Traveler’s Guide to Global Hand Gestures
Hand gestures are an important facet of communication wherever we travel. I was really shocked by some which are shown in the graphic below.
It appears that one must be very careful when using their hands to get their message across. I got a real kick out of the “Horn Fingers” and the “Thumbs Up” in particular!
I would imagine it a safe bet to assume most, if not everyone reading this knows that the “Chin Flick” is never a good idea to do, no matter what culture you’re visiting. Everyone’s seen a mob movie or two in their lifetime. Well, mostly everyone.
And the “Come Here” gesture is always one that needs to be used carefully to avoid making someone feel like you’re treating them like an animal.
But who would have thought something as universal as the “Ok”, “Crossed Fingers” or “Thumbs Up” signs to have such a drastically different meanings in certain overseas destinations?
Content like this really makes you realize just how important it is to do your research before jumping on a plane to a completely new destination you’ve never been to before, hunh?
Happy and safe travels!
Main image by Philip McMaster
