Three foreigners were visiting England for the first time. As they wanted to go somewhere by bus they went to a bus stop and found the information they needed. In about five minutes the bus came along and the foreigners prepared to board it. Suddenly there was a loud, confused noise behind them. The conductor heard the noise and came down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners looked puzzled and embarrassed. No one had told them about the British custom of queuing for a bus so that the first person who arrived at a bus stop is the first to get on the bus. Clearly, learning the language of a country isn’t enough. If you want to ensure a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your hosts. You will be surprised how different they can be from your own. For example, a visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. Or, crossing your legs when sitting talking to someone in Thailand could cause offence. It is considered too informal an attitude for such an occasion. The three foreign visitors wanted to travel by bus. They read the information and joined the queue. They knew nothing about queuing. The other people got angry. Knowing the language of a country means you know everything about that country. In India it is polite to use your right hand when pas - sing food at table. In Europe it is impolite to cross your legs when tal king to someone. Knowing about customs and attitudes is important..