When I took my first Japanese language course in the USA, the teacher herself inadvertently demonstrated a cultural communication problem.

She called a student by name to come to the front and help her demonstrate something. The name didn't sound clear enough, or the instruction itself wasn't clear enough, or the student was shy, so the teacher gestured to come.

Gesture: palm down, fingers waving inward

Student had stood up and taken a step when he saw this, then awkwardly returned to his seat.

Teacher was confused and spoke again: "Please come here next to me."

Student rose, took a step, saw the gesture again, and sat down.

Puzzled teacher and student.

I had to explain that the gesture meant to the teacher one thing, but the opposite to the student. It appeared that she was pushing away and thereby telling the student o go away or sit down.