Proper Cultural Etiquette of Different Countries

Here are some interesting examples of proper cultural etiquette of different countries:

• The North American “OK” sign made by curling the thumb and forefinger together is an obscene gesture in Turkey, Brazil and Germany, and can be seen as a threatening gesture in parts of the Middle East.

• In European countries, when counting on one’s hand, the thumb is 1, index finger 2, etc. In the United States, the index finger is 1, middle finger is 2, etc. and the thumb usually means 5, exactly the same in the Philippines. 

• It’s perfectly normal (and expected) for passengers to ride in the front seat of taxis in Australia. It's the same here in the Philippines.

• Adding salt and pepper to your food is considered highly offensive to chefs in Switzerland.

•  In parts of Tibet, sticking one’s tongue out at someone is a greeting.  In some of the countries it's considered playful or teasing, other might find it offensive.

• In Albania, nodding one’s headstands for ‘no’, while shaking one’s head means ‘yes’. The same goes in India.