Every culture and people have their own set of courtesies, manners, and way of doing things; just like many speak different languages and eat different foods. So, while you are out on tour and visiting many of these new people and places, please be mindful of how your actions impact others and can help keep you safe.

The following is not meant to be an exhaustive list of things to keep top of mind while you are visiting new places and strange people, but it should be a good starting point.

• Never separate from your group unless given permission from your director and accompanied by a buddy.
• Always keep your phone on you and make sure that it has plenty of battery life and that you have emergency contact information readily available.
• Lock up your valuables, or, better yet, don’t bring them!
• Don’t share too much with strangers.
• Dress conservatively. The less obviously a visitor you look, the less attention you’ll get from scammers, thieves, and worse.
• Remember your manners! Please and thank you are always appreciated.
• Be on time (or early) to everything!
• Listen to and follow instructions from your director and chaperones.
• Do not interrupt your guides or director. Hold your questions or comments until you are invited to ask questions or when they are done speaking. Most of the time your questions will be answered while they are speaking.
• No talking, sleeping, listening to music, or playing on your phone during guided tours or when a director or counselor is giving instructions.
• Before entering an elevator, allow all those who are getting off to exit. Step to the rear of the elevator to allow others to enter and to make room for those exiting before you.
• Do not push any buttons (or all the buttons!) for floors you are not utilizing on the elevator before getting off. There are other guests or patrons who do not appreciate the delays this causes.
• When returning to your rooms from late night activities, please do so quietly and quickly. Other hotel guests may already be sleeping.
• Keep your clothes and personal items picked up off the floor and place trash in the trashcans. This makes it easier for housekeeping to clean the rooms and make your beds. Also, please keep food and drinks on the tables in the hotel rooms and wipe up anything you may spill.
• Be respectful of your roommates by equally sharing the room space for luggage, personal items, etc., and don’t leave your toiletries laying out on the bathroom counters.
• Be considerate of other guests in hotels; avoid slamming doors, loud music or TV, shouting or yelling, and running in the halls, especially after a late-night activity.
• Girls are NOT to be in boys’ rooms and boys are NOT to be in girls’ rooms, unless an adult is present and the door is open.
• Never leave your room inappropriately dressed or without shoes.
• There are restrooms on the bus – use them only in an emergency. There are several places to use restrooms throughout your tour.
• Be respectful of people, places, or things that are different from you or different from what you are used to; appreciate and learn from these differences. Avoid making degrading or disrespectful remarks or insulting someone or their culture.
• If you are served a pre-planned meal that you do not care for, simply eat what you like and leave the rest.
• When you receive tickets, passes, or money you must not lose them, or you will have to replace them at your own expense. Tickets and passes are like cash.