Member-only story
7 Everyday American Moves That Can Backfire Abroad
Most Americans Do These Without Thinking. Overseas, They Raise Red Flags
Non-Members can read this article for free by clicking this link.
In 1998, I was stopped by Ukrainian police for one reason: I was speaking English.
Not yelling. Not swearing. Just casually chatting with my girlfriend while walking near the Obolon metro station in Kyiv.
Next thing I know, two officers approach us, ask for my passport, and start muttering to each other like I’d just confessed to espionage.
What did I do? I spoke my native language. My girlfriend, unfazed, whispered, “Just give them a little something and we can go.”
Apparently, in post-Soviet Ukraine, talking like an American on a public sidewalk was enough to trigger a full-on document check… and a subtle request for a bribe.
That’s when it hit me.
Things that feel totally normal back home can get you in real trouble abroad.
And I don’t mean the kind of “trouble” where your waiter in France raises an eyebrow because you asked for ketchup.
