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... Australians like to ‘take the piss’ out of each other which involves making derogatory jokes about someone to their face. One’s ability to receive the joke without taking offence is a point of esteem. Alternatively, to say the same joke wh ...

... Compliments may be received differently. Some Vietnamese may politely protest or deflect kind words in an effort to remain humble. On the other hand, young women may respond with a compliment about their beauty by saying, "I already know" ...

... While Russia is renowned for having a strong drinking culture, it’s not as glorified in Russian society as many foreigners believe. Being very drunk is not regarded positively in Russia. The public is very aware of the negative effects of alcohol dependenc ...

... Consider that some Spaniards may have different levels of sensitivity regarding gender, race and ethnicity. People commonly describe one another by their physical attributes. It is normal to call girls ‘beautiful princesses’ or refer to a ...

... It is not a cultural norm to say “thank you” among friends and family in Myanmar. This cultural difference in manners can sometimes lead foreigners to interpret Burmese behaviour as rude or disrespectful. However, consider that this is generally not the in ...

... Singaporeans can be fiercely competitive. It is not unusual to see people endeavouring to get to the front of a crowd or determinedly queuing for great lengths to buy or see something. They attribute this to ‘kiasu’, the fear of losing. Kiasu motivates Sin ...

... Ethiopia has its own calendar, which is approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar used in Western countries. The Ethiopian Year starts on September 11th. See Dates of Significance for more information on calendar dates. Ethio ...

... Sudanese Arabic is different from the dialect of Arabic spoken in other countries. It is also different from the dialect spoken in South Sudan (Juba Arabic). Therefore, North Sudanese and South Sudanese migrants may not understand one an