As you can see, even actions seemingly as small as hand gestures or seating arrangements can cause some large miscommunications. As Helena explains, our own world view is likely anything but “normal”. Instead, it is a combination of our unique accumulated experiences throughout life influenced by a myriad of factors. As responsible global citizens, it’s crucial for us to acknowledge how those influences may affect our perception of the world and how we communicate.
I have a Math teacher who grew up in Greece, and at the very start of the year she told us never to raise our hands with our fingers spread. You would think it was a weird rule but the reason was in Greece when you put out your hand with 5 fingers spread its like 5 middle fingers toward someone. Like F*** you 5 times. So she just said Don't do it, as she would always have a negative reaction to it.