If
you travel a lot or at least are planning to travel, please don't do these hand
gestures that might look very normal to you but are not at all normal to the
people of other countries and cultures.
1- Thumbs
up man!
Having
a thumbs up is a hand gesture that means that everything is going well and
according to plan. However, that is not the case in Australia or Greece. In
Australia, the thumbs up gesture simply means "sit on this!". In
Greece, raising your thumb also means "up yours!". So if you plan to
travel to any of these 2 places, please don't do a thumbs up or you'll end up
lying in a hospital.
2- 1,
2, 3, oops!
When
counting on our fingers, we raise 4 fingers and hide the 5th to indicate the
number 4 and we open all 5 fingers to indicate the number 5. However, these
signs are terrible insults in places like Japan and Greece and Turkey. In
Japan, the 4 fingers is a terrible insult that can get you to jail. In Greece
and Turkey, on the other hand, the 5 fingers simply mean: "go to
hell!". So please don't do these.
Previously
we talked about 2 hand gestures that are terrible insults in other cultures. We
continue the second part of this list. So please don't do these hand gestures
as well.
3- The
small finger
If
you think about travelling to the Mediterranean, you'd better hide that small
finger of yours and not raise it in public. Raising your small finger in front
of anybody there means one thing only, which is "a small penis!". Surely
this hand gesture that make the blood of any man around boil and make you in
big trouble and make us feel so sorry for you!
4- OK!
When
everything is OK you might simply make like a letter O with your thumb and
index finger while drawing that confident smile on your face. However, in the
Mediterranean, Russia, Brazil, and Turkey, take it as an advice and don't do
these signs. This OK hand gesture is there not Ok at all, as it indicates a
sexual insult.
5- The
victory sign!
Making the letter V with your index and middle
fingers is globally known as the victory sign. However, if you are in Britain,
Australia, New Zealand, and Malta, this is no victory at all. This sign there
is the notorious "up yours!" sign.
