Guatemala
What cultural faux pas should I try to avoid making in Guatemala?
We asked people in Guatemala if they could share any humorous cultural blunders they commited. For new expats, keep in mind that these incidents are an inevitable part of expat life. Learning to laugh about them is the key!...
"Sure, such as being at the cash register and telling the cashier when she was bagging the carton of eggs,"Ten cuidado con mis huevos" which translates to be careful with my balls. Foreigners tend to put the possessive on things, like my car and my eyes and my this and that which translates certain phrases differently in Spanish as noted in my example," said a member in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala.
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"I offered to help do the laundry when the woman I hired came to mi casa...not a good idea...the look on her face was...well lets just say I got the impression I was borderline close to offending her... Walking a trail without a lamp... duh... in the rain ...after dark... First and last time I get into a boat without asking if it is public or private! Spent 45 minutes trying to start a fire and giving up...later to meet someone on the trail who casually mentioned it is hard to start a fire here due to the lack of O2 in the air...and so some cooking oil and a few major breathes of my hot air and I had instant fire from that day on...lol," remarked another expat who made the move to Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.
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What cultural faux pas should I try to avoid making in Guatemala?
If you live in Guatemala, newcomers to Guatemala would love to hear your answer to this question.
About the Author
Joshua Wood, LPC joined Expat Exchange in 2000 and serves as one of its Co-Presidents. He is also one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. Prior to Expat Exchange, Joshua worked for NBC Cable (MSNBC and CNBC
Primetime). Joshua has a BA from Syracuse and a Master's in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mr. Wood is also a licensed counselor and psychotherapist.
Some of Joshua's articles include Pros and Cons of Living in Portugal, 10 Best Places to Live in Ireland and Pros and Cons of Living in Uruguay. Connect with Joshua on LinkedIn.
