Cultural Norms Are Behavior Patterns

Cultural norms are behavior patterns that are typical of specific groups. Every country around the world is unique in many ways. In our country we find it offensive when we burn the American Flag, uses god's word, belches, and don't cover their mouth when they yawn or sneeze. Going to another country could be exciting but doing something like putting the "thumbs up", Opening your palms at your target, and the "A-OK" could be very offensive in different countries. Going to a different country could be exciting but I would recommend you to look into it, you could do something wrong while you're there and not know it.

While Western culture has become used to the thumbs-up as a positive, informal signal, generally indicating a job well done, there are cultures where a thumb-up may land you in trouble. Most of Latin America and West Africa, as well as Greece, Russia, and the south of Italy, the thumbs-up basically means the same as the middle finger. It's generally not recommended to use the thumbs-up around the Middle East as it's pretty much the biggest insult out there, and it even worse if you use both hands. So no Fonzie impressions. Germany and the Westernized areas of Japan, they just see it as the hand signal for the number one.

Opening your palm to your target and stretching out your fingers seems harmless to most Westerners. Most of us would think you're waving. In Greece, however, the gesture is known as a "Moutza," and is one of the traditional insults. With fingers slightly apart, you thrust your hand into your target's face, usually coupling the gesture with a brash "na!" meaning "here you go!" The basic suggestion is something like "Eat S***", implying that you're not particularly impressed and would