverings I should be aware of?
In short: you have nothing to worry about.
The only Italian law which is somehow related to your case is for public security, it prohibits wearing or doing things that make a face difficult to be ...
- 5,872
15
votes
Accepted
What kind of behaviours must we avoid while staying in Singapore?
I lived in Singapore for ~7 years, so I suppose I'm pretty well placed to answer this question.
TL;DR, don't worry about it: if you behave respectfully/normally by Western standards in Singapore, you'...
- 99.1k
15
votes
Are non-Muslims allowed to enter mosques in Malaysia?
Yes, non-Muslims are allowed to enter (at least some) mosques in Malaysia.
See user casvaart's answer for a local's perspective.
- 6,140
13
votes
Accepted
Can person take a toothpick from a restaurant in Japan?
I did a bit of research and as far as I can make out, Japanese etiquette dictates that you do not use toothpicks in public i.e, you find a secluded spot to use toothpicks. However, since that is not ...
- 442
12
votes
Are non-Muslims allowed to enter mosques in Malaysia?
Having been in Malaysia, I can attest that visiting a mosque is possible for non-Muslims. There were no restrictions as far I could tell and I have entered at least a dozen mosques principally around ...
- 46.3k
12
votes
Male visiting Iran with younger female companion
I spent some time in Iran back in 2016 with my girlfriend. My answer is based off that experience, but shouldn't necessarily be considered an exhaustive answer.
As we were a couple we were advised to ...
- 3,566
10
votes
Would it be ok to eat rice using a spoon in front of Westerners?
In South Germany many people in rural areas eat with a spoon at home. If they do it in public they are looked on as unsophisticated peasants. I have a colleague who always eats rice, pasta or ...
- 1,411
10
votes
Is it true that "in Singapore, you should assume all rules are implemented at all times"?
Assume the rules will be enforced and behave accordingly. And that's not just in Singapore, that's everywhere.
Be a good, well behaved visitor. It's only common courtesy. Ask yourself the question ...
- 9,561
9
votes
Would it be ok to eat rice using a spoon in front of Westerners?
I agree with most of the replies: Yes, it is okay (acceptable, not rude) to eat rice with a spoon.
However, what I haven't seen mentioned is that western children usually start eating with a spoon ...
- 191
9
votes
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What is this contraption?
I think it's a knife sharpening cart. Here is a photo of a similar one from Worthpoint:
The 'bicycle' wheel appears to a be a flywheel to keep the grinding stones spinning relatively steadily, and it ...
- 17.5k
8
votes
Accepted
What etiquette, if any, is there for where the knot goes when wearing a yukata or kimono?
The first guide you cited shows a very simple yukata that you get at hotels and ryokans. It has little pieces of cloth attached to it to make it easy to secure it even without a belt (obi). Without a ...
- 752
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible