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Whenever you find yourself in a foreign country, one of the most common thoughts running through your mind is, “I hope I don’t look like a tourist.” Sometimes it’s inevitable – after all, the allure of wearing Mickey Mouse ears is powerful. Although we try our hardest, sometimes we can’t help but stick out like a sore thumb in a foreign country. Recently, people worldwide converged in an online discussion to reveal how who are tourists and who are locals.
1. Wearing Expensive Jewelry On the Streets of Brazil
Brazilian locals know better than to wear flashy jewelry in public. Doing so immediately makes you a target for pickpocketers and petty thieves. Therefore, it’s best practice in Brazil to keep a low profile – while it’s not a dangerous country per se, it’s always best not to attract unwanted attention due to your expensive jewelry.
2. Brightly-Colored Clothing In Russia
Russians always shake their heads when they see a tourist in their country – after all, they’re easy to spot because they often wear garish, brightly-colored clothing. However, the overwhelming majority of locals in Russia wear black, grey, or dark blue clothes. Even Russians don’t know why this is – perhaps they’re just blending in with the bleak weather.
3. Not Being Prepared In New York City
In New York City’s fast-paced culture, you must always be prepared – no matter what activity you’re undertaking. Many New Yorkers can tell tourists from locals just by how they act when ordering food at delis and Bodegas. “I can spot a tourist if they’re a customer who doesn’t know what they wish to order by the time they’ve reached the person behind the counter.”
4. Getting Sunburnt In Florida
The state of Florida is a haven for vacationers. From the attractions to the weather, it’s the place to be during the winter months in the United States. However, tourists identify themselves in one clear way to the locals: They’re all sunburnt – or at least it seems that way!
5. Selfie Sticks
According to countless people worldwide, the most popular way to identify a tourist is whether or not they use a selfie stick to take photos. It doesn’t matter what country or continent a person is visiting; if they bust out the selfie stick, they might as well be carrying a neon sign that reads, “I’m a tourist!”
6. Taking Photos of Everything In England
There must be something in the air in England that makes nearly every tourist turn into a professional photographer. “Oh my God, tourists in England take photos of everything,” laments one local.
“People used to have cameras around their necks, but now everyone has camera phones. Bonus points if you do something ridiculous like standing in the road trying to take a selfie with a bus and nearly get yourself run over.”
7. Eating Dinner Before 10 PM In Spain
The Spanish social culture in Europe revolves around late-night meals and activities that extend far into the evening. The most touristy thing a traveler can do is eat dinner before 10 pm in Spain. Most locals enjoy wine for hours before eating dinner, which is the opposite of the customs of the Western world.
8. Wearing Lederhosen In Germany
I don’t know why tourists enjoy dressing in costume when visiting Germany, but it happens endlessly. “Wearing Lederhosen or Dirndls is a laughable offense 99% of the time in Germany,” confesses one German local.
“They are traditional Bavarian clothing that even the locals only wear for a few cultural festivals. Wearing them on a normal day for a walk in Marienplatz screams ‘tourist!'”
9. Posing With the “Namaste” Gesture In India
Many Indian locals can spot a tourist a mile away – for an embarrassing reason! According to them, tourists insist on posing in photographs throughout their travels using the “namaste” hand gesture. That’s pretty cringe.
10. Traveling Alone In Indonesia
According to countless people living in Indonesia, traveling alone expecting an “awakening” is a tell-tale sign that you’re a tourist. “If they come to Bali to find themselves, they are probably a tourist,” surmises one local. “Thank you, Eat, Pray, Love, for making Indonesia a wellness destination and contributing to our economy.”
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