Whether volunteering abroad or travelling on your gap year, it’s likely that at some point you’ll come across a language barrier, where gestures will be your only way of communicating.

In these circumstances it’s important to bear in mind that in different countries gestures can mean completely different things. If you’re not careful you could end up getting some stern looks, or in some cases even going to prison just for trying to say hello! Below are three top tips for making sure you make friends, not enemies while you travel!

• The ‘A-OK’ – This gesture is commonly used by divers to signal to each other, or at the dinner table to indicate that the food is enjoyable, where it is impolite for people to talk while eating. However if you’re travelling through Europe this gesture can signal that you think a person is ‘zero’ and you look down on them. Even worse, when travelling in Germany or volunteering abroad in some South American countries, it can mean ‘anus’ or even signal to someone that you regard them as a ‘homosexual’.
• The ‘Dog Call’ – The dog call, performed when curling your index finger to form a summoning gesture, may be fine to seduce James Bond, but if you’re in the Philippines this gesture is considered only worthy to use on dogs. In fact, if you used it on a human you could be arrested and the police may even break your index finger so that you can’t commit the crime again.
• Thumbs up & down – Thumbs up is considered positive and thumbs down is considered negative all over the world. However if you find yourself lost in Iraq, (however unlikely this maybe), you could make the situation worse by giving the thumbs up to a local, as it is considered an insult – especially if thrust forward into someone’s face. The thumbs down sign may also mean execution in some parts of the world.

These are just a few of the gestures to be careful using when working as a volunteer abroad or travelling on a gap year. Remember, it’s always easier and more respectful just to learn the local language. Keep a look out on our Twitter page www.Twitter.com/inspireabroad for more travel tips!