With American international travel roaring back—we’re talking 80.7 million of us heading overseas in 2022, a 64% jump from the year before—more of us are packing our bags for places like Europe, which saw 15.4 million American visitors.
The biggest travel blunders often aren’t about what you do, but what you say. It’s not your fault! It’s a culture thing. According to INSEAD professor Erin Meyer, the U.S. is the most “low-context” culture in the world. That just means we’re direct and say what we mean.
Many other cultures are “high-context,” where meaning lies in unspoken cues, relationships, and what’s left unsaid. A Harvard Business Review study even found that 70% of international business ventures fail due to cultural missteps.
While your vacation isn’t a business deal, the same rules apply.
“How are you?”
In America, “How are you?” is just a different way to say “hello.” It’s a social ritual, a quick nod as you pass someone in the hallway. You expect a short, sweet “Good, you?” and then you both move on.
But in many other countries, people take that question literally. They think you genuinely want to know how they are.
In Scandinavia, asking a stranger this is seen as odd and insincere, because why would you ask if you don’t want the honest answer? The cringe happens when they start to give you an honest, detailed answer about their sick cat or their stressful project, and you’re already halfway down the street.
“I’m so excited!”
That bubbly, ca n’t-wait feeling you express before a trip or a fun dinner? That’s a very American thing. Our culture values what researchers call high-arousal positive (HAP) emotions, like excitement and enthusiasm. But in many other places, that level of gushing energy can be too much.
In cultures that prize calmness and restraint, like in many parts of East Asia and even France, over-the-top excitement can come off as childish or insincere. In fact, in French, the word “excité” can have s3xual connotations, making it an awkward choice for adults in casual conversation.
Some Asian cultures even hold a belief that being “too happy” might attract bad luck. Your genuine joy might be making someone else genuinely uncomfortable.
“What do you do for a living?”
This is the go-to icebreaker in the States. It’s often the second or third question you ask a new person at a party. Try that in many European countries, and you’ll feel the mood in the room drop.
In places like the UK, France, and Germany, asking about someone’s job so early is seen as rude, intrusive, and a way to “size them up”. It feels like you’re trying to figure out how much money they make and what their social status is.
As one American living abroad put it, there’s a sense that the question is an attempt to gauge someone’s “assumed income level, and suitability for a longer conversation”. It reduces a person’s entire identity to their paycheck.
“Let’s get together sometime.”
You’ve just had a great chat with a new acquaintance on a train in Italy. As you part ways, you say, “This was great! We should totally get together sometime.” You mean it as a friendly way to say, “I liked talking to you.” But your new Italian friend? They’re now waiting for you to call and make a plan.
In America, this phrase is a polite, non-committal conversation ender. It’s not a real invitation. But in many other cultures, words are taken more literally. An invitation, however vague, is still an invitation.
Cross-cultural expert Christina Rebuffet points out that a real American invitation is much more specific: “Want to meet up for coffee next weekend?”. Without the specifics, you’re just being polite—but it’s a politeness that can be seen as flaky or even dishonest abroad.
This is where direct-communication cultures, like Germany or the Netherlands, get really confused. To them, you’re saying something you don’t mean. Why not just say, “It was nice to meet you”? Your attempt to be nice can backfire, making you seem untrustworthy.
“I’m fine.”
“How are you?” “I’m fine.” It’s the automatic, neutral response we use for everything. It can mean you’re having the best day of your life, or that your world is crumbling, but you don’t want to talk about it. It’s a conversational wall. And in some places, that wall is seen as incredibly cold.
In the UK, for example, saying you’re “fine” in a confident tone is often code for “I am absolutely not fine, and I’m a bit mad at you”. It’s passive-aggressive. In other relationship-focused cultures, a flat “I’m fine” can feel like a social rejection.
You’re just trying to be efficient, but you’re accidentally signaling, “I do not want to talk to you.” Your neutral response is seen as an active, though passive, shutdown of the conversation. It leaves the other person wondering what they did wrong.
“You really knocked it out of the park.”
Americans run on sports idioms. We “hit home runs,” “drop the ball,” and ask for “ballpark figures”. To us, it’s a colorful way to talk. To most of the world, it’s absolute gibberish.
Imagine telling your French host they “knocked it out of the park” with dinner. They’ll be wondering what park you’re talking about and why you’re suddenly discussing violence against it. It immediately halts the conversation and forces you to give a mini-lesson on baseball rules.
Linguists say that slang’s primary purpose is to “signal belonging”. When you use a hyper-specific American sports idiom, you’re unintentionally creating an in-group that your listener isn’t part of.
“Wow, this is so cheap!”
You’re at a market in Thailand, and you find a beautiful handmade scarf for a few dollars. You exclaim to the vendor, “Wow, this is so cheap!” You mean it as a compliment. You’re thrilled with the value. But you may have just deeply insulted them.
In many cultures, talking openly about money is a major taboo. When you call something “cheap,” you’re not just commenting on the price; you’re commenting on the local economy and the value of their labor.
It can sound like you’re saying, “This is cheap for me, a wealthy American.” It highlights a wealth disparity in a really tactless way and can make the vendor feel like their work is being devalued.
This is a classic case of American openness backfiring. A recent survey showed that while 64% of Europeans find Americans friendly, a significant portion also find us “overly friendly.”
“Can I get that to-go?”
In the U.S., getting a “doggy bag” or ordering your coffee to-go is entirely normal. We’re a culture that values speed and efficiency. We eat while walking, in our cars, at our desks.
Try asking for your half-eaten pasta “to-go” in a traditional trattoria in Rome. You’ll likely get a confused stare.
In many parts of the world, especially in Europe, meals are a sacred social time. They are meant to be savored, not rushed. The idea of packing food to eat later or of walking down the street while eating is seen as strange and disrespectful to the food and the dining experience.
“Don’t beat around the bush.”
Americans are famous for being direct, and we use this phrase to tell someone to get to the point. But think about the phrase itself. It’s an indirect, figurative, and totally bizarre idiom. You’re using a weird, non-literal phrase to demand that someone else be literal.
To a non-native English speaker, this is baffling. Why are we talking about bushes? Who is beating them?. It’s another conversation-stopper that requires a cultural explanation.
As cross-cultural communication guides often advise, it’s best to avoid slang and idioms altogether. But this one is hilarious because it’s a case of American directness getting lost in its own indirect language.
The “thumbs-up” gesture
Okay, this isn’t a phrase, but it’s a form of communication that can get you in serious trouble. In the U.S., the thumbs-up is the universal sign for “A-OK,” “good job,” or “sounds good.”
In parts of the Middle East (including Iran), Greece, and even Australia, the thumbs-up is a vulgar, offensive gesture. It’s the equivalent of giving someone the middle finger. It can mean “up yours” or “sit on this”.
Interestingly, history buffs note that our modern “positive” meaning is a 20th-century invention. In ancient Rome, the thumbs-up was actually the signal for a gladiator to be killed. It’s a powerful reminder that there’s no such thing as universal body language.
Key takeaway
Being a better traveler isn’t about memorizing a million rules. It’s about being mindful. A recent survey found that while a majority of Europeans (64%) see Americans as friendly, an even bigger majority (70%) find us loud.
The trick is to channel that friendliness into curiosity. Slow down. Listen more than you talk. And leave the baseball idioms at home.
As former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan once said, “Tolerance, inter-cultural dialogue and respect for diversity are more essential than ever”. A little awareness can turn a moment of cringe into a moment of genuine connection. And isn’t that why we travel in the first place?
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
Disclosure: This article was developed with the assistance of AI and was subsequently reviewed, revised, and approved by our editorial team.
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