8 Things You Should Never Say as an American Traveling Abroad and What to Say Instead
By Habiba Davis • Moroccan-born traveler, North African woman, and founder of Trekking Pals, an adventure travel community with a mission to empower more women to get outside and explore the world.
Traveling isn’t just about new landscapes. It’s about new selves. And sometimes, the parts of ourselves that get revealed on the road are the parts we didn’t even know existed: our assumptions, habits, blind spots, and our unspoken cultural expectations. When we leave home, we naturally carry our culture with us, and we don’t always notice the weight of it until we collide with a different one.
As a Moroccan-born, North African woman who has built a life across continents, I’ve lived inside multiple cultural realities. I grew up speaking different languages, navigating social codes, and understanding how words can either open doors or close hearts. Later, moving to the U.S., I learned to adapt to an entirely new communication style: one that is more direct, efficient, fast-paced, and individual-centered. None of these approaches is “right” or “wrong.” They’re responses to the environments we grow in or adapt to.
But traveling, truly traveling, means recognizing that our way is just one way. It means not assuming the world adjusts to us simply because we are used to a certain rhythm. American travelers carry a unique set of cultural habits, often without realizing it. And that’s not a flaw, it’s just human. Every country produces its own norms. But some of the things Americans say abroad can unintentionally come across as dismissive, insensitive, or entitled, even when the intention is innocent.
This isn’t about shaming anyone. It’s about awareness and becoming a traveler who moves through the world with humility and emotional intelligence. Because when we travel respectfully, we don’t just explore new countries, we also evolve as people.
With that being said, here are seven phrases to let go of and how to reframe them in ways that deepen connection, show cultural respect, and expand you as a true global traveler.
1. “Everything is so cheap here!”
It might feel like the most harmless observation, a casual comment about prices that are lower than what you’re used to in the United States. But the word cheap carries undertones, even if unintentional. It reduces an entire economy to a bargain. It frames someone else’s cost of living through the lens of how much you personally saved. And it often overlooks the reality that currencies, wages, and purchasing power are shaped by complex histories and circumstances.
Growing up in Morocco, I remember hearing foreigners say this and feeling a subtle sting. Not because they meant harm, but because it felt like they were turning our everyday life into a discount experience. For many people around the world, affordability isn’t “cheapness.” It’s normal. It’s simply how life is structured. What might cost $20 in the U.S. might cost $3 elsewhere, not because the place is “cheap,” but because economies are different.
A more grounded, respectful way to navigate pricing abroad is to shift from commentary to gratitude. Instead of “This is so cheap,” try:
“This is a wonderful value, I’m really grateful I get to experience this.”
The difference is subtle, but the impact is profound. One centers privilege; the other centers appreciation. And the more we make that shift, the more we learn to see a country for what it is, not what it costs.
2. “Your English is very good.”
This statement almost always comes from kindness, but it can land with unintended meaning. Complimenting someone’s English assumes English is the standard, the goal, the global measure of intelligence or competence. But in most of the world, multilingualism isn’t extraordinary; it’s normal. In North Africa, for example, many people speak Arabic, Darija, French, sometimes Spanish, and often English. They switch languages depending on context, social setting, and who is in front of them.
When someone praises English in a surprised tone, it implies they didn’t expect you to speak well, or that English is the superior language one should master. But language is not about superiority; it’s about function and practicality.
A better approach acknowledges the human being, not their performance.
Instead of “Your English is very good,” try:
“Thank you so much for helping me communicate. I really appreciate it.”
This shifts the interaction from evaluation to gratitude, which creates a more equal, respectful exchange.
As someone who has navigated multiple languages and accents in different countries, I can tell you that appreciation lands far better than surprise.
3. “How much is that in dollars?”
When you ask a local to convert prices into dollars, it may feel efficient. But it sends a signal you may not intend: that your currency is the default and theirs is secondary. It also places the burden of calculation on the person who is serving you, whether it’s a vendor in a market, a taxi driver, or someone working in a shop.
Currencies fluctuate daily. Most locals don’t walk around knowing the exact dollar conversion. Nor should they; it’s not their responsibility. As a traveler, it’s your job to adapt, not theirs.
And thankfully, adaptation is easy. We carry the tools in our hands. A quick tap on your phone gives you the conversion instantly.
If you carry an iPhone, which a large majority of Americans do, you can go to your calculator and tap the button at the bottom left. It will bring up a list, turn on the convert toggle, and choose your currencies. You don’t even have to have access to the internet.
Instead of “How much is that in dollars?” try:
“Thank you, let me check the conversion.”
A small shift, but it moves you from expecting accommodation to showing self-sufficiency.
4. “Can you speak English?”
English has become a global bridge language, but it is not a global obligation. Many Americans don’t realize how surprising it can be to travelers from other countries that English is often expected automatically, even in places that have their own rich linguistic identities.
When the question is asked abruptly or with an expectant tone, it can feel like a demand. It implies the world should cater to you. But when asked with humility and warmth, it becomes a simple attempt to communicate.
As someone who travels frequently and speaks multiple languages, I can promise you: tone is everything. People open up when they feel respected, not pressured.
Instead of “Can you speak English?” try “Hello, do you speak English?”
And regardless of the answer, always follow with “Thank you so much.”
Humility in language is one of the strongest signs of a considerate traveler. And it’s a skill that will make your travels easier, safer, and more meaningful.
5.“This is the middle of nowhere.”
Another phrase that slips out easily, especially when visiting rural areas, small villages, or remote landscapes, is telling a local, This place is “in the middle of nowhere.” This expression might feel harmless to you, simply describing isolation or a slower pace. But for the people who live there, this place is not “nowhere.” It’s everything. It’s their home, their history, their heart, their memories, their land, and often the land of their ancestors. When we dismiss a place as “nowhere,” we unintentionally diminish the meaning it holds for those who were raised there, those who find belonging in it, and those whose entire identity is woven into its soil. Growing up in Morocco, I know what it feels like when outsiders reduce a quiet village or a rural region to emptiness, when in reality those places are filled with culture, perhaps older than their country and depth that city life could never replicate. Instead of framing remoteness as lack, try seeing it as a chance to understand different rhythms of life. A more respectful way to express your observation might be: “It’s so peaceful here,” or “This is such a beautiful, quiet place.”
6. “That’s not how we do it back home.”
American culture shapes a specific set of expectations: fast service, clear instructions, individual autonomy, convenience, and efficiency. Many Americans don’t realize how unusual the U.S. can be globally, especially when it comes to speed, customer service, and predictability.
When something abroad feels slow, different, confusing, or inefficient, the instinct is to compare it to home. But comparison closes the heart. It blocks curiosity and sometimes implies that your country’s way is the ideal, and others fall short.
Growing up in North Africa, I learned a different rhythm where community comes before efficiency, and hospitality is more important than speed, and patience is part of the culture. When I moved to the U.S., the pace was sharper, faster, and more transactional.
Now, I’m guilty of this, too. Every time I go back home to Morocco or travel to new places, where things are on a slower pace comparatively. I find myself annoyed and frustrated, and consequently falling into the comparison trap.
When you travel, it’s an opportunity to lean into another system, not critique it.
Instead of “That’s not how we do it back home,” try:
“Oh, that’s interesting, thank you for showing me.”
7. “I can’t believe they still do that here.”
This phrase is often said without thinking. But it carries the weight of cultural superiority, the idea that some practices should have “evolved” by now, according to who? According to Western timelines.
But countries are not meant to copy each other. Cultures evolve differently based on history, climate, religion, community structure, and values. What might seem unusual, old-fashioned, or surprising to you may be deeply meaningful to the people who live it.
One of the greatest lessons travel teaches is humility. Not the passive kind — the active kind. The willingness to understand that the world is not here to live up to your idea of modernity.
Instead of “I can’t believe they still do this,” say:
“This is new for me, I want to understand it better.”
The moment transforms from judgment to dialogue. And often, it’s in these moments of cultural difference that the deepest learning happens.
8. Calling a country “third-world.”
This term is outdated, inaccurate, and rooted in Cold War political categories, not economic realities. More importantly, it carries a tone of hierarchy and reduces entire nations to a single stereotype.
Growing up in Morocco, I remember how frustrating it felt to hear people casually call countries “third-world,” as though that label could capture the richness, intelligence, creativity, and complexity of millions of people.
Today, better language exists:
“developing country”
“emerging economy”
or simply the country’s name
Respect begins with the words we choose. And choosing accurate, dignified language honors the places that open their doors to you.
As a Moroccan-born, North African woman who later built a life in the United States, I see travel through a dual lens. I understand the Western approach to communication, efficiency, and individualism. But I also understand the deep-rooted hospitality, communal values, and layered cultural etiquette of North Africa, for instance.
This mix gives me a unique vantage point. I’ve been:
the local who watches travelers arrive with surprise or assumptions
the immigrant who adapts to a new culture and notices its patterns
the global traveler who feels both familiar and foreign in many places
That’s why I don’t see these phrases as “bad behavior.” I see them as echoes of cultural upbringing.
Americans aren’t disrespectful; they’re simply not taught how diverse communication norms are worldwide. And travelers don’t need to feel ashamed; they just need awareness.
Why This Awareness Especially Empowers Women Travelers
Women travel with a different alert system and a deeper awareness of safety, comfort, boundaries, intuition, and social cues. The way we communicate shapes how people respond to us. When you speak with respect and clarity, you instantly build better interactions with drivers, shop owners, guides, families, and strangers.
Cultural sensitivity is a form of safety. When you travel as a woman:
Humility opens more doors than force
Curiosity creates deeper exchanges
Respect protects you
emotional intelligence becomes a superpower
When I started Trekking Pals, I didn’t just want to offer group trips for women. I wanted to lead women into a new way of seeing the world and themselves, and this is very much part of the Trekking Pals philosophy: Women who travel with intention become stronger, wiser, and more grounded versions of themselves.
In Closing: Let Travel Make You Better
Words matter. They are the bridge between cultures and the tool that shapes first impressions. When you use them with awareness, you elevate not just your experience but yourself as a person first and as a global traveler.
Travel is not about perfection. It’s about evolution.
The world is not obligated to meet your expectations.
You are invited to rise to meet the world.
And when you do, with respect, humility, curiosity, and sincerity, you will find that the world becomes more welcoming, more generous, and more alive than you ever imagined.
