55 American Customs That Won't Fly Overseas

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Americans sometimes get a bit rattled when they travel overseas and experience people's cultures that don’t necessarily adhere to the same social norms of personal space that we do. We might want to back up an extra foot or two, but in a lot of countries, people are simply accustomed to being close together — especially in densely populated areas.

Requiring Personal Space

It can be an adjustment to foreigners who expect plenty of space all the time, but with some understanding and willingness to open up, it can be surprisingly refreshing. So before you stretch your arms wide and yell, “Get outta my bubble!” while abroad, remember that your own personal space just isn't as important elsewhere.

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Did you know...

  • You've heard of the phrase "wanderlust," but do you know the German word "fernweh"? It means "far sickness" or an intensely strong urge to travel. The next time you feel the need to head out on a road trip, you've got a case of fernweh. And the only cure is to travel somewhere new!
  • The surface area of Pluto is just under 6.5 million square miles. The CIA Factbook lists the area of Russia to be just over 6.6 million square miles. That makes Russia bigger than Pluto (and much closer to visit). Are you still very upset that Pluto isn’t a planet anymore?
  • Jet lag is worse when you're traveling from west to east. That's because the changes in time zones become not only more physically apparent on your body, but they are also more culturally apparent. If restaurants close at 10pm on the East Coast, you'll just be getting hungry since it will feel like 7pm on your West Coast-adjusted body.
  • The longest flight in the world is between Singapore and Newark, New Jersey. Depending on which way you're flying, it takes around 18.5 hours to complete the 9,534 miles of the journey. The flight is so long that it doesn't even have an economy class. Only first-class and business-class arrangements are offered.
  • Even though it is spread across five time zones, the entire country of China is set to Beijing time. Having a single time zone in the United States would certainly make things easier. Currently, the USA is spread across six, but a single time zone would make things a little wonky in Alaska and Hawai'i.