A large part of the thrill of travelling is being able to experience and, more importantly, understand different cultures. There are many horror stories of tourists visiting countries and using the trip as a glorified search for content to post on social media, but there is no denying that traveling becomes far more fulfilling when time is taken to respect and understand local cultures. Different cultures all have their own traditions and superstitions, and it is crucial to take the time to research these superstitions before traveling to fully appreciate them upon arrival.
Mind your manners
Planning on traveling to Lithuania? Half a million people did so in the first three months of 2017, and tourism is on the rise in the small European nation. Here’s hoping that those 500000 people took the time to investigate good social etiquette in the country. For example, whistling indoors is considered to summon devils while men should not shake hands in a doorway. Summoning devils is not really considered the done thing in any culture, and nor is wishing death on another person. Saying ‘cheers’ to someone with a glass of water in Germany is considered tantamount to wishing that death, which could make for a very awkward social situation for an unwitting tourist on the hunt for hydration.
Turkey, according to Daily Sabah, has a strong superstitions regarding right and left. Right is considered to be good luck and people tend to lead with their right-hand side when performing a number of activities. An itch in the right hand means financial fortune is on the way, while an itch in the left hand means you’re about to lose money. Being itchy in both hands presumably means that you break even. Black cats are traditionally considered to be bearers of bad luck in the United States, but countries such as the United Kingdom and Japan beg to differ. Black cats’ bad reputation is because of an association with the occult, but some cultures believe that they can symbolise the arrival of prosperity, or at the very least the arrival of a furry animal to pet. The BBC examined the peculiar nature of black cats in the UK, a nation where one in four people have admitted to being superstitious. A black cat following you is bad luck, but a black cat crossing your path without noticing you is good luck. Being aware of such superstitions when travelling may not be the difference between good and bad fortune, but it will ensure you’re aware of local customs and don’t make any social faux pas.
Got your number
Betway Casino’s analysis of lucky numbers across the world observes how different cultures share some superstitious similarities, although there are divergences as well. For example, China’s wariness of the number four due to its audible resemblance to the Chinese word for “death” has led to domestic construction workers creating buildings without a fourth floor. That is not to say that the building has a horizontal chasm where the fourth floor should be. Thankfully, it is a more simplistic skipping of the number four when naming each floor, which is logistically far easier. Americans visiting China may be slightly perturbed by the absence of the number four, but the courtesy could be returned when Chinese nationals visit the United States and have difficulty locating the 13th floor. Fear of the number 13 is known as triskaidekaphobia, so here’s hoping that nobody who has fear of the number thirteen also has fear of long words that are difficult to both say and spell.
These variations in tradition continue into soccer jerseys, with the World Cup a great way of highlighting how different customs emerge in different countries. While numbers on soccer jerseys may seem fairly arbitrary and meaningless, they are rooted in long-standing cultural traditions or shaped by personal preference. A detailed analysis of shirt numbers at the 2014 World Cup uncovered the unsurprising fact that 100% of squads gave their number one jersey to the goalkeeper, but there was more variation on the number six. 13 teams gave the number six to a defender, as is tradition in England, while 18 handed it to a midfielder, which is customary in nations like Spain. One maverick forward, Russia’s Maksim Kanunnikov, dared to claim the number for his own. While nations across continents are similar in many ways, there are small differences that may seem inconsequential but are worth appreciating and exploring.
While some people may consider superstitions to be foolhardy, they often represent key facets of society. Understanding local traditions facilitates a more considerate tourist experience and allows travelers to engage with local culture more deeply. Being able to immerse yourself in local culture will generate a more satisfying traveling experience, and that immersion requires an understanding of traditions and expectations. Superstitions can often be quite personal practices, but there are wider trends that exist across cultures.