Should You Smile In Other Countries?
Traveling to other countries is an amazing opportunity to explore new cultures, customs, and lifestyles different from our own. One of the most classic and enduring symbols of friendliness and goodwill is smiling — but how should you smile in other countries? Is it always appropriate? Understanding when and how to appropriately smile in other countries is important for ensuring you avoid any potential miscommunication or cultural faux pas.
What Are the Benefits of Smiling?
Smiling has been proven to have a number of positive benefits. Smiling often naturally spreads positive feelings and encourages friendliness and empathy. Simply seeing someone else smile can lead to mirroring that same expression, often unconsciously. Smiling has even been proven to have tangible physical health benefits. Smiling often leads to the release of endorphins — natural brain chemicals that are responsible for improved immunity, boosted energy, and improving moods.
When to Be Respectful and Not Smile
In countries where respect and formality are important—such as Japan, Thailand, and India—revealing your teeth or smiling broadly can be considered disrespectful. If you visit these or similarly culturally formal countries, it is best to make sure you are maintaining a certain level of respectful formality. Bowing, for example, is typically a good sign of respect to demonstrate.
How Your Smile May Vary Across Different Locations
Though a wide range of emotions and facial expressions can be universal, there are some subtle differences in how certain facial expressions are interpreted in different countries. In Eastern Europe, for example, smiling can be seen as a sign naïve acceptance of an undesirable situation. This may arise from the history of how Eastern Europe has tended to tolerate oppressive regimes and situations they may have felt they couldn’t change. Meanwhile, in the United States and countries in Western Europe, smiling more often implies cheerfulness and contentment.
When It’s Appropriate to Smile
In most cases, it’s appropriate to smile in countries you’re visiting. Smiling is a universal human behavior that crosses all cultures, unleashing the positive benefits it has on the people you’re around. Smiling will likely indicate that you’re feeling warmly towards the people around you, and can communicate your willingness to be open and friendly. Smiling sends a message that you and those around you are worthy of respect, understanding, and kindness.
Smiling Respectfully In Religious Institutions
In certain countries, it is important to keep in mind the religious customs of those around you. If you are visiting a religious institution, church, or temple, it is important that you do not reveal your teeth and do not smile too widely as this could be seen as inappropriate. In this case, speaking quieter than normal and maintaining neutral facial expressions are seen as signs of respect and polite behavior.
Smiling at Senior Citizens
In many countries, it is wise to show respect to senior citizens—by showing respect to their experiences and understanding that their ideas and thoughts are worthy of consideration. Smiling is typically viewed positively when interacting with senior citizens, as it conveys a sense of kindness and appreciation.
Smiling at Strangers
It is often wise to avoid too widely grinning at strangers in other countries — as this can be seen as strange, or even aggressive. If you’re walking down a street, smiling politely at someone, but avoid widely grinning as this can appear inauthentic. That being said, if you’re engaging in a conversation, smiling can be a great way to show you’re genuinely listening and interested in the conversation.
Overall, it is important to be aware of the cultural considerations and how to properly convey your message without offending others. Smiling can be a great way to show that you are open to others and find delight in the experience of being in other countries. As with many things in life, when it comes to smiling in other countries, it is important to strike a balance — maintaining an appropriate level of respect and formality without forgetting to take pleasure in the joys of different culture, people, and places.
