Slide 1Overview People around the world have developed unique traditions of table manners and dining etiquette. Much like any other form of etiquette, it’s incredibly important to respect and follow these customs when you’re travelling abroad. Dining abroad can often make people feel uneasy, with the host of unfamiliar rules and foods. Here are some extremely specific do’s and don’ts from around the world that you should brush up on before you travel. In Egypt, wait your glass Getting from a meal or a gathering to refill your glass is considered bad manners in Egypt. Instead, you should wait for someone else (usually your neighbour) to offer to do so. Similarly, you should also offer to refill your neighbour’s glasses. Don’t eat your bread before your food in France In France, if bread is put on the table, it is not an appetizer; it’s meant to accompany your food. You’re meant to tear off pieces and use it to push food onto the fork or to mop up sauces. France Eating out is a fairly common occurrence in France. But, whether you’re out with friends or acquaintances, splitting the bill is considered highly unsophisticated. Either offer to pay the bill fully or let someone else do so. Tipping in Japan is frowned upon upon Tipping is a common and even a desired custom in many countries, but quite the opposite is true in Japan. It is quite rare, and in some places, they might even reject the money. chopsticks Another funeral ritual in Japan consists of the passing of bones from one set of chopsticks to another. So, it is considered extremely rude and even taboo to pass food this way. Accept plates of food that are offered to you with both hands If you’re offered a plate, or even a large bowl, of food in Korea, make sure to accept it with both hands and to hold it firmly. This shows respect and gratitude to your hosts and to the food. Always use the shared plate In Japan, and in China, many plates of dishes are shared amongst a group. Apart from avoiding passing food from chopsticks to chopsticks, in such cases, you should also never use the pointed end of the chopsticks (that go into your mouth) to dip into shared dishes. Use the other blunt end instead. Leave behind a little food on China When you’re dining out in China, make sure to leave a little food on your plate after you’re done eating. It shows that you have been given more than enough food by your hosts and that you are full. In Thailand, in your mouth When you’re in Thailand, eating with a fork is seen as unacceptable. Instead, you’re expected to use the fork to push the food onto a spoon and use that to eat with. Don’t ask for in Portugal If salt and pepper aren’t provided on the table, don’t ask for them, as it is considered insulting to the seasoning skills of the chef. Never mix the wasabi and the soy sauce when you’re having sushi It is considered bad manners to mix the wasabi and the soy sauce in a bowl to dip your sushi in. If you must have the wasabi, it goes directly on top of the fish, while the fish (and NOT the rice) is to be dipped in soy sauce. Meanwhile, ginger is eaten between pieces of sushi as a palate cleanser. Don’t expect a full cup of tea in Kazakhstan If your host in Kazakhstan serves you a cup of tea that is only half full, don’t feel bad. It is a good sign, unlike a full cup of tea that is seen as a sign that the host might want you to leave. Don't ask for cheese In Italy, never ask for cheese if it's not explicitly offered to you. It's considered a sin to put extra cheese on top of your pizza -- and it's even worse to put it on seafood. a mess In China, belches are considered an indication of your satisfaction and a compliment to the chef on a job well done. Making a mess around the table serves a similar purpose, and leaving a bit of food leftover shows your host that he or she has provided you with more than enough food. Don't bring yellow flowers to dinner In Bulgaria, yellow flowers symbolize hatred. Not the message (we hope) you're trying to send. dining In Russia, it is considered polite to rest your wrists on the edge of the table -- not on your lap. Also, keep your fork in your left hand and knife in your right. Don't use an individual plate In Ethiopia, individual plates are considered wasteful. Food is always shared from a single plate without the use of cutlery -- just hands. In Russia, it's rude to turn drink If a Russian offers you a drink, tradition dictates you should accept it. It's because offering a drink is a sign of trust and friendship, so if you reject it, you are basically saying "I'm not interested in being your friend." Don’t toast with beer if Hungary If you're raising a glass in Hungary, don't do it with beer — Hungarians may interpret that as the worst discourtesy since in 1848, when the Hungarian revolution was defeated by the Austrians, the event was celebrated with beer. Don't say "thank you“ in India In many countries, it's considered just good manners to say "thank you" when someone, say, pours you a drink or hands you a delicious dessert. But in India, it can be downright insulting. floor Spain has some incredible food, along with a bizarre way of advertising just how good a restaurant's food is. Anyone looking for a good tapas place should look for the place with the most amount of garbage on the floor. What? Really! That's anything from napkins and pits to discarded food waste, and here's why that's actually a thing. The reasoning went that the better food a place had, the more busy it was, the more busy it was, the more people were in and out the door — which means a ton of garbage building up. complicated Men and women are typically separated, and each group waits and watches while the host makes the coffee then tries it first, to make sure it's suitable for serving. Then, each guest gets a tiny bit in a tiny cup, and it's not unusual for cups to be passed back to be refilled and handed off to the next person. People are served from right to left, and you're allowed a max of three cups. Thailand: You won't be ordering if group It's the responsibility of the eldest women at the table to order for the entire group, and you shouldn't speak up with suggestions — even if that suggestion is dietary restrictions you have. There's going to be plenty of options once the dishes arrive, so it's not a big deal to turn down something for any particular reason. Conclusion Anyone who's ever had a great-aunt smacking at their elbows for resting them on the dinner table knows just how important etiquette can be. Our etiquette — and the reasons behind it — are so ingrained in us that we might not think twice about it, but head to any one of a number of countries and you'll find some different and often baffling bits of dining etiquette.