Last Updated on January 7, 2021
Your gestures
The most essential gestures in our country could still mean very different things in other places, so don’t use any of them until you know what they mean exactly at your destination. For example, in Bulgaria, people shake hands for “Yes” and nod for “No”.
The UK and Ireland consider the peace sign as giving a middle finger. Don’t curl your index finger and thumb in Turkey and Malta or you will be comparing people to a private part of your anatomy. Doing the “Rock on” sign means you are pointing at a cheater in Greece, Spain, France, and Yugoslavia… etc!
Save your smile
Europeans can easily tell if someone is American… No, not by their goofy clothes! But with their big smiles that are ready to be given at any time.
If you are in Russia and gave your happy face in a business meeting, then you will be seen as an unprofessional person. While in the Czech Republic and France, smiles should be given only to friends and family, and rarely to strangers.
The coffee culture
In The United States, people order any coffee they want at any time they want. Thanks to Starbucks, coffee is available for us at any time. But if in Italy you ordered a cappuccino after breakfast or you ordered espresso before/during a meal, then you are rude.
If you are in Austria, you would be offending the whole country if you ordered a simple cup of coffee because they have a historic “coffee” culture, so it is a must to order something unique!
Time is relative!
The concept of time is very different across Europe. In Germany, you have to be punctual to respect other people’s time. In the Netherlands, don’t come earlier than the date because it is unacceptable.