Let’s see three examples of cultural clashes:

Example 1 - smoking

In Europe it is culturally accepted and people, regardless their gender, normally do not suffer any moral bias for smoking in public. On the contrary in India or in Senegal, it is not appropriate to smoke in public places such as in the streets, restaurants or other public places. Generally speaking women are not expected to be smokers.

Example 2 – tattoos

Even though representing a fashion trend accepted in many countries and despite their long history also there, tattoos are not well seen in Japan. In many ryokan, thermal baths and swimming pools people with tattoos are not admitted unless they can cover their tattoos or rent privately the spaces.

Example 3 – Same gesture, different meaning

In many parts of the world, the hand gesture performed by making a circle with the thumb and forefinger leaving middle, ring, and pinkie fingers extended, is an equivalent of the word OK. This same gesture, in other Countries such as Brazil, has an offensive meaning.

ok hand

In addition to our personal habits, such as smoking, or different meaning of gestures around the world there are 3 main characteristics of our person that, depending on our hosting country, may have a strong impact on a travel and that may challenge the most our cultural assumptions, values and freedom of expression and these are:

  • Gender
  • Ethnicity
  • Religion, political opinion, membership of a particular social groups

Let’s see now together how they may impact on our travel but beforehand we will focus on the physical and cultural barriers people with disabilities may meet during a travel abroad and how to manage them the best.