{"id":98884740,"date":"2016-08-02T13:47:18","date_gmt":"2016-08-02T17:47:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/?p=98884740"},"modified":"2016-08-02T14:12:32","modified_gmt":"2016-08-02T18:12:32","slug":"countries-appreciate-effort-blend-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onetravel.com\/going-places\/countries-appreciate-effort-blend-in\/","title":{"rendered":"Where to ‘Act Like a Local’: Countries That Appreciate an Effort to Blend In"},"content":{"rendered":"

While you may be used to the way things are done in the United States, as soon as you step foot on foreign soil, you\u2019re in someone else\u2019s world. Respect for a destination\u2019s customs and decorum is usually required in order for a trip abroad to go smoothly. Yet so often, tourists expect residents to help (asking for directions, requesting the check, etc.) without even trying to conform to the native cultural norms.<\/p>\n

And while there are plenty of nations that welcome good-natured visitors regardless of how they adapt–with warm, welcoming people ready to assist on seemingly every corner–in certain countries, a little effort to act and speak like a local can go a long way and make all the difference.<\/p>\n

Here are a few places where it’s a good idea to know how things are done, learn some of the lingo, and try to blend in:<\/p>\n

France<\/h2>\n

\"Ekaterina<\/p>\n

France has a reputation for being cold to tourists. In fact, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius launched a multi-million euro campaign <\/span><\/a>in 2014, encouraging the French people to be warmer and more welcoming to tourists. But many French people would disagree with the stereotype, saying that their customs are just different than Americans’. For instance, if your waiter seems to be ignoring you and leaving you alone at a restaurant, relax. \u00a0In France, the object of dining is to claim a great table and stay as long as possible. Your waiter isn\u2019t bothering you every 10 minutes, not because you are a foreigner and they don\u2019t like you, but because that is how they treat everyone<\/em>. They leave you alone to enjoy your meal in peace.
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\nAs for speaking French, although 39% of people in France speak English (including those in the countryside), you can\u2019t assume you will run into those people. More importantly – the people there appreciate foreigners even<\/span> attempting <\/span><\/i>to speak their language.
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\nBefore I left for France a friend warned me, \u201cSay Bonjour<\/em> every time you greet someone. Not hello. Bonjour<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>I thought that was a little strange (doesn\u2019t everyone recognize the word hello?), but when I arrived I realized how important that advice was. Although I attempted to learn more phrases, having never taken French classes, I struggled with the pronunciation and the accent. Still, I found I was more likely to get the help I needed if I began my sentences in French versus English. In a way, it showed the people I was asking for help or directions that I cared enough about their culture to try. And then usually we launched just fine into conversational English and were able to go merrily on our way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Important Phrases to Help Get Around<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

“Bonjour” (bohn-ZHOOR):<\/strong> Hello<\/em>
\n“S\u2019il vous pla\u00eet” (see-voo-play):<\/strong> Please<\/em>
\n“Parlez-vous anglais ?” (par-lay-voo ahn-glay):<\/strong> Do You Speak English?<\/em>
\n“O\u00f9 est-ce que se trouve\u2026?” (oo escuh suh troov):<\/strong> Where Is…?:<\/em>
\n“Combien \u00e7a co\u00fbte?” (COMM-bee-yen SAH coot):<\/strong> How Much Does it Cost?<\/em>
\n“Merci beaucoup!” (mehr-see bo-koo):<\/strong> Thank You Very Much!<\/em>
\n“Une carafe d’eau s’il vous plait” (OON cahr-AHF doh):<\/strong> A glass\/jug of water, please<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Know Before You Go<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n