12 things you should never do in the US …

… unless you want to get in trouble, offend people, or come across as a barbarian.

So, do NOT (in no particular order):

Unthinkable!, pic: sodahead.com

• Offer somebody under 21 an alcoholic beverage – illegal
• Be critical and confrontational, remember that many things that are acceptable in Europe are considered rude in the US – e.g. where Germans think it perfectly normal to push into you to get past you that is considered rude and aggressive in the US
• Walk around with hairy legs and armpits (this rule, unfortunately, only applies to women)
• Tell everybody you are an atheist and religion is a big scam – offensive to a vast majority of people, possible exception: urban areas in coastal California, maybe certain parts of New York
• Telling everybody that the whole world believes Americans are completely ignorant – nobody likes to hear that
• Taking your top off at the beach (only applies to women) – absolutely scandalous and woman here is defined as pretty much any female older than 8 years or so
• Not paying extremely close attention to your personal hygiene, not showering before going to the office = unthinkable
• Referring to American English as an accent of the proper British English.  Everybody here thinks British is an (albeit cute) accent of proper American English
• If you are in California: smoke – anywhere for any reason.  You might get a way with smoking marijuana – but not tobacco
• Tell a joke that makes fun of a certain race, gender, sexual orientation, age group, etc – at least not in public.  Among friends it happens.
• Start a discussion about abortion, guns, or evolution and think that it will be a friendly, inspiring chat
• Pronounce foreign words correctly in their original language unless the foreign language is your mother tongue and everybody knows that.  It is considered quite blasé.

There are more, but these came to mind quickly.