Community > General Discussion

Topic: The Mistakes You Made In Non English Speaking Countries
Estelle79 Joined Thu 09/11/14 Posts: 1452	Thu 04/16/15 11:47 PM
In the US I mistook freedom of speech for tolerance. The 2 are very different things and one must know the local culture and speaking etiquette wherever one goes in the US. For example speech must adapt according to the local political and racial views of where you go in America. At bars the safest thing to bet on, is no political or religious talk, and this differs from Europe. Usually, it is best to go with a well mannered friend than to go alone. People who visit need to know that in the US anything is possible, good or bad. Oh, and be very careful of the authorities when visiting a police state.

uche9aa Joined Mon 08/15/11 Posts: 1986	Fri 04/17/15 12:13 AM Edited by uche9aa on Fri 04/17/15 12:14 AM
In the US I mistook freedom of speech for tolerance. The 2 are very different things and one must know the local culture and speaking etiquette wherever one goes in the US. For example speech must adapt according to the local political and racial views of where you go in America. At bars the safest thing to bet on, is no political or religious talk, and this differs from Europe. Usually, it is best to go with a well mannered friend than to go alone. People who visit need to know that in the US anything is possible, good or bad. Oh, and be very careful of the authorities when visiting a police state. You are right.Case is made worse if you are black.A racist white police man could shoot any face he dislikes and still retains his job or even in addition get a reward of excellence from the powers that be!

devildog123 Joined Mon 09/08/14 Posts: 3902	Fri 04/17/15 04:42 AM
my first food shopping experience in China.. In a supermarket. Nothing was in English but I wanted to do this on my own so I told my translator not to come and just have the driver wait for me. I needed dish cleaning sponges, so I go to that area and there were a lot. But right next to them I see a blue pack at 1/2 the price.. so I buy it. It was a dark blue pack of what I thought were 4 sponges.. they felt kind of spongy. I could not see inside the pack or read any of the writing. It had flowers printed on it. I go up to the check out and the girl kind of gives me a strange look.. but so be it. I get to my apartment and my translator comes over to see how I did and to help me unload. She gets to the blue pack and her face turns red.. she said " why did you by these?".. I said " to clean the dishes.. why?.. She said "these are woman's feminine napkins"!! I never went shopping without my translator again.

Redbutterfly098 Joined Tue 08/19/14 Posts: 2761	Fri 04/17/15 05:09 AM
So you gave the napkin to the translator or you kept it at your cabinet. Hehehehe

Estelle79 Joined Thu 09/11/14 Posts: 1452	Fri 04/17/15 12:42 PM
Not having my passport on me while hitchhiking near a police check point.

devildog123 Joined Mon 09/08/14 Posts: 3902	Fri 04/17/15 01:48 PM
So you gave the napkin to the translator or you kept it at your cabinet. Hehehehe She did me a favor and just took it away.... I told her NOT to say anything to anyone about it... but I'm sure she did Lol...

devildog123 Joined Mon 09/08/14 Posts: 3902	Fri 04/17/15 01:53 PM
In the US I mistook freedom of speech for tolerance. The 2 are very different things and one must know the local culture and speaking etiquette wherever one goes in the US. For example speech must adapt according to the local political and racial views of where you go in America. At bars the safest thing to bet on, is no political or religious talk, and this differs from Europe. Usually, it is best to go with a well mannered friend than to go alone. People who visit need to know that in the US anything is possible, good or bad. Oh, and be very careful of the authorities when visiting a police state. You are right.Case is made worse if you are black.A racist white police man could shoot any face he dislikes and still retains his job or even in addition get a reward of excellence from the powers that be! you started a good thread Uche,.. a funny thread.. good stories don't turn it into a U.S. racial thread... o.k..

uche9aa Joined Mon 08/15/11 Posts: 1986	Fri 04/17/15 02:21 PM
In the US I mistook freedom of speech for tolerance. The 2 are very different things and one must know the local culture and speaking etiquette wherever one goes in the US. For example speech must adapt according to the local political and racial views of where you go in America. At bars the safest thing to bet on, is no political or religious talk, and this differs from Europe. Usually, it is best to go with a well mannered friend than to go alone. People who visit need to know that in the US anything is possible, good or bad. Oh, and be very careful of the authorities when visiting a police state. You are right.Case is made worse if you are black.A racist white police man could shoot any face he dislikes and still retains his job or even in addition get a reward of excellence from the powers that be! you started a good thread Uche,.. a funny thread.. good stories don't turn it into a U.S. racial thread... o.k.. Ok.Cease fire declared

devildog123 Joined Mon 09/08/14 Posts: 3902	Fri 04/17/15 03:34 PM
In the US I mistook freedom of speech for tolerance. The 2 are very different things and one must know the local culture and speaking etiquette wherever one goes in the US. For example speech must adapt according to the local political and racial views of where you go in America. At bars the safest thing to bet on, is no political or religious talk, and this differs from Europe. Usually, it is best to go with a well mannered friend than to go alone. People who visit need to know that in the US anything is possible, good or bad. Oh, and be very careful of the authorities when visiting a police state. You are right.Case is made worse if you are black.A racist white police man could shoot any face he dislikes and still retains his job or even in addition get a reward of excellence from the powers that be! you started a good thread Uche,.. a funny thread.. good stories don't turn it into a U.S. racial thread... o.k.. Ok.Cease fire declared thank you Uche :)

Amelinng Joined Tue 08/12/14 Posts: 1547	Fri 04/17/15 07:50 PM Edited by Amelinng on Fri 04/17/15 07:50 PM
my first food shopping experience in China.. In a supermarket. Nothing was in English but I wanted to do this on my own so I told my translator not to come and just have the driver wait for me. I needed dish cleaning sponges, so I go to that area and there were a lot. But right next to them I see a blue pack at 1/2 the price.. so I buy it. It was a dark blue pack of what I thought were 4 sponges.. they felt kind of spongy. I could not see inside the pack or read any of the writing. It had flowers printed on it. I go up to the check out and the girl kind of gives me a strange look.. but so be it. I get to my apartment and my translator comes over to see how I did and to help me unload. She gets to the blue pack and her face turns red.. she said " why did you by these?".. I said " to clean the dishes.. why?.. She said "these are woman's feminine napkins"!! I never went shopping without my translator again. And there goes your chances with the chinese ladies ..... cos' now they think you already have a wife!!! LOL!

devildog123 Joined Mon 09/08/14 Posts: 3902	Sat 04/18/15 02:06 AM
my first food shopping experience in China.. In a supermarket. Nothing was in English but I wanted to do this on my own so I told my translator not to come and just have the driver wait for me. I needed dish cleaning sponges, so I go to that area and there were a lot. But right next to them I see a blue pack at 1/2 the price.. so I buy it. It was a dark blue pack of what I thought were 4 sponges.. they felt kind of spongy. I could not see inside the pack or read any of the writing. It had flowers printed on it. I go up to the check out and the girl kind of gives me a strange look.. but so be it. I get to my apartment and my translator comes over to see how I did and to help me unload. She gets to the blue pack and her face turns red.. she said " why did you by these?".. I said " to clean the dishes.. why?.. She said "these are woman's feminine napkins"!! I never went shopping without my translator again. And there goes your chances with the chinese ladies ..... cos' now they think you already have a wife!!! LOL! I think that is what happened!!!..word spread thru out the village.. my chances..ruined !!! all because I was to cheap to buy the other sponges Lol

sam43217 Joined Sat 04/18/15 Posts: 1	Sat 04/18/15 03:17 AM
hello every one

uche9aa Joined Mon 08/15/11 Posts: 1986	Sat 04/18/15 09:25 AM
hello every one You are welcome

Hornbuckle55 Joined Sat 04/18/15 Posts: 1	Sun 04/19/15 10:34 AM
Lol

Kaustuv1 Joined Thu 03/27/14 Posts: 4365	Mon 05/04/15 06:56 AM
If I were to 'chip in' with a 100% simple and candid point of view, I'd say (without 'shame' 'hesitation' & 'embarrassment') that the 'biggest' mistake which 'a cousin of mine' made in a 'non-English' speaking nation, was: "He actually couldn't refrain from speaking in a tongue, 'other' than 'English!" He was so very 'obsessed' with 'English', that he went on to 'think' 'drink' 'eat' 'sleep' & 'walk' (besides 'talk') in 'English; that too, in a 'non-English' speaking country. Imagine...!

lup20 Joined Tue 08/26/14 Posts: 90	Sat 05/09/15 04:47 AM
so how they pay there in Israel?

metalwing Joined Fri 11/14/08 Posts: 26218	Sat 05/09/15 04:55 AM
so how they pay there in Israel? Some with their lives.

uche9aa Joined Mon 08/15/11 Posts: 1986	Sat 05/09/15 05:00 AM
If I were to 'chip in' with a 100% simple and candid point of view, I'd say (without 'shame' 'hesitation' & 'embarrassment') that the 'biggest' mistake which 'a cousin of mine' made in a 'non-English' speaking nation, was: "He actually couldn't refrain from speaking in a tongue, 'other' than 'English!" He was so very 'obsessed' with 'English', that he went on to 'think' 'drink' 'eat' 'sleep' & 'walk' (besides 'talk') in 'English; that too, in a 'non-English' speaking country. Imagine...!

AkashOnTheRun Joined Sun 05/10/15 Posts: 2	Sun 05/10/15 03:17 AM
@Spike1964 Lol. I think I know that feeling (occasionally). What part of India were you visiting ?

AkashOnTheRun Joined Sun 05/10/15 Posts: 2	Sun 05/10/15 03:23 AM
Not having my passport on me while hitchhiking near a police check point. They do that in the US ? Ask people for their passport/ID just because you are a foreigner ?