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 ...
- 18.5k
70
votes
Accepted
Is it socially/culturally acceptable for Indian/Sri Lankan people to visit the Oktoberfest?
Oktoberfest is a major international tourist festival in a modern, progressive country. No one will question your attendance, no matter how you look. The only reason it would be awkward is if you told ...
- 37k
68
votes
When someone in India asks for my "Good Name", what are they expecting?
Aniket basically said the right thing but let me clarify a few things. There are many regions/groups of people in India but for myself the Bengali example is the best. It is very common for Bengalis ...
- 1,108
66
votes
Why is this bathroom symbol in Germany "00"?
According to the legend this tradition was started by hotels in the 19th century. Unlike today there was a single bathroom for a whole floor. This room was at the beginning of the hallway and not a ...
- 5,098
63
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, ...
- 21.8k
43
votes
Accepted
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 ...
- 37.3k
42
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 ...
- 39.4k
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 ...
- 98.8k
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 ...
- 9,359
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 ...
- 53.7k
34
votes
Accepted
Travelling as an unmarried Western couple in Indonesia
I stayed a long time in rural Aceh, so here are my tips:
First of all, do not think of Indonesians as very religious. They are usually traditionalist (some may say conformist). This is different.
...
- 1,975
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 ...
- 32.2k
32
votes
Is it socially/culturally acceptable for Indian/Sri Lankan people to visit the Oktoberfest?
Munich local here. We welcome everyone at Oktoberfest, doesn't matter where you're from or how you look.
The only things you really have to be careful about is getting excessively drunk (the beer is ...
- 24.2k
30
votes
What headwear are women legally required to wear in Iran?
I'll try to address this question impartially despite my strong feelings against Mandatory Hijaab for women (I'm a male, born and raised in Iran who lives in United States now)
I'll define the terms ...
- 391
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
How common is open carry of firearms in the USA?
As Jonathan's answer mentions, pretty much all police officers open carry firearms in the U.S. (pistols on their belt.) Other than that, however, seeing people visibly carry their firearms is very ...
- 13.2k
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.
- 996
23
votes
When someone in India asks for my "Good Name", what are they expecting?
Your good name is basically your first name.
It's a throwback from our British colonial days... where a gentleman would ask another who is not of acquaintance and would like to be friendly - "May I ...
- 491
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 ...
- 11k
22
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 ...
- 341
21
votes
Accepted
What headwear are women legally required to wear in Iran?
I visited last year. My pure understanding of the law there obviously isn't perfect as an outsider, but the following of the 'law' seemed very rough, women would wear a covering, but sometimes only ...
- 158k
20
votes
Accepted
What gesture to make when hitchhiking in Iran?
Hitchwiki has:
Hitchhiking is done in Iran by waving one's arm at an oncoming car, or by dribbling one of your hands.
I have not seen this myself (experience only of Tehran) because taxis seemed ...
- 28.3k
19
votes
How common is open carry of firearms in the USA?
Every single police offer in the US carries a visible firearm as a part of their uniform. Therefore it is extremely likely that you will see multiple handguns during your visit as most urban areas are ...
- 81.6k
19
votes
Is it socially/culturally acceptable for Indian/Sri Lankan people to visit the Oktoberfest?
The Oktoberfest is a strongly German cultural event. It is for this reason that you are likely to be welcome there (rather than otherwise).
The Germans are looking to "spread the word" (regarding ...
- 6,634
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 ...
- 2,033
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
17
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 ...
- 56.7k
15
votes
Accepted
When traveling in Ukraine, when is it appropriate to wear the traditional Vyshyvanka?
And the answer is: wear it whenever you feel like it, wherever you feel like it, and however you feel like wearing it
Vyshivanka has become sort of a symbol of the latest Ukrainian revolution and ...
- 45k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible