The other day, while brainstorming on possible blog topics, I began to think back to an experience I had while waitressing during summer break from college. I worked at a local chain restaurant.  

I’m sure you are wondering what this blog has to do with travel, but I am getting there, I promise. Down the street from the restaurant where I worked was a summer camp that recruited counselors from all over the world - England, Scotland, South Africa, France, Australia and New Zealand. The counselors, young twentysomethings from around the globe, frequented the restaurant.

On a particularly slow Saturday night, the restaurant got a reservation for 27. The entire camp staff was coming in for dinner. There was no table large enough to accommodate a party of 27, so they were scattered in small groups at tables throughout the restaurant. I had a party of five at one of my tables.

 Their entire dining experience was perfect - the food came out quickly, everything was cooked just right. I was chatting with the counselors, asking where they were from, how they were enjoying Bucks County, talking about their camp experiences. Then I start hearing complaints from other servers that their tables of counselors had left some particularly low tips. I dropped off the check, ran the credit card and wished my customers a good night. They left me no tip - nothing at all, but some written messages of thanks on the check.

I had been tipped badly in the past, but I had never been left no tip. I was dumbfounded. Now, here’s the connection to travel. I had spent a semester studying abroad in London just a few months prior to this experience. Before going abroad, I took the time to learn some of the customs of the cities and countries I would be visiting while there. I learned that tipping is not as customary there as it is in America. My friends and I had changed some of our tipping habits while there to adjust to the cultural norms in Europe.  I always left a tip!

I bring all this up to spark discussion on this topic. I feel that if those counselors were living in America for the three months of summer vacation, they should have adapted somewhat  to our culture and followed our practices. But, then again, I was directly involved in the situation. As an outsider, how do you feel? Do you adapt to the cultures of the different countries you visit as a global traveler? Or are there some American norms you stick with everywhere you go?

Tipping is just one example of the differences existing between all the various countries people visit.  Share your thoughts on this topic below!

- Kimberly Krol, Circulation and Public Relations Executive