Don’t discuss politics, religion, race or money with new acquaintances. 

不要和人刚认识就讨论政治、宗教、种族或者钱。

These are perfectly fine topics of conversation between close friends and family, but they are considered personal and sensitive matters. It would not be appropriate to bring them up in conversation with a person you just met. “Safe” topics of conversation include sports, the weather, movies, music, books, art, travel, hobbies and your impressions of the US.

这些话题在密友和家人间讨论肯定无碍，但他们都是比较隐私和敏感的事情，如果你刚认识一个朋友就谈及这些，是不合适的。“安全”的聊天内容包括体育、天气、电影、音乐、书、艺术、旅行、兴趣爱好以及你对美国的印象。

Don’t be afraid to share your culture with Americans. 

不要怕将自己的文化跟美国人分享。

We’re not exactly the most cosmopolitan people—it comes from living in such a big, geographically isolated country. Many Americans can’t afford the airfare or time off work to travel abroad. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to hear about where you come from! You’ll find that most Americans are curious about your country, be it Sweden or Somalia.

我们并不是最见多识广的民族——由于居住在如此广阔、地理隔绝的国家。很多美国人负担不起机票或时间去出国旅游，但那并不意味着我们不想知道你从哪里来！你会发现绝大多数美国人对你的国家非常好奇，无论是瑞典还是索马里。

If you are not from western Europe or a major anglophone nation (Australia, New Zealand, Canada) people may not know much about your country or even where it is on a map. Don’t take offense, just talk about daily life where you live (food, work/school, what you do with your friends and family, how it compares to the US) and you will probably find plenty of interest.

如果你并非来自西欧或者英语国家（澳大利亚、新西兰、加拿大），人们可能并不太了解你的国家，甚至不知道它在地图上的位置。别觉得不高兴，就聊聊你家乡的日常（食物、工作/学校、你和朋友家人一起时做什么、和在美国有什么区别）也许你就能发现很多有趣的点。

Don’t be disrespectful to the police.

不要对警察不尊重。

Hopefully you are not planning to break any laws while in the US, but you might still need to deal with the police. Please keep in mind that we do have a gun violence problem in the US, and as such officers tend to be on edge. They don’t know if you have a weapon or not. In many countries, it’s normal to get out of the car to talk with the officer if you get pulled over. Don’t even think about doing that in the US as it will cause the officer to freak out and yell at you to get back in the car.

但愿你在美国期间并不打算做什么违法的事情，但你还是有可能会和警察打交道。请一定记住在美国，确实，存在着枪支暴力问题，因此警察都非常谨慎。他们并不知道你是否携带武器。在很多国家，如果被拦停，下车和警察交涉非常正常。在美国想都别想，因为那会导致他的强烈反应并大声命令你返回车内。

If you get pulled over, roll down the window, turn off the engine, turn on the interior light if it’s dark outside, and then sit still with your hands on the steering wheel. Don’t make sudden movements or reach for things unless you’re asked to provide a document. Also, make sure to carry the proper ID (your driver’s license from home and an international driver’s license should suffice—check with your car rental agency).

如果被拦停，你应该摇下车窗，关闭引擎，如果夜间就打开车内阅读灯，然后把双手放在方向盘上乖乖坐好。不要作出突然的动作或伸手去够什么东西，除非他要求你提供文件。同时，确保携带有效身份证件（你的本土驾照、国际驾照应该就足够了——当然了，最好在租车的地方确认好）。

Don’t expect service workers to clean up after you. 

不要想着让服务人员给你收拾卫生擦屁股。

Always clean up after yourself. Littering is illegal and you may have to pay a big fine if you get caught. If you go out to eat, don’t make a mess and leave garbage everywhere. The service staff are not your personal servants.

尽量自己完成。乱扔垃圾是违法的，如果被抓到会面临不低的罚款。如果出去吃饭，不要弄得一团糟、垃圾丢满地，服务员并不是你的佣人。

Don’t invade people’s personal space.

不要侵犯个人空间。

Comfortable speaking distance in the US is about an arm’s length. If you stand closer than this you will make people nervous. When adults are formally introduced or meet for the first time, they usually shake hands. Hugs are for close friends and family (and straight guys don’t usually hug each other). Hand holding is for couples, or parents and small children. Kissing on both cheeks is seen as something European, and only very cosmopolitan people in big cities ever do it.

在美国，较为舒服的交谈距离是一臂，站得比这还近的话会让人很紧张。成年人在第一次介绍、认识时，通常会握手，而拥抱只适用于亲密的朋友和家人之间（直男一般也不拥抱）。拉手是情侣或父母和自己的小孩子间的行为。亲两侧的脸颊是欧洲的习俗，只有大城市里非常国际化的人才会这么做。

Don’t insult US armed service members or veterans. 

不要侮辱军人或老兵。

Americans revere the military, and those who serve or have served are honored as heroes. It’s okay to disagree with certain wars or military actions that the US was involved in—lots of Americans do too—but don’t criticize or insult the institution of the military, or armed service members or veterans. The person you are talking to may be a veteran themselves or have family members who served.

美国非常尊敬军人，无论现役还是已经退伍。你对某个美国参加的战争或军事行动可以有异议——很多美国人都有——但不要批评甚至羞辱部队、军人或老兵，你谈话的对象可能就是退伍军人或家中有人服役过。

Don’t look grumpy or sulky. 

别总是忿忿不平、闷闷不乐的。

Americans smile a LOT! A friendly smile, eye contact and a firm handshake when you meet someone new will help you make a good impression. Outside the big cities, it’s normal to smile and say “hi” to strangers, and stop to chat with people you know.

美国人非常爱微笑！一个友好的微笑、眼神交流和紧紧的握手，会在和人初识时给对方留下非常好的印象。在大城市之外的地区，向陌生人打招呼、驻足和认识的人聊天是很稀松平常的事情。