10 INNOCENT GESTURES THAT CAN GET YOU KILLED OVERSEAS

When ever you travel to a foreign land, it's wise to research the cultural differences between them and what you are use to. There can be a significant difference, everything from foods to rules like your voice can't be raised past to a certain volume, but one of the biggest is hand gestures. Giving a hand gesture to a wrong person in a wrong place, can get you involve in to the fight of your life or worst. So if you are going to travel and you don't want to die, keep reading because this blog post literally might save you from big trouble next time you travel.
So here are 10 innocent gestures that can get you killed.

1. THUMBS UP

In North America, flashing the good old thumbs up means 'good job' or 'this movie is this good' but in the Middle East, parts of West Africa and South America, holding that digit in the air is quite offensive. And roughly translate to, 'I'm going to stick my thumb up your ass'. Else where in Italy, in Greece, giving the thumbs up is seen as the equivalent of saying 'up yours'.

2. The STOP SIGN

If you're talking to someone rambling, and you need them to slow down or you need to car to halt, The gesture you will use is the open arm facing the person you are addressing. In North America, In Greece, throwing the stop sign at someone is known as 'Moutza' and dates back to the Byzantium era, where criminals had their face black out with cinder or poop. That gesture eventually means 'I want your face to be cover with faeces'. Remember that next time you offer someone in Greece a high five.

3. The OK SIGN

When something is decent, especially in restaurants and the thumbs up won't just do, North Americans and many other people on the planet turn to the classic OK sign. Crossing the tips of your thumb and index finger together delivers your satisfaction perfectly. Unless you;re one of the many European Countries that consider to gesture to mean 'Zero' and that's calling that person you're directing it to Worthless. It's also a symbol to let someone know they are 'Homosexual' and trust me even with today's more tolerated beliefs, people don't as seem to like being told they are. 

4. FINGERS CROSSED

When you're waiting for an upcoming hoping things will go your way, you often cross your fingers right? It is a sign many lottery players and beauty pageant contestants use to bring them more luck. However, this can also be a sign of truth. As crossing your fingers behind your back somehow means the lie you currently telling is OK. All of that is of course unless you're Vietnamese. In Vietnam, The Cross Fingers Sign resembles Lady parts and is taken to mean that you are calling them the horrible 'C' word. No not cute but you're close.

5. FINISHING YOUR MEAL

In most cultures, when having dinner at another person's home or restaurant , eating every last remains of the food on your plate will be consider polite a sign that you truly enjoyed the meal you just consumed. However in China, Thailand and the Philippines, clearing your plate is the equivalent of saying that was a pathetic amount of food. The best you can do to be polite in this countries is to leave one last bite  of the meal on the plate, signifying that you were too full to eat it. Basically, just do the exact opposite of what your mother demanded you do with your green veggies.

6. THE HORNS

When the band's hot, they're hot. and obviously you want to tell them how much you appreciate their musical talent by raising your index and picky fingers to give the rockout horns. However, you may want to avoid doing this in Italy, Columbia, Portugal, Brazil and Spain as this sign says to a man 'Your wife is being unfaithful and you are blind to a duty of stupidity.That;s a metaphor And the sign is usually given behind another man's back.  Ahh You're Stupid.

7. BECKONING

Given the old come here by curling your index finger is obviously pretty widely understood. You obviously want who ever you are addressing to approach you and is likely though get the exact meaning, unless they're living in one of the many Asian countries such as the Philipines, where to signal beckoning is only used for dogs. To motion that to a person in such a way is derogatory and suggest you feel that they are inferior to you.

8. THE PEACE SIGN 

Used by many a hippie in the post Vietnam war days. This innocent gesture conveys totally different meanings depending on which way your hand is facing. For instance in North America, you want to face your palm upward to show peace, victory or the number 2 but in Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand flashing these fingers with the back of your hands to an observer is equal to giving someone the finger or telling them to 'Fuck Off'. 

9. GIVING AN EVEN NUMBER OF FLOWERS

Sometimes, when we want to show someone that we care, we surprise them with flowers and while this is still true in the country of Russia, you best do a quick count of your stems before delivering because an even number of flowers is only given to someone after they've lost a loved one. Outside the funerals, giving an even number of any type of flower especially the white ones is to invite death to recipient and i'm pretty sure that's not what you are going for to show you care.

10. GIVING A GIFT WITH YOUR LEFT HAND

Speaking of gift giving, this last gesture can get you an evil glare in thousands of Countries.and happens after you do something nice. Giving any kind of present with your left hand is consider very rude, almost as if you're presenting it sarcastically and don't really like the recipient. This is largely due to much of the world seeing the left hand as the hand use to clean your ass.

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