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(#6) Giving a Peace Sign
How could a peace sign be seen as rude? Though most people in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia will know what you mean (provided they know you're American), it's probably better to leave this gesture at home while you're visiting. To them, it's the same as flipping someone off (especially when the hand is held with its knuckles facing the person you're trying to give peace to).
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(#14) Eating in Public
Americans don't think twice about having a snack outside. Walking down the sidewalk with an ice cream cone or enjoying a piece of fruit on the subway is a way of life. But in Japan, eating anywhere that's not a restaurant (or your home) is seen as extremely weird and impolite. Keep the snack packs stowed safely out of sight.
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(#12) Asking for Condiments
Most American steakhouses won't bat an eye if you want some sauce on the side. But in countries like France, Italy, Spain, and Japan, asking for condiments is an unspoken signal that you think you know better than the chef. Good rule of thumb? If you don't see it on the table, go without.
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(#13) Saying 'Quite'
In America, saying a meal is "quite good" means that it's exceedingly good. In Britain, it means just the opposite. The British view the word "quite" as a negative modifier - if a meal was "quite good," it was passably good. Instead, just say everything was excellent.
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(#9) Complaining at Restaurants
American diners are used to complaining. Steak under- or overcooked? That's all right - send it back to the kitchen and they'll fix it right up. Neither guests nor waitstaff finds this practice strange. But in Britain, it's considered bad manners to complain about the food. They'll gripe and groan in the privacy of their own homes about how badly the restaurant mucked things up, but to send a dish back is socially mortifying.
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(#5) Saying You're from 'America'
Our cultural vanity is such that we've co-opted the name of not one but two entire continents and assigned it to ourselves. That's right - the very word "America" is offensive in most (if not all) South American countries. Don't refer to yourself as an American when you're visiting South America - just tell people you're from the United States.
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About This Tool
When traveling in a foreign country, all of us should note that not all American habits and phrases can be accepted by foreigners, and some are considered rude behaviors, you may get into trouble or maybe expelled sometimes. Due to differences in culture, even if the language is accurate, misunderstandings will occur. For different people and occasions, the same word or the same expression can have different meanings.
Cultures and languages are diverse, getting to know each other is not an easy task, and communication between different cultures often encounters difficulties. It is necessary for us to know some American habits and phrases which are rude in other countries.
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