Customs & Culture

For specific information about the customs and cultures of your destination(s), read the General Information document on your My Odyssey portal.

The more you learn about the customs of the country you’re visiting, the more courteous – and welcome – you will be. It is also helpful (and always appreciated) to learn a few words/phrases of the language spoken at your destination, such as hello, goodbye, pardon me, sorry, please, thank you, you’re welcome, and perhaps most importantly, do you speak English?

Always ask permission before taking pictures of people. If you don’t speak the local language, just pointing at your camera and smiling will often get your point across. Don’t be surprised if some children (and sometimes adults) want a small tip or gift for allowing you to photograph them.

A good rule of thumb is not to bargain unless you know the fair price of an item. You can find this out by looking online, in retail stores, or by asking your tour director or hotel staff. In general, your opening offer should be around half of the vendor’s first price. If you are not serious about making a purchase, don’t engage in bargaining; if you and a merchant agree on a price, you are expected to buy it.