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Traveling and seeing the world may cause a bit of culture shock. If you’re used to the bustling streets of New York City, it may take some time for you to adapt to the laid-back life on a remote island in the Philippines.
Sometimes, these experiences may not be too pleasant, either. These Mumsnet readers would know, as they share the biggest culture shock they’ve gone through in a recent thread. Some were brought to tears while witnessing India’s poverty firsthand, while others weren’t big fans of the cattle on the roads of Nepal.
But, of course, there are some good ones on this list, too, like how easygoing Brazil’s locals are. Enjoy scrolling through these responses, and feel free to share your own culture shock moments in the comments!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I was pulled over by the cops in a Texan city for walking.
Everyone drives everywhere in Texas, so someone reported me to the cops for walking, not Jaywalking I might add, from one huge mall to another huge shop. They thought I had a mental illness. When I told them I was British and used to walking everywhere the cops eventually let me go.
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#2
The constant presence of Christian evangelism in the Bible Belt states of the USA.
#3
In Japan. Left my phone on my desk at uni, sleepless night, rushed there the next morning to find it sitting exactly where I left it. Left my purse in the student canteen and someone returned it to my desk. My Japanese flatmate rode her bicycle in a pouring rain to meet me on campus and give me an umbrella because she was worried about me getting home (I did not know she was doing it, we bumped into each other on the way). Three year old kids on their little bikes unsupervised on the street and being able to cross the road safely and independently.
Best year of my life. Unfortunately, I became quite scatty with my possessions for a while after returning to the UK. I just got used to the fact that valuables will remain exactly where you left them or will magically make their way back to you.
SCamp 10 months ago (edited)
In Japan, left my motorbike parked outside my busy local train station with the key left in the ignition- got back 8 hours later (I hadn’t realised) - key and bike right there waiting. In Australia that would have been gone in 10 minutes. Hey, stuff does happen in Japan, it’s not always 100% safe but it’s the safest place I’ve lived
#4
Realising that it was totally fine for me to go to the shop in a bikini and flip flops in Brazil. Everyone else was wandering around in various degrees of clothing, including wearing pretty much nothing at all. It was completely normal and no one had the slightest interest in anyone else's wobbly bits.
It was a shock, but a really nice one. SO relaxing.
R Ferreira 10 months ago
Must be a coastal city like Rio de Janeiro. In the countryside or more 'business' cities, like São Paulo, it's not so common.
#5
I lived in Dubai for a while and used cabs a lot. Without fail i'd be asked if i was going somewhere or "working", just because I was blonde so automatically assumed to be a p*****tute and grabbed/groped accordingly.
Total s**thole of a place beyond the glitter.
#6
The first time I landed in London on my own, (14) and made my way out of the airport and onto the underground, no one stared at me and I wasn’t groped or touched once. It was amazing.
I remember looking out the window of the train and goggling at how green and lush the countryside was, how fat the animals were in the fields, at the abundance of fruit and berries in the hedges and nobody taking any notice. I fell in love then and there and have loved it ever since.
Auntriarch 10 months ago
Not where I live, those blackberries are going to end up in my kitchen 😂
#7
Probably, in Egypt, seeing women sitting by swimming pools at very expensive hotels , completely covered in black clothing, with total face coverings and gloves. Their husbands openly letched at our 14 year old daughters in the pool
#8
Marrakesh. I've travelled a lot and never experienced anything like it. I was followed and harassed incessantly. I had to punch some bloke as he wouldn't let go off my arm.
Pittsburgh rare 10 months ago
There are cats EVERYWHERE in Morocco. Tangier is famous for its cats. Don't pet them!
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megabeth 10 months ago
I'm so sorry that was their experience! I felt safer walking around there than I do in the US. Definitely some people trying to sell you anything you can imagine, but I never felt threatened in any way.
Weasel Wise 10 months ago
Of course, with the "well, it's bad but the US is worse". 🙄🙄🙄🙄 Yes, yes, the US doesn't everything far worse than any other place on Earth. You think Egypt was bad, go to the US. You thought N.Korea was bad, go to the US. It doesn't end.
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Immortal Jellyfish 10 months ago
Number one make sure your possessions are safe, number two we'd like to play a game of seeing how for we could take them from the shop, stall, restaurant.........
Caroline Seguin 10 months ago
My SIL 30 years ago went there, and good thing she was with a man because she was blond with blue eyes and a guy "dealt" with the man to exchange her for 3 camels, 4 camels? Insane.
KatSaidWhat 10 months ago
It's why after Egypt I won't go to Marrakesh. I've done Agadir which was nice and also has souks and cultural things without the sheer gropiness of Marrakesh.
Karina 10 months ago
Those are some beautiful fittings and lamps!! Now I see why so many on Grand Design went there for theis final shopping.
Diolla 9 months ago
Am actually going to Marrakech next month, for shopping.
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Rich Black 10 months ago
But you said you wanted to visit someplace quaint and old fashioned . . ?
Oops 10 months ago
I was on a bus journey with a group, went to the basar, most people went back to the bus gasping, the shopkeepers were increadibly pushing, touching, urging. I wanted to buy some ceramics, but i fled. These shopkeepers could have earned a lot of money if they were a litte bit more decent. And they showed much scorn to european women. I will never visit a northafrican land again, much of my friends too, maybe they show us they dont want us to visit by their weird behavior.
Michelle C 10 months ago
I had a teacher from Morocco and he preferred the smaller town where he was from, as I can remember.
#9
The sheer number of cars in America. Mind blowing, and the lack of public transport outside of the big city areas. Seeing people drive 100 yards to drop the kids off at the school bus stop. There's no such thing as walking to the shop or the park, as exercise is otherwise planned and timed.
#10
In Florida. I could see a supermarket across the road from the hotel, but there was no way to actually walk to said supermarket, no where to cross the road, no pavements, i had a buggy aged child, it just wasnt possible to safely get there unless we drove across a street. Insane.
#11
For me it was definitely the bike culture in Amsterdam - and I loved it.
But also, the over enthusiasm of shop workers in America, the silence in the streets in Japan, and the way Australians are so outdoorsy but can't handle the rain
#12
The rule following in Munich. An empty road on a Sunday morning, but people were still waiting for the pedestrian lights to change.
#13
Ireland, the swearing, in a nice country pub or a restaurant and other couples. They get the F word into every sentence. There is no escape!
#14
Being grabbed by an Egyptian who tried selling me for 6 camels.
My ex thought it was funny and said “all yours mate” with a thumbs up.
The Egyptian thought it was a done deal.
I’m blonde and blue-eyed and was 23 at the time.
Another Egyptian at a coffee shop licked his lips at me in the airport when I asked for a latte.
#15
When we first moved to Copenhagen back in 2020 ( we are back in uk now) - and for virtually all winter the Xmas lights were left out along with braziers and furry throws and outdoor seating - and everywhere inside was toasty warm - to the point of sometimes being too warm!
It seemed incredibly cheery compared to most of UK in winter
#16
Oh and being told “ You’re so big and fat” in Hong Kong! By someone trying to sell me clothes!
Sue Denham 10 months ago
Imagine my embarrassment when visiting Hong Kong from NZ (where I'm not overweight) "Oh no! Nothing here fit you!".
#17
So much Jesus in small town America! You go to a diner and there's a little store in the back just like any tat shop here but with extra Jesus on everything. Where in England it's like, a little dog? In the US it's Jesus. Sparkly Jesus on a cushion, on a calendar, on a fridge magnet, tea towel (they don't call them tea towels though).
They're not even bothered about Mary it's just 100% Jesus all the time.
#18
The poverty in America. I was at a petrol station and a man was going through the bins for cans to recycle for a few cents. People were giving him cans from their very large fancy cars like it was a great act of charity.
Susie Elle 10 months ago
They do that where I live as well, especially since they included cans for cashback. Just average folks going dumpsterdiving these days.
#19
Shanghai, China. People spitting EVERYWHERE. People would just hock and spit massive phlegm balls out, even inside shops and hotels. It was GRIM.
Rose the Cook 10 months ago
Absolutely the worst thing about China. I once had a nasty fall slipping where someone had spat on the stairs indoors. An eight year old student suggested a solution; "Everyone should carry a stick and just smack anyone spitting."
#20
I moved from a busy city in Ukraine to a small UK village 20 years ago.
The day after the night of arrival, I went for walk to find the high street and not seen a single person on the street until I got to the high street. I thought the world has ended and I didn’t get the memo.
#21
Newcastle - it was snowing and all the gals only had a slip dress on and no coats at all
#22
Not necessarily the biggest one, but the most surprising one for me was the drinking culture in the UK. Not just how alcohol forms such a huge and destructive part of so many people's lives, but the casual acceptance of the prevalence of alcohol and the frequent excuses for drunk people - "Well, he was drunk, you know..." I always want to say, "Well, he chose to get drunk, so it's still his responsibility!"
#23
Being grabbed and stared at in turkey, even when not wearing particularly revealing clothes
#24
In China - being stared at openly at length with obvious curiosity as I was not Chinese. Those we met who could speak a smattering of English called us "Big Nose". Not meant as an insult I don't think, just their way of noticing our facial features were not in any way like those of the Chinese people.
#25
Texas was a huge culture shock to me - mainly because of the guns. We went to church with my family there, and every man in there was carrying a gun. My 5-year-old was wide-eyed at the notion of someone shooting someone at Mass!
#26
TV viewing in the US. It seemed so haphazard to me. Ad breaks mid-sentence of mainstream tv shows. The multiple religious channels. The whole set up lacked coherence to me.
Weasel Wise 10 months ago
It's, unfortunately, no haphazard but very well organized capitalism designed for companies to announce themselves as much as possible and for consumers to get as little as possible. Also why I haven't once paid for cable tv as an adult.
#27
Japan had a lot. Going into supermarkets and genuinely having no idea what something was. Children wearing school uniform even on weekends to advertise their school. The quietness and uniformity. People just obeying the rules. Things like the inability to understand how someone could lose a bus ticket and instead of just saying “no you have to buy a new one” being sent through ten different people all expressing surprise I could lose it. They couldn’t just say no!
Oh and the shop workers having incredibly high pitched voices, acting like children and following you around.
#28
I guess seeing the poverty in Cambodia. And the fact nobody was over the age of about 40. Lots of people with no limbs. Lots of very young kids living on the streets. This was about 20 years ago.
Simon Chen 10 months ago
Come back today, it is much different. Thanks to a lot of chinese money, poverty is now much lower. I do not know where OP was, but elderly people were allways there, they maybe just dont go to pub street. Begging children is very much the exeption now, sadly those are usually begging gangs of street kids or selling some crappy souveniers. Best thing is to just ignore it, you are not really doing them a favour by giving them money.
#29
Two spring immediately to mind that really threw me off kilter.
Arriving in India, first time I’d been out of Europe, and seeing the poverty and dirt and destitution everywhere. Cried my eyes out as it was all so raw.
Bangkok after a few months bumming around beaches, standing on a bridge looking down at several lanes of frankly mental traffic in the city centre, then waking down the steps and being hit with an array of sounds, smells, colour and chaos. Cried my eyes out as all my senses were so overwhelmed (but grew to love it!)
meh 10 months ago
Yes, it's a paradox in India. If you happen to be in Mumbai you'll see tall skyscrapers sandwiched between chawls. If you are landing at Mumbai during the day time you can see the airport you can't miss the endless roofs of shanties and slums. Rehabilitation efforts and plans have in the past got buried under corruption and politics.
#30
I remember starting work in London. I was raised in the Midlands just outside of Birmingham in an ethnically Indian family who had come from Malaysia. In those days the Midlands was industrial and I had seen men running out of work at the end of a shift. The bit that surprised me in London was that men and women in suits were running up the escalators in the tube to get to work- not to bet out of work, but running to get there. Then one day there am I doing the same thing without really realising it! Also the way people would cram themselves into an already crowded tube.
When experiencing culture shock in a new country, it's interesting to see how different global cultures handle various situations.
For instance, the American way of life might seem perplexing to many, as discussed in the non-Americans' perspective on American cultural norms. This provides insight into some common misunderstandings that arise between cultures.
#31
My first time in San Diego. I couldn’t believe the amount of homeless people. There were hundreds of little tents on the banks of the railway line.
#32
The expectation of politeness in France. If you walk into any establishment and start to order or buy something without a big "Bonjour" you are considered rude
Multa Nocte 10 months ago
You WILL get better service in France if you treat the clerk as a human being instead of an automaton who is only there to serve your every need.
#33
Nothing resembling a "village pub" culture in Canada. It is one of the things I miss most about the UK.
#34
In typical yokel style I was in the red light district in Amsterdam and didn’t know 🙄
I just said they need to shut their curtains cos you can see them in their underwear 🙈
I got laughed at unsurprisingly 😂
#35
Visiting Nepal and India 25 years ago. Cows on the road that the taxi drivers would dodge. Vibrant colours everywhere. People sleeping on the pavement at night, hundreds of them with nowhere else to go. Disabled people with no limbs begging lying on the floor. The kindness of strangers and simplicity of the lives people led. It brought me up short and made me appreciate my life back in the U.K. so much more. Not that I preferred it, but the contrast was strong.
Sapna Sarfare 10 months ago
Indian here.. this is probably a nice thing said.. We have issues and the govt is doing a lot but our population is an issue. Good news is we have brought many out of poverty, But still a long way to go
#36
As a 20 year old, being able to buy beer in McDonald's or from a street vending machine in Belgium. Blew my mind
Pferdchen 10 months ago
Back in 1974 or so, on a bus tour of Europe with my parents, I too was surprised by beer in a vending machine in Germany - at a highway rest stop! Being only 14 or 15, I was also amazed that a shopkeeper let me purchase little 1 oz. bottles of Goldschlager and Scotch; I kept those unopened for ages like some kind of trophies.
#37
Speaking to an Egyptian waiter and they have to have chaperones on every date until they get engaged.He also couldnt get his head around that women were allowed to swear in the uk.Its a different world.
#38
South Korea 25 years ago. I was 20, my brother 18. Both tall and blonde. My Dad was tall, fat and ginger. We got pointed and laughed at everywhere we went!
Scott Rackley 10 months ago
Went to Japan when I was younger, got similar treatment. I didn't think I was tall but over there I sure was, also, blonde with grey eyes. Wasn't pointed at but sure did get quite a few odd looks.
#39
The way men treat women in other countries.
Not saying it's great here btw.
Argentina - you literally get followed down the road like a dog in heat. It's absolutely feral. And they talk to you and expect you to actually go to one of those hotels where they rent by the hour. I absolutely don't look the type (whatever that is).
Also the way you are treated in places like Egypt.
I was offered a job in the Middle East on about an eighth of my UK salary "because you are married and your husband will look after you". No thanks.
#40
In Beijing, the men carrying their wives handbags and people dancing In parks and in squares. It was so joyful!
Weasel Wise 10 months ago
The communal dancing and exercising in public spaces (especially parks) is seen a lot in Asian cultures.
#41
Public toilets in the UAE being a hole in the floor. It was well built with a plastic seat style spaces for your feet. But nowhere to sit.
#43
Went to Norway last year and I couldn't understand why whenever we got on public transport everyone around us stood up and walked to a different seat.
I think culturally it's the thing to sit in silence but as excited tourists we just chatted away.
#44
In South Korea I went for a walk with a black man. I hadn't realised that would make us attraction no.1, an African and a European together!
#45
Miami - people mostly men, on huge motorbikes on 8 lane freeways without crash helmets. It terrified me.
#46
Cigarette vending machines in isolated spots in Germany.
#47
In France, not being able to go for a walk on my own, sit on a park bench and read a book, without some bloke following me/sitting next to me and chatting me up. Never happened in the UK!
Barbara Wilcock 10 months ago
I'm sorry this happened. But as a solo traveller I have never had this anywhere in France. City,or rural
#48
India. Coming from rural / small town Scotland, it was an absolute mind blower.
More recently, public smacking of children in France. It’s really commonplace, unlike in the UK. There’s no stigma that I can see.
#49
I’m from Ireland but lived in the UK for a long time. When we moved back I was struck by 2 things, which I’d never noticed to a huge extent before:
Smoking in the street - you literally couldn’t avoid it. I used to hate walking up the Main Street in our city because it was everywhere.
Swearing loudly in the street - again, it was everywhere and you couldn’t avoid it.
#50
I remember in the middle east my husband and I wanted to get on a bus, but women had to get on the bus first and sit at the front, then the men who sat at the back!
#52
Rural town in Kenya, piles off rubbish along the street that were just set on fire as there was no bin/rubbish service. Really strange looking down the street and just seeing multiple fires alight all day
HardBoiledBlonde 10 months ago
Many US states still allow people to burn their trash and other debris.
#53
Brought up in England. Big shock to go to Ireland for a funeral, with an open coffin wake, which is the norm in Ireland. Also that funerals are happening a day or too after death, not weeks
TribbleThinking 10 months ago
That's a bit soon. The whole point of the wake (which a lot of people forget) is that it's three days of watching the body just in case it actually wakes.
#54
New Orleans and walking into bars with signs that said "All guns should be holstered". So bizarre that people can just walk about freely with guns. Blew my mind.
#55
I felt really out of place in Kiev as a female solo tourist. The younger generations were good but the older people were really rude and dismissive.
Of course I've had people being rude to me in my life but this was pretty much full on once they realised I was English. I had learned a few words and phrases to get by but some people just shooed me away with their hand and turned their back on me, even the police did this.
#56
Mine would have to be the first time I went to the Algarve. The cleanliness of the streets. Not one piece of litter, street cleaners around all the time, picking up the tiniest bit of anything. It showed their pride. And if a piece of block paving was uneven, it was sorted within an hour!
The worst; the French people in St.Malo, rude as hell, all of them. And the same in Caernarvon.
#58
In NY one December. Had a stinking cold. Apparently it’s not the done thing to sneeze or blow your nose in public. Twice I was told I was disgusting!
Pittsburgh rare 10 months ago
It all depends on how you sneeze. Some people sneeze like dragons, open mouth and all
#59
This is going to sound awful - but mine was when I was 17 and I was invited to stay overnight with a friend from college. She was the only female in a house with her father and several brothers and she was expected to come home from college and make the evening meal (tea) for everyone. That was the first shock. The second was that they drank tea with the meal. I hadn't come across that before.
My mum did everything at home (with help from us when she asked) and we only ever had water to drink with our meals. And our evening meal was called supper not tea. I had quite a sheltered upbringing.
Now I know, of course, that we all do things in different ways and although I like things done my way in my house I really don't care much what other people choose to do in theirs. But it was a shock to me that although my friend was technically still a child she was expected to do all the cooking, laundry and housework just because she was female. This was 1978.
Ace 10 months ago (edited)
Doesn't say where this was or where they were from, but you could find such differences between different parts of the UK, so I don't think it's a country-specific thing. The names used for the midday and evening meals in particular vary a lot, but have changed over time. When I was a kid we had tea in the evening, then it was dinner, then supper seemed to be used a lot, now it's OK to say tea again (which used to be thought of more as a working-class thing). I can't keep up.
#60
Oh some of the southern US states. Obesity was absolutely shocking,
majority of people can’t walk. Sadly it’s becoming more common all over now.
#62
Rural China - toddlers not wearing nappies just bottomless trousers and doing their business.
This was about 15 years ago so it has probably changed.
Rose the Cook 10 months ago
It hasn't changed, babies are toilet trained early this way still. Only the wealthy upper class city folks use disposable nappies.
#63
New York. The woman next to me in a clothes shop did a very loud fart, she casually said 'excuse me' and carried on shopping.
No attempt to pretend it wasn't her. Now that's a real culture shock.
#64
New York. The lack of facilities for disabled people was awful. The attitudes towards disabled people was also terrible. I always thought the U.K. was poor at that until we went to New York.
David 10 months ago
I live in NYC, we are a very disabled friendly city, almost all public restrooms are disabled capable, all busses, and a nice chunk of the subway stations are (many stations were built over 100 years ago, and it take years to modify one for a elevator. Reason why most dont even have escaltors but just stairs.)
#65
Americans don't really use knives.
We do use knives to eat, but not in the same way as in the UK
#66
Italy - The hole in the ground toilets. The fab food and the amazing wine for next to nothing
#67
Israel - the way men greet each other and kiss each other
#68
Children’s birthday parties in Dubai.
#69
Moving from a workplace in a very very famous institution to a local authority office.
Everything felt tinny and unsubstantial.
#70
How it's "classy" for women to have a glass of wine. In France, outside a meal, only alcoholics do that.
What do you think ?
Captive 10 months ago
The amount of places where women can't walk around freely without being molested is disgusting. Those men act like animals and I wonder if those people treat their own women the same or just think those "western" women are objects.
Weasel Wise 10 months ago
Women are objects to them, local or not. Their wives though get it worse though cuz wives are property then, not just an object.
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PenguinEmp 10 months ago
I went to the USA and couldn't believe how fat everyone was. How much health care costs, how a woman has no say on her body. How racist people are to non whites. Oh and how almost everyone has a fing gun.
Alyce 10 months ago
You must have been here for a very long time, or came with a bunch of preconceived notions that you slotted your experiences into..
Load More Replies... Warren Peece 10 months ago
The first time I saw a "squat pot" toilet in Japan without knowing about them in advance. I walked into the restroom in a public park and was like "Uhh, what is this?"
Lyone Fein 10 months ago
When I went to India in the 1990s, I honestly did not experience too much culture shock. Maybe because I was studying Hinduism in grad school at the time. The cultural values really resonated with me. The slower pace, the food, the religious view point. The biggest shock for me was coming back to the US. I couldn't stand how much everyone kept complaining about things. Thirty years later and it still strikes me as outrageous. People who have indoor plumbing, potable water, refrigerators, phones, multiple pairs of shoes, electricity, etc. complaining about their poverty. But most of these people would be considered wealthy in other parts of the world......or at other times of history.
Captive 10 months ago
The amount of places where women can't walk around freely without being molested is disgusting. Those men act like animals and I wonder if those people treat their own women the same or just think those "western" women are objects.
Weasel Wise 10 months ago
Women are objects to them, local or not. Their wives though get it worse though cuz wives are property then, not just an object.
Load More Replies... PenguinEmp 10 months ago
I went to the USA and couldn't believe how fat everyone was. How much health care costs, how a woman has no say on her body. How racist people are to non whites. Oh and how almost everyone has a fing gun.
Alyce 10 months ago
You must have been here for a very long time, or came with a bunch of preconceived notions that you slotted your experiences into..
Load More Replies... Warren Peece 10 months ago
The first time I saw a "squat pot" toilet in Japan without knowing about them in advance. I walked into the restroom in a public park and was like "Uhh, what is this?"
Lyone Fein 10 months ago
When I went to India in the 1990s, I honestly did not experience too much culture shock. Maybe because I was studying Hinduism in grad school at the time. The cultural values really resonated with me. The slower pace, the food, the religious view point. The biggest shock for me was coming back to the US. I couldn't stand how much everyone kept complaining about things. Thirty years later and it still strikes me as outrageous. People who have indoor plumbing, potable water, refrigerators, phones, multiple pairs of shoes, electricity, etc. complaining about their poverty. But most of these people would be considered wealthy in other parts of the world......or at other times of history.
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