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... Australians can underestimate how seriously Malaysians value modesty. Exposing your body too much by wearing something very revealing can seriously offend people. In these cases, explanations suggesting that it was done in jest or without malicious intent ...

... Citizens of Nepal tend to prefer ‘Nepali' as the describing demonym for their identity, as it reflects local morphology. ‘Nepalese’ is also very common, particularly in western/English use. However, some may consider this to have British/colonial connotati ...

... Discussions about terrorism, gun control, slavery and race relations can be sensitive topics. If discussing politics, expect to have to explain how aspects of the Australian social system work (e.g. healthcare). The American political and social system op ...

... Muslim Turks do not eat, drink or smoke during the daylight hours of the fasting month of Ramadan. It is polite to avoid engaging in these activities in front of a Muslim during Ramadan. It is generally appropriate to drink throughout most of Turkey. Howe ...

... Many Peruvians enjoy watching and playing football (soccer). It is common for children to be gifted a soccer ball as a birthday present. Football often acts as a way for people to bond, regardless of age. Open displays of the communist symbol of the hamme ...

... Cigarettes are readily available throughout Chile and many students and adults smoke. Many Chileans enjoy watching and/or playing football (soccer). This is usually a good point of conversation and a great way to bond with your Chilean counterpart. Try n ...

... The State of Palestine claims East Jerusalem as its capital. However, due to the current political situation of Israeli occupation, Ramallah (located in the West Bank) is the de facto administrative centre. Friday is a holy day for Muslims, and thus most b ...

... Remember that “Cypriot” is pronounced “Sip-ree-ut” not “Sigh-pree-ut”. Greek Cypriots can get annoyed at the terms “south Cyprus” and “north Cyprus” as this legitimates the idea of two co ...

... Red and gold are considered to be lucky colours by the Chinese. However, writing in red is taboo – it was historically used to write bad news or indicate that someone is a blood enemy. Black is the colour usually associated with death. Numbers: Odd numbers ...

... “Afghani” refers to the currency of money in Afghanistan and should not be used to describe the Afghan people. The burqa existed in Afghanistan before the Taliban's rise to power, but was not worn as frequently. The Taliban regime enforced a policy that re ...