I heard that the safest way to answer to “greeting question” in USA is to say the same, e.g.:

-how are you -how are you

-god bless you -god bless you

and so on

Hey, i’m from Chile and it is not a privilege to be invited to someone’s 15 birthday party, and the party isn’t called “quinceanos”, it’s just a regular birthday party! I think you are mistaking Chile with Mexico, where the 15 birthday is really important.

Also, an extra fact: You are supposed to kiss in the cheek evey woman you say “hi” to (business or not)

I’m working for an american right now in Costa Rica and he keeps trying to impress our team with examples of how great the Army is and how he used to be so disciplilned and whatever while he was in the Army…

we don’t have an army and are actually quite proud of it. We don’t like war, and we don’t like violence. The whole gun-ho approach is really awful down here.

If you ever do business here, remember not to mention war, hunting deer or that sort of thing if you want to sound smart.

For those coming to America: smile. There is nothing more comforting and disarming in an unfamiliar situation to an American than a warm, toothy smile. People will forgive a myriad of slip-ups if followed by a smile (there are many kinds, so I suggest the innocent, self-mocking kind). However, also realize America has many subcultures, so this will not be universally true. In addition, humor and jokes are an excellent way to quickly make friends. Americans love to laugh. Likewise, for Americans going abroad: not everyone smiles. Do not be put off by the stoic public face of the French or the shy aversion of the eyes and mouth covering of the Japanese. Each place is going to have its own comedic customs.

Never schedule a meeting with a Frenchman right before a meeting with a German. You will be late, and the German will not be sympathetic. The inverse, a German before a Frenchman, is fine.

Not necessarily related to business, but one thing that always throws many of my non-American friends is the free use of first names, “even with people you’ve just met!” It’s not uncommon for them to go to the same accountant/doctor’s office/whatever for years and still refer to the people there as Mr. or Mrs. Whatever.

For what it’s worth the business card thing is so ingrained in Japanese culture that they make a show of it Stateside as well. Working on International Space Station hardware has certainly taught me this. :)

Additionally, it’s best to stay highly formal in conduct and correspondence with Japanese businessmen, who will lower the formality the more comfortable they become with you. Mr. Lastname is where you should start; my customers tend to progress to addressing me by first name after that, and then Morris-san after that [okay, I haven’t gotten to that level, but my boss has]. The formality thing is like dancing, and as the American, you’re following their lead.

I’ll never forget meeting a certain American woman for the first time. She was travelling and stayed a couple of nights in a meetinghouse in Stockholm, Sweden run by a little religious society of which she was a member back in America. My mother worked as a ‘warden’ of this place and so I was often there. One morning I came out of the private apartment my Mum had and the woman came out, looked at me and said, in English, ‘Who are you?’

I was so shocked I could barely answer. Maybe she was showing a genuine interest in me and who I was, but it came across as being incredibly rude. I was expecting her to introduce herself seeing as she was the guest, not demand that I do so first and in English.

I ate dinner with her later and was blindslided a couple more times that evening too —- ‘Why don’t you have a girlfriend?’

Oh a few occur…

In Ireland or the UK when a potential business partner complains of a hangover, US business people shouldn’t be worried about alcoholic tendencies, their EU partner is simply saying “I’m normal…”. That said, there may indeed be alcoholic tendencies…

The EU, private or public, is riddled with committees, so never expect to meet The Man, be prepared to present to The Group.

Italians love a good row. You’re normal if you squabble with them. Kick it back, they’ll kick back and smile. You’ve proven yourself as trustworthy.

Germans aren’t the only ones who hate hype, the Danes, the Swedes, most Northern EU states are ‘gimme the facts’ types.

I am told that in the central and south american countries, it is acceptable etiquette to place your sidearm on the table next to your service and discretely cover it with a napkin. I find this custom very comforting, allowing the loosening of the gunbelt without concern for fumbling should the flag go up. A corner seat in any third world restaurant is always recommended.