Foreign etiquette for Americans: Tips for traveling abroad

— -- Many American travelers have made a faux pas in another country. Such a blunder can be embarrassing and insulting. And for business travelers a slip up in etiquette can damage a business relationship.

"A potential mistake in business ultimately has higher stakes, and perhaps more sensitivity, than a traveler who flubbed an interaction one-on-one with a cafe worker or Laundromat attendant," says Robert Reid, U.S. travel editor for the international guidebook publisher Lonely Planet.

At USA TODAY's request, Lonely Planet put together a list of etiquette tips in the following situations for Americans heading abroad:

Table manners: In Japan, it's "perfectly okay -- even expected -- to slurp" when eating noodles, Lonely Planet says. But never stick chopsticks into a bowl of rice upright, because "that's how rice is offered to the dead." In almost all of Asia, it's also poor etiquette to use the chopsticks you are eating with to pass food.

In Russia, wrists should be placed on the edge of the table while eating, and the fork should be held in the left hand, and the knife in the right hand.

In Portugal, don't ask for salt and pepper if it is not on the table. "Asking for any kind of seasoning or condiment" casts aspersions on the cook, Lonely Planet says.

In France, never discuss money over dinner, and splitting the bill "is considered the height of unsophistication."

In Mexico, whenever you catch the eye of someone who's eating -- even a stranger -- it's good manners to say "provecho," which means enjoy.

Drinking: When drinking with others in Japan, don't fill your own drink, but instead fill the glass of the person next to you, and wait for the person to reciprocate. "Filling your own glass amounts to admitting to everyone at the table that you're an alcoholic," says Lonely Planet.

In Russia, wait for a cue, "because vodka is for toasting -- not for casual sipping," the guidebook publisher says. Men are expected to down shots in one gulp, while women are usually excused. Never mix vodka with another beverage or dilute it. "And don't place an empty bottle on the table -- it must be placed on the floor," Lonely Planet says.

In Armenia, if you empty a bottle into someone's glass, it obliges that person to buy the next bottle. "It's polite to put the last drops into your own glass," Lonely Planet says.

In Sweden, it's considered vulgar to clink glasses unless you say "skals', which means cheers.

At a pub in Australia, it's customary to buy a round of drinks for everyone in your group.

Tipping and bargaining: Tipping is not common in Japan. "If you want to show your gratitude to someone, give a gift rather than a tip," Lonely Planet advises. "If you choose to give someone a cash gift, place the money in an envelope first."

In Russia, a 10% tip is customary in a restaurant. Prices in stores are usually firm, but it's okay to make a bid somewhat lower than a merchant's price at markets and souvenir stalls.

Body language: In the United Kingdom, don't stick up an index finger and a middle finger with the palm of your hand facing you. "It's the equivalent of giving someone the finger," Lonely Planet says. If you are ordering two beers in a British pub, make sure the palm is facing out when the two fingers trust up in a peace sign.

In Greece, don't wave to anyone with an open palm -- even when greeting a friend. And don't show your palm, though you might think to do so when gesturing for someone to wait or hold on, or showing the number five. "It is essentially the way one flips someone the bird in Greece, but more than that, it states, 'I reject you,'" Lonely Planet says.

In Asia, It's bad etiquette to point at objects or people with your feet, and don't prop your feet on chairs or tables while sitting. Never touch any part of someone's body with your foot, "which is considered the lowest part of the body," the guidebook publisher says. "If you accidentally do this, apologize by touching your hand to the person's arm and then touching your own head."

Refrain from touching people on the head or ruffling their hair. "The head is spiritually the highest part of the body," Lonely Planet says. "Don't sit on pillows meant as headrests, as it is a variant on this taboo."

In Thailand, monks are not supposed to touch or be touched by women. If a woman wants to hand something to a monk, the object should be placed within reach of the monk or on the monk's receiving cloth.

Travelers to Thailand shouldn't be alarmed if locals pick their noses while talking to you. "It's considered a natural act of good hygiene," Lonely Planet says.

Business etiquette: In Brazil, expect clients to answer cellphones during meetings -- even in mid-conversation. It's considered rude to not answer a phone call in Brazil to at least say you will call back and interrupting a meeting for this purpose isn't considered rude, Lonely Planet says.

Punctuality is uncommon in Brazil, the guidebook publisher says, so anticipate that appointments will be up to 30 minutes early or late.

In the Caribbean, address people with titles such as mister or professor "until a first-name is explicitly offered," Lonely Planet says.

'Ugly Americans'

Inexperienced North American business travelers commit etiquette blunders more than 70% of the time when doing business abroad, says Ann Marie Sabath, author of Business Etiquette: 101 Ways to Conduct Business with Charm and Savvy.

Common blunders include not bringing a gift made in the USA for a first meeting with a client, not saying "good morning, good afternoon or good evening" and not expressing interest in a country's history and culture, Sabath says. Other faux pas are taking a foreign client to lunch and talking about business, and assuming that a handshake rather than a kiss or bow is an appropriate introduction, she says.

Syndi Seid, an etiquette trainer and speaker, says it's "common and inevitable" that business travelers will make etiquette mistakes in a foreign country.

The key, however, is to minimize the mistakes and know how to recover from them without compounding them into something much worse," she says.

Business travelers often give inappropriate gifts when they visit Chinese businesses, says Rob Collins, co-author of Doing Business in China for Dummies. Gifts considered inappropriate include clocks, hats, handkerchiefs and umbrellas.

Collins says it's also common for American business travelers to make such etiquette mistakes as being late -- "the Chinese are usually very punctual" -- or arrogant.

"The Chinese are humble people, so being pompous won't get you very far," he says. "Check your ego when you check your bags at the airport."

Michael Soon Lee, author of the book Cross-Cultural Selling for Dummies, says "we aren't called the 'ugly Americans' for nothing."

Americans "tend to assume that others around the world do things the way we do," Lee says. "We automatically try to shake hands with people who don't want to, and we look for eye contact from those who find it offensive."

Lee says it's "more crucial" to not make an etiquette mistake while working abroad.

"People serving tourists are much more forgiving, whereas business contacts may decide not to do business with us if we offend them," he says.

McKain, who insulted the Brazilian mayor on his first trip abroad, says he always learns how to say "thank you" in the language of the country he plans to visit and always apologizes about his lack of fluency.

"It is remarkable how wonderful people can be when you have a humble and sincere desire to learn more about their culture and are not reticent about doing things their way," says the author and speaker. "If a traveler would just make an effort to learn prior to departure and maintain humility and humor while traveling, the trip would be enhanced, and any faux pas you make are forgiven relatively quickly."